A recent analysis of Pokmon Trading Card Game Pocket tournaments revealed Gyarados ex is slightly edging out Pikachu ex during serious competition, chipping away at the reputation of a card thats dominated online play since the mobile games Oct. 30 launch.Super Smash Bros. scientist PracticalTAS came to this conclusion by collecting data from three dozen Pokmon TCG Pocket tournaments over a period of nine days in December and assigning decks a meta weight based on both usage and win rate. The result is a handy graphic showing Gyarados ex with a 0.4% advantage over Pikachu ex, Mewtwo ex rounding out the top three, and Celebi ex a distant fourth.Gyarados ex was introduced to Pokmon TCG Pocket two weeks ago via the games first expansion, Mythical Island. Its a powerful card in its own right, boasting 180 HP and a four-energy, 140-damage attack that removes a random energy from the game. The fact that it only requires only one evolution means it can start wreaking havoc early into the game with a lucky Misty.The versatility of Water-type decks also means Gyarados ex can be supported by a bunch of different cards based on personal preference and availability. Current favorites include Greninja, an annoying card that snipes the opponents active Pokmon from the bench, and Mythical Islands new Vaporeon, which allows the transfer of Water energy between Pokmon.But thats not to say Mythical Island hasnt benefited Pikachu ex decks as well. A variant on the rise sees players pair the deadly electric mouse with a regular Pikachu who takes advantage of the same bench-stacking mechanic, an old Raichu that deals a ton of raw damage, a Dedenne that can keep an opponents Pokemon locked in paralysis hell, and a new Electabuzz, like Zebstrika before it, can beat up benched Pokmon.Pokmon TCG Pocket is a much simpler game compared to its big brother, but its fun seeing how much competition has evolved in such a short time despite there being fewer cards and different rules. And honestly, anything that cuts down on the amount of Pikachu ex and Mewtwo ex decks I see while grinding out wins with Golem and Dragonite is a welcome addition.

Elf is one of the few modern Christmas movies to stand the test of time. Star Will Ferrell was just 37 when Jon Favreaus comedy hit theaters in 2003. The films success, combined with a breakout role in Old School, minted the Saturday Night Live vet as a movie star (and Anchorman was just a year away). Ferrell has gone on to do a tremendous amount of work in the last 21 years since Elf, both as an onscreen buffoon and an influential producer (his recent credits include Succession, The Menu, and May December). As showcased in his recent Netflix documentary Will & Harper, which documents his road trip with longtime friend Harper Steele shortly after Harper came out as transgender, he also seems like a genuinely nice guy. So its heartwarming to see him pay respects to Elf, a movie that made him, years and years later in the most Will Ferrell way imaginable. At Sunday nights Los Angeles Kings game, Ferrell rolled in with his family dressed as Buddy. He was very aware that the cameras would inevitably point his direction. I choose to believe this is what the real Buddy the Elf looks like today.Perhaps adding to Elfs everlasting glow as a holiday-timed favorite is the fact that Ferrell never cranked out a sequel. Elf eventually got the Broadway musical treatment and Warner Bros. Animation premiered a stop-motion animated Buddy adventure on NBC in 2014, but there was never real momentum on an Elf 2, despite suggestions by those involved that a screenplay was written. The late actor James Caan, who portrayed Buddys dad in the movie, has suggested that Ferrell and Favreau did not see eye to eye on the set of the original and the friction killed any hope of a sequel. But in an interview earlier this year, Ferrell says he just wasnt happy with the script, which felt like a rehash.I would have had to promote the movie froman honest place, he told The Hollywood Reporter, which wouldve been, like, Ohno, its not good. I just couldnt turn down that much money. And I thought, Can I actually say those words? I dont think I can, so I guess I cant do the movie.So instead we have Ferrell occasionally turning up at live events in his Buddy costume, chugging beer and letting a cigarette dangle out of his mouth. Honestly, it might just be the best pitch for Elf 2 that anyones actually come up with.

For a lucky few, doodling online can be a full-time career. At VidCon Anaheim 2024, Polygon spoke with three artists Haminations, BrodyAnimates, and illymation who turned their love of art and cartoons into full-fledged careers as YouTubers.All three YouTubers create content in the storytime animation genre. This is when an artistnarrates a story, usually comedic or lighthearted in nature, while depicting its events in an animation or animatic an animated storyboard with fewer frames than a traditional animation. The videos usually range somewhere between five and 20 minutes.They also all started their channels around the same time Haminations in 2017 and both illymation and BrodyAnimates in early 2018.For illymation, starting their channel was just an escape from college, she said. I was in animation school and I was only animating to get good grades and that was a pressure I didnt love and I was like, I need to do things for fun again with art, and then unexpectedly I blew up on YouTube.Haminations started by doodling with friends. Hed draw a panel of a comic and pass it to a friend. They wouldnt tell each other what they were planning for the comic, so itd always go in crazy directions, Haminations said. He never thought that people would be very interested in it, but his dad encouraged him to start sharing his comics, and Haminations was created.Animation storytelling is one of several genres that BrodyAnimates has tried on YouTube since he started creating content at the age of 8.Over the past decade, Brody tried videos playing with Mario toys, sketch videos inspired by Smosh, and gaming videos inspired by CaptainSparklez.I was just replicating things I was inspired by, Brody said. In 2018, storytime animation became really popular and people like TheOdd1sOut and JaidenAnimations were really hitting the scene [] and it was the first thing that I was consistent with and people enjoyed.Animators have been on YouTube since its launch in 2005, but storytime animation as a genre didnt start taking off until the 2010s. TheOdd1sOut and JaidenAnimations each hit 1 million subscribers in 2016 and sparked a plethora of similar animation channels popping up in the subsequent years, including these three interviewees.Growing and maintaining their channelsHaminations, BrodyAnimates, and illymation all hire individual teams now to help make their videos. An average Haminations video these days consists of 30-plus workers, helping with tasks such as storyboarding, backgrounds, animation, and audio editing. On the lighter end, an average illymation video credits six people, and BrodyAnimates credits 10 to 15 people per video. Despite the help, generally these three YouTubers like to stay heavily involved with their channels.When I do hire someone on its because we really need it. Because if I were to just think about I dont wanna do this, I dont wanna do that, then I would basically fire myself from my own team, illymation said. There would be nothing left for me to do except manage and thats not fun.Staying heavily involved in each video keeps you aware of how the pipeline is going, so you dont lose focus on the big picture and how everyone has to pass things on to the next person.While some people might jump at the opportunity to hire help, it can be hard letting go of control, particularly when making personal art.Out of my friends, I definitely struggled the most out of giving up control, Brody said. Because as a creative [] you know exactly how you want it, but it got to a point where I was progressing as an artist I was feeling more comfortable in my abilities, which meant I was spending more time on the things I create, which meant I was uploading like every six months. And you know, you kinda just have to find the balance between passion and productivity. And I realized that Im gonna have to make a sacrifice. Im gonna have to either lower my quality or Im gonna have to bring people on to help me maintain that quality.Advice for artists wanting to make YouTube videosAll three YouTubers had similar advice for artists aspiring to make it on the platform: Start, have fun, and follow your passion.Id say the best ways to learn are from other people, illymation said. You dont need the fanciest tools to do what other people do because everyone starts somewhere. [] Just make sure its you having fun.Meanwhile, Brody emphasized the need for passion and persistence. Push through and if youre passionate about it, keep doing it, he said. Pretty much the only thing that can stop you is whenever you decide to stop. [] I think a lot of people stop something before theyve even started it.Start. Simply start, Haminations said. Perfectionism kills peoples journey before it even starts off. [] Everyone has 5,000 bad drawings in them they have to get out first before they can start making the good ones.Evolving beyond YouTubeBoth illymation and Haminations are working on graphic novels.Illymation said to be on the lookout, but that the process takes a lot longer than [she] thought it would because its a book.Itll definitely take a long time to come out, Haminations said of his novel, before mentioning that the writing is pretty much complete. He also gave a quick synopsis of his novels plot:Bryson is trying to get people to like him by being what he thinks they want him to be instead of being himself. Then he gets transported to another dimension and he thinks, Oh maybe the missing piece is magic! So he does a stand up magic act, and it works, but he stepped on someone to do it and accidentally summoned beasts that are manifestations of his negative thinking patterns. Basically, Bryson has to fight the beasts and save the kingdom from himself.So hes kind of an antihero, said Haminations. He also snuck in a lot of therapy stuff that hes a big nerd about and hopes to secretly teach kids about accountability in a way that little [him] wouldve liked to read.If youd like to keep up with these artists, subscribe to their YouTube channels:BrodyAnimatesillymationHaminations

Your flexible spending account (FSA) funds expire tomorrow (or shortly thereafter if you have a rollover periodcheck with your employer on that). This means it's time to scan your medicine cabinet, make a list of anything you need to stock up on, and click "add to cart." The FSA store is an obvious choice for making the most of your remaining funds, but you can also turn to your go-to retail giants. Amazon, Target, Walgreens, and more all offer a dedicated FSA/HSA Shop to help you find eligible items quickly.How to shop FSA-eligible items on AmazonHere's how you can take advantage of Amazon's FSA-eligible items before the end of the year.1. Visit Amazon's FSA Store at amazon.com/fsa2. Look for the "FSA/HSA Eligible" label on product listings3. Use the FSA/HSA filter in search results4. Pay with your FSA debit card at checkoutSimilarly, Target has an FSA filter in their healthcare section, and pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens have dedicated online FSA shops.What to buy with your remaining FSA fundsMany over-the-counter medications and health items are FSA-eligible, including cold medicine, bandages, dental care products, menstrual products, and more. You can also grab:First aid supplies (bandages, antibiotic ointment)Over-the-counter medicationsContact lenses and solutionsReading glassesSunscreenPain relieversBlood pressure monitorsCOVID-19 testsAgain, most FSA plans require you to spend funds by December 31, though some offer grace periods. Check with your plan administrator for specific deadlines. Just make sure to save receipts for all FSA purchases in case you need to verify eligibility with your plan administrator after paying.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.No matter how big your house seemed when you moved in, it will eventually seem too small. Whether its a growing family or a shift to remote work, the chances that youll eventually wish you had just one more room are pretty high. And with the cost of an addition to your home starting at around $22,000, a lot of folks look for lower-cost ways to claw some more usable space out of their homes.The good news is that you might have the solution in your house already: your closets. Closets are already pretty useful for storing your stuff out of sight, of course, but if youre in the market for an extra room and you have a closet to spare, you have the opportunity to trade boring storage space for something a lot more useful. Depending on how large the closet in question is, you have options for repurposing it.BedroomIf youre seeking more square footage because you need an extra bedroom, a decent-sized closet might be the solution. Generally speaking, a bedroom should be a minimum of 70 square feet, and the good news is that a standard walk-in closet is typically pretty close to that at about 65 square feet. Turning a walk-in closet into a usable sleeping space is therefore just a matter of clearing it out and installing a bed.This wont be a legal bedroom you can include on a house listing, of coursefor that, you typically need an egress like a window or door leading out of the house. But it can be a comfortable spot for guests or a growing child who needs their own private space.Closets smaller than that can still be transformed into bedrooms, especially for kids. Folding beds or bunk beds attached directly to the walls can create a fun, flexible sleeping area that can be utilized when you suddenly have an army of guests staying over or when the kiddos want that sleepover vibe.OfficeIf you work remotely even part of the time, you know a specific office space is key to your sanity and your job performance. If you didnt anticipate needing an extra room for an office when you bought your home, you also know that trying to work at kitchen counters, dining room tables, and on living room couches with a laptop balanced on your knees is less than ideal.Even the tiniest extra closet can be transformed into a usable office (or cloffice, though we sincerely hope that term doesnt catch on). Reach-in closets are typically a minimum of two feet deep and range from three to eight feet wide. You can still fit a small desk (or use a folding desk) and plenty of shelving into the short end of that range, giving you an organized, bespoke space for your working hours. And closet offices come with one huge unanticipated benefit: You can close the door when the work day is finished and hide it all away.BarIf youve dreamed of having a grown-up bar in your house for entertaining purposes (or just because youre enthusiastic about cocktails), a spare closet in or near the living area offers you an ideal spot. A reach-in closet thats just two feet deep by three feet wide can house a perfectly respectable bar area in a few relatively easy steps:Remove the doors and door hardware.Remove shelving and hanging bars.Patch and paint interior drywall.Install a small bar fridge, a cabinet with countertop of similar size, and another cabinet or glassware storage on the walls.Add some simple lighting if necessary.Now all thats left is to stock the bar and organize a party.LibraryIf you love to read but hate how books take over the entire house, a spare closet is the perfect space for a small, cozy library and reading nook. If you have a larger walk-in closet you dont need, its relatively straightforward to install some shelves, a comfortable chair, and a reading lamp to create a small library space for yourself (mini-fridge stocked with snacks is optional). But even a small reach-in closet can be cleared out, outfitted with bookshelves, and stocked with a folding chair to create a cozy reading space.PantryA pantry is really just a food closet, so transforming an underused coat closet into a pantry is pretty straightforward. While your pantry can be located anywhere, a closet near your kitchen is obviously ideal. All thats needed is to remove existing hanging bars and shelves, install floor-to-ceiling shelving, and add in some hanging baskets and hooks for cooking utensils, aprons, or anything else that normally gets in the way.If your adorably small pantry is a bit too adorably small, you can add a back-of-door organizer to give yourself a little extra food storage, too.Laundry roomThis one is a bit more ambitious than some of the other projects on this list, but its impact is potentially larger. If youre not afraid of hiring a plumber and possibly an electrician (or if youre comfortable doing that kind of work yourself), a closet could become the laundry room youre currently missing.To see if its even possible, measure your closet and the appliances you need to fit in there. Washers and dryers average about 24-26 inches wide, around 42 inches high, and 30 inches deep, with a lot of variance between brands and models. Youll need to allow for about six inches of clearance between the wall and the machines, and if youre using front-loaders, youll need to account for the extra depth unless the closet opening is wide enough. Those dimensions mean that a small reach-in closet probably wont work for this projectyoull need at least a small walk-in closet to make it work.Keep in mind that if your closet is just large enough to fit your appliances, there wont be any room to store detergents and other supplies. If you have to store that stuff elsewhere (or have it in a messy pile nearby), thats not an ideal solution. You can add some behind-the-door storage, howeveror even a behind-the-door ironing rack that can double as a place to fold laundry as it comes out of the dryer.Recording boothWhether youre one of the millions (and millions) of people who host their own podcast or just need a quiet spot for video meetings and calls, a small closet is an ideal spot to build a simple, DIY recording booth/studio. Some acoustic foam panels on the walls and a sound dampening blanket over the door can turn that tiny space into a perfect vocal isolation booth, recording studio, or meeting spot. The small size is a feature here, as it will be relatively cheap to turn that closet into a quiet studio space.

Coming up with a list of the best comedy podcasts is hardcomedy is subjective, and Im hardly a comedian myself. However, I am an expert podcast listenerI write a podcast newsletter and have been bringing you podcast recommendations on this website for years. And of the more than 75 days' worth of podcasts I listened to in 2024, these are the shows that made me laugh (repeatedly) during a busy, tumultuous year.(Once you're all stocked up on laughs, check out my lists of the best interview podcasts, the best true crime podcasts, and the year's best podcasts overall.)Handsome Credit: Podcast logo Handsome is a sweet gem of a show that showcases the friendship betweenTig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin. Each episode feels like sitting in on a hilarious and heartfelt conversation filled with equal parts jokes and authenticity. The trios chemistry is electric, blending quirky observations, absurd humor, and surprising tangents that keep you laughing while also touching on relatable themes. Whether they're dissecting awkward social situations or diving into random, offbeat topics, Handsome stands out as a podcast that is as smart as it is funnya must-listen for fans of clever, laid-back comedy. Tiny Dinos Credit: Podcast logo In their improv comedy podcast Tiny Dinos, Connor Ratliff (Dead Eyes, Mean Girls, Search Party, and many others) and James III (Black Men Can't Jump [In Hollywood], Astronomy Club) have created a world that is so much fun I want to live inside of it. It seems Connor and James are scientists who have brought back dinosaurs a la Jurassic Parkbut not normal sized ones; that would be irresponsible. These dinos are tiny. This proves to be the perfect setup for really silly conversations as they attempt to keep their scientific endeavor a secret. Valley Heat Credit: Podcast logo Valley Heat is a fictional podcast about the real Rancho Equestrian District in Burbank, California, hosted by Doug Duguay, purportedly a freelance insurance adjuster. It all begins when Doug suspects his pool guy is dealing drugs from his garbage can, and his investigation kicks off introductions to Dougs neighbors, his family, and all of their assorted crazy antics. With its unique blend of dry wit, unpredictable storylines, and cast of eccentric characters, Valley Heat feels like a real world documentary spun wildly out of control. The fictional ads that Doug reads in each episode are also a highlight.One of Us Credit: Podcast logo Actors and comedians start podcasts all the time, but they dont always put a ton of thought into the concept or the production. Fin Argus and Chris Renfro took the opposite tack. Their show One Of Us contains interviews, improv segments, rich sound design, and tons of creativity. (It sounds like what the cover art looks like'90s Nickelodeon-esque, the kind of kind of silly, fantastical weirdness that makes silly, fantastical, weird people feel seen.) In each episode, a guest comedian joins them in their rocket ship to travel to a new, imagined universea haunted Erewhon, a clothing-optional hot spring, Miss Frizzles assholeto see if theyre willing to join Fin and Chris intergalactic Best Friend Force. Underneath the silliness is this really nice idea that we can build the kind of world we want to live in, and that even dreaming about it is something. My Momma Told Me Credit: Podcast logo My Momma Told Me is a standout podcast that combines humor and cultural commentary with a deep dive into conspiracy theories and folklore in the Black community. Hosts Langston Kerman (Insecure, English Teacher) and David Gborie invite guests to tell them about what their mommas told them (like that "Toonami" was invented to waste Black kids time and suck out their athleticism, or that wearing red nail polish means youre a floozie), and maybe even stuff that their mommas' mommas told them, unpacking their origins and cultural significance along the way, and never shying away from addressing broader societal issues. Who? Weekly Credit: Podcast logo Who? Weekly is a show about celebrities who are famous, but you dont really know why. As defined by hosts Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger, "Who" celebrities are the ones that make you go who? and "They" celebrities are the ones you absolutely know, like Nicole Kidman. Turns out what the Whos are up to is way more interesting and entertaining than the Theys. Lindsey and Bobby cover it alltheir sponsored content, their most unhinged moments, their PR nightmares, and best of all, the dumb coverage they get in the media. Straightiolab Credit: Podcast logo On Straightiolab, comedians George Civeris and Sam Taggart are unpacking straight culture one piece at a time. Their chats, which are about 75% wild tangents, are so off the wall that they go right past weird to totally genius. Whatever outrageous, tenuous ties they find between the topic of the day and the culture of queerness inevitably segue into quasi-philosophical conversations about gender. Its academic comedy. Each show starts with a silly game segment that makes no sense (and nobody is allowed to ask questions about it), and George, Sam, and the guests end each episode with TRL-esque shoutouts. All Fantasy Everything Credit: Podcast logo On All Fantasy Everything, Ian Karmel, Sean Jordan, and David Gborie draft their favorite things in the world, from movies and foods to utterly absurd concepts like "things that make you feel cool." The charm lies in the trio's natural chemistry, hilarious tangents, and their ability to make even the silliest topics feel compelling and relatablethe best mall stores, the most painful moments in Home Alone, the best grilling music, food that looks better than it tastes, weird billionaire hobbies, etc. It strikes a perfect balance between nostalgia, comedy, and creativity.WikiHole Credit: Podcast logo WikiHole is comedy randomness at its best. Host DArcy Carden pulls her extremely funny guests through a series of trivia questions drawn from Wikipedia topics, each question linked to the next in some weird wayits Wikipedia rabbit holes all the way down. Sure, youll learn random facts, and sure, someone will win. But the fun is hearing guests like Sasheer Zamata, Matt Rogers, Ilana Glazer, and Nick Kroll showing off what they know (or dont) and marveling as DArcy rather theatrically threads it all together. How exactly do coked-out sharks connect to The Fast and the Furious franchise? How does Bjrk connect to bike messengers? How do Renaissance Faires connect to Donkey Kong? Youll have to listen to find out.Were Here to Help Credit: Podcast logo There are a lot of advice shows out there, and Were Here to Help is one of them. What sets hosts Jake Johnson (New Girl, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and Gareth Reynolds (The Dollop) apart is their chemistry, comedy, and the fact that they absolutely admit they are not qualified to help anyone but are going to try anyway. On each episode they make several pitches to callers with their best attempts at advice to solve mundane problems. For example, one caller needs help getting her son out of a karate contract, and another wants to break up with their chiropractor. Buried inside the humor is often quite good advice, but you may be laughing too hard to notice.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is down to its Black Friday price. You can pick one up for $329 via Amazon, which is a discount of $70 and nearly 20 percent off. Even better? This deal is available for multiple band colors, including jet black, rose gold and more. This is the companys latest and greatest smartwatch and it easily topped our list of the best Apple wearables. Its thinner and lighter than the Series 9, which is something that we were impressed by in our official review. We also appreciated the larger wide-angle OLED display, which makes some things easier to read. This is particularly useful when trying to navigate via Maps. Theres a brand-new depth gauge, for snorkeling and swimming, and sensors that support sleep apnea detection. The speakers are even much-improved over previous generations, so the Apple Watch Series 10 is a decent option for checking out a podcast. Its just a watch, however, so we can't recommend using the speakers for extended listening. Other people will hear you and music will sound tinny and dull. The battery life still maxes out at 18 hours. This is somewhat annoying, but the Series 10 can get to 80 percent in just 90 minutes by using a fast-charge-certified charger. That means you just have to find an hour or so to plug it in toward the end of the day if you want to track sleep. 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/the-apple-watch-series-10-is-back-down-to-its-black-friday-price-173850202.html?src=rss

You might have thrown out the wrapping paper and are readying the drinks for the countdown to the new year, but some of us are already getting ready for CES 2025. Shortly after New Years Day, many from the Engadget team will be packing our bags to fly to Las Vegas, where well be covering techs biggest annual conference. As usual, our inboxes are already flooded with pitches from companies that are planning to be there, and our calendars are filling up with appointments for briefings and demos.Based on our experience, as well as observation of recent industry trends, its fairly easy to make educated predictions about what we might see in January. Over the years, the focus of the conference has spanned areas like TVs, cars, smart home products and personal health, with a smattering of laptops and accessories thrown in. At CES 2025, we expect to see AI get even more pervasive in all areas of the show floor. But we are also likely to get the usual slew of new processors and subsequent laptops, as well as all manner of wearables, trackers, bathroom appliances and massage chairs. Oh, the massage chairs.What we already know is comingThere's already a lot we know is coming, just by a cursory glance at the lineup published by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). In addition to numerous panels and talks, there will be keynotes by NVIDIA's founder and CEO Jensen Huang, Delta CEO Ed Bastian as well as C-suite executives from companies like Panasonic, SiriusXM, Waymo and Volvo group. We've also seen that Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X (Twitter), will be interviewed by journalist Catherine Herridge at a keynote on January 7, while Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will be speaking about the "future goals of the platform" on January 8.Some companies didn't even wait till January to make their news known. LG, for example, continues its annual tradition of sharing its upcoming CES launches weeks ahead of the show by unveiling the 2025 refresh for its QNED evo line of LCD TVs. The company has continued to release more information, including announcing its 45-inch UltraGear bendable OLED gaming monitor alongside a line of curved OLED screens.Hyundai Mobis, meanwhile, has said it will be giving us a look at its "Holographic Windshield Display," something it's claiming is a world's first. Hyundai Mobis even shared a picture of what its booth at CES 2025 will look like, in case pictures of convention center booths get you excited.Hyundai MobisIf youre already looking ahead to 2025 and are studiously researching what might be coming in January, heres a taste of what our team expects to see at the show.New video cards from AMD and NVIDIATheres no doubt 2025 is going to be a momentous year for PC gamers. NVIDIA is expected to debut its long-awaited RTX 5000 video cards at CES, while AMD CEO Lisa Su has confirmed well see next-generation RDNA 4 GPUs early next year. Of the two companies, AMD could use the upgrade more. Its last batch of Radeon 7000 cards were decent mid-range performers, but they lagged far behind NVIDIAs hardware when it came to ray tracing, and AMDs FSR 3 upscaling also couldnt compete with NVIDIAs AI-powered DLSS 3."In addition to a strong increase in gaming performance, RDNA 4 delivers significantly higher ray-tracing performance and adds new AI capabilities, AMD CEO Lisa Su said in an October earnings call.As for NVIDIAs new hardware, a rumor from the leaker OneRaichu (via DigitalTrends) suggested that the RTX 5090 could be up to 70 percent faster than the RTX 4090. (Thats a GPU that I previously described as having unholy power.) They also note that other high level cards could see 30 to 40 percent performance bumps. Those gains might be enough to tempt wealthy RTX 4090 owners to upgrade, but RTX 4070 and 4080 owners might want to skip this generation. For NVIDIA holdouts with RTX 3000 and earlier GPUs, though, next year may be the perfect time to upgrade. Devindra Hardawar, senior reporterAI PCs round 2Last year, I predicted that AI PCs would dominate CES, and that mostly turned out to be true. As 2024 rolled on, we saw even more powerful NPUs in chips from Intel, AMD and Qualcomm. Microsoft also doubled down on AI PCs with its Copilot+ initiative, which gave a big marketing push for artificial intelligence features and premium specifications (like having at least 16GB of RAM).Expect more of the same going into CES 2025, alongside even more AI being stuffed into every category of product imaginable. This year, in particular, PC makers are likely to gear up to take advantage of Windows 10 support ending next year. Instead of just upgrading your old computer to Windows 11, the likes of Dell and HP would rather you buy a whole new AI PC with the new OS pre-installed.While 2024 was a year of endless AI PC hype, 2025 might end up being a year of reckoning. Microsofts long-delayed Recall feature is slowly trickling out to more users, but its already showing some glaring security holes, like failing to scrub social security and credit card numbers from screenshots. Weve also been mostly underwhelmed with Apple Intelligences image generation capabilities. PC makers have been eager to talk up the potential of AI-powered features until now, but in 2025 theyll have to actually prove they can live up to their fantastical claims. D.H.Earbuds that follow Apples lead on hearing healthIm fully aware not every audio company has the ability to build out a clinical-grade hearing test and hearing aid features in their apps. However, Apples recent update for the AirPods Pro 2 should inspire the competition to offer some form of hearing health tools on their flagship products. Jabra was probably the best equipped to do this since parent company GN has extensive hearing aid experience. Sadly, the company announced earlier this year that it wouldnt make earbuds anymore.Samsung and Google could probably integrate something like what Apple made for the AirPods, given both companies existing health platforms. If they did, those announcements are unlikely to be made at CES, as both companies prefer to host their own standalone hardware events throughout the year.That leaves Sennheiser as the biggest audio company that consistently launches earbuds and headphones at CES. Last year, it showcased multiple new models, including one with heart-rate tracking for workouts. Plus, it already offers hearing assistance with dedicated devices like the true wireless Conversation Clear Plus. Those earbuds are more hearing focused than for general content consumption, so it would be great to see Sennheiser bring some features from that product to its flagship Momentum line of earbuds. Perhaps a Momentum True Wireless 4 Pro or Plus is in the cards, but the current model is just nine months old.Of course, theres plenty of room for other companies to innovate here, and there will be no shortage of new earbuds in Vegas next month. We also tend to see a ton of assistive devices and technology launch at CES, from major accessibility companies like OrCam and all manner of smaller brands. I just hope some of the new tech includes more general hearing tools on the models most people will want to use. Billy Steele, senior editorVehicle electrification goes sky highAs the growth of electric cars nears 10 percent of new models sold in the US, its easy to forget that wheeled vehicles arent the only kind of transportation seeing the shift to battery-powered propulsion. Flying taxis have been a mainstay of CES for the past few years, with concept vehicles from brands as large as Hyundai dotting the show floor in Vegas.Granted, these contraptions look more like giant drones with cockpits than anything the Jetsons ever dreamed up. But with companies like Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation pledging to actually launch eVTOL services (electric vertical take-off and landing) in 2025, the era of air taxis may have landed for real this time. Sam Rutherford, senior reporterTurning more phones into satellite phonesSince Apple introduced Emergency SOS via Satellite on the iPhone 14 in 2022, we've seen a serious uptick in development in satellite communications. Not only did Apple expand its feature to allow for non-emergency communications, component makers like Qualcomm, too, tried to bring similar capabilities to Android devices. Snapdragon Satellite was announced at CES 2023, as a project between Qualcomm and Iridium, but the initiative did not gain popularity with smartphone companies, and was ultimately ended in November that same year.Since then, Google launched satellite calling in Pixel 9 phones, while SpaceX's Starlink satellite texting service has gone live in New Zealand via telco One NZ. In the US, T-Mobile opened up beta signups for its Starlink-powered satellite cell service this year. The skies are getting more crowded, too, with AT&T and partner AST SpaceMobile launching five satellites in September, as well as Amazon's Project Kuiper looking to boost its satellite internet network with space lasers.This year, Garmin launched the inReach Messenger Plus, which it describes as an "SOS Satellite Communicator with Photo and Voice messaging." Though satellite hotspots like that have been around for years from companies like Iridium and GlobalSat, they've historically cost $800 to $1,000, and haven't had the ability to send much more than a few lines of text. Garmin's product may be an indicator of things to come not only are we likely to see major phone makers embed satellite communication capability into future handsets, but in the interim we're probably going to get a bunch of hotspots so we'll never lose connectivity, not matter how far off the grid we get. And I wouldn't be surprised if CES 2025 is rife with devices that let us tap into satellites to get help and talk to others. Cherlynn Low, deputy editorExpanded dialog improvement features on soundbarsWhen it comes to the main aspects of soundbars, there really isnt a ton of innovation from year to year. Heck, Samsungs biggest update last year was the addition of HDMI 2.1 support to its flagship model, which shouldve been there already. Companies have also been focused on the transition to cable-free everything, whether thats wireless Dolby Atmos or wireless transmission boxes. Audio enhancement features are a place where companies can really rise above the fray, and tools like Sonos TV Audio Swap and Boses Personal Surround Sound are great examples of this. A key area nearly every company can improve is dialog boost, a feature that raises the volume or separates spoken word from background noise and music for better clarity.Sonos made a huge leap in this regard on the Arc Ultra, offering two additional settings for its so-called Speech Enhancement. Previously, this was just an all-or-nothing toggle, which is how most companies handle their versions of this tool. Not only is the Sonos update customizable to a degree, its also just better, thanks in part to the redesigned architecture of its new premium soundbar. This is an obvious area where other companies can improve.LG and Samsung typically announce new soundbars at CES, and there are plenty of smaller companies that will debut some too. Id love to see all of them take dialog enhancements a step further and at the very least give multiple options for how its applied. LG has been using AI Sound Pro from its TVs since 2021 and Samsung offers something called Adaptive Sound on its home theater speakers. I would expect them both to generally improve the quality of their features, but Im hoping theyll expand the capabilities too. B.S.Update, December 17 2024, 12:40PM ET: This story has been updated to include the companies and CEOs that will be making keynotes at the show.Update, December 20 2024, 11:55AM ET: This story has been updated to include LG and Hyundai Mobis' announcements ahead of CES 2025.Update, December 25 2024, 10:00AM ET: This story has been updated to include a prediction about satellite communication devices being everywhere at CES 2025.Update, December 30 2024, 11:30AM ET: This story has been updated to include a section titled "What we already know is coming," that contains newer information about appearances by X CEO Linda Yaccarino and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, as well as updates on LG's UltraGear line. The intro was also updated to be more accurate about the time of year since we first published this piece.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ces-2025-lgs-bendable-5k-oled-hyundais-holographic-windshield-display-and-other-tech-were-expecting-to-see-in-las-vegas-200052676.html?src=rss

LG just unveiled its latest microwave ahead of CES 2025. The LG Signature model features a 27-inch FHD display. We can finally watch stuff during the 90 seconds it takes popcorn to pop. Let us never be without screens!This is a touchscreen display thats being described as an immersive entertainment experience right in the kitchen. The microwave also connects to Wi-Fi, for streaming content, and has built-in speakers. We dont know what OS it runs on or if it can access every streaming platform out there. Traditional LG smart TVs run webOS, so maybe the same is true here.The company has also remained mum as to whether this screen is ad-supported or not. Putting a bunch of ads right in the kitchen sure sounds like something a boardroom of execs would salivate over. LG already shows full-screen ads on many of its televisions when they are idle.The touchscreen does integrate with LGs ThinQ Smart Home Dashboard, which allows control over compatible Matter and Thread devices. It can also pair with the companys induction range oven to display cooking progress metrics, thus eliminating the need to bend down and check the oven manually. What a scourge, all of that bending down.LG hasnt revealed pricing or availability for this snazzy new appliance. Its likely well learn more when CES 2025 starts in earnest on January 7. Well be there and will report back as to what it feels like to watch Arcane while standing in front a microwave.LGThe company is in love with screens right now. It also announced a new refrigerator with an OLED display and a washer/dryer with an LCD. Im all for increased entertainment options but, uh, what happens when those displays break? It seems like buttons and knobs would be easier to repair or replace than a giant touchscreen.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/lg-slapped-a-27-inch-touchscreen-on-its-latest-microwave-162736550.html?src=rss

A new set of US government requirements aims to tighten cybersecurity after multiple recent attacks.