My high school English teacher drilled into my head that there was a proper way to read a book: If youve read a book without taking notes, youve not read it at all. She had a point taking notes helps me engage with the material in a much deeper way than just reading.Nowadays, I am incapable of reading anything without writing down my thoughts, and my Notes app is a cluttered disaster as a result. But its distracting to pull up a separate app every time I want to jot down a note and hard to find those notes later. The Kindle Scribe promises to fix that with its note-taking capabilities, making it easy to scribble in the margins like I do on paper.RelatedThe original Kindle Scribe, from 2022, missed the mark for me. Here, finally, was a Kindle you could take notes with, yet you couldnt write directly on ebook pages. Instead, you could only annotate disappearing sticky notes and only on some Kindle titles. I quickly gave up on the Scribe, and for the past year or so Ive mainly used the Kobo Elipsa 2E instead.Since then, the Kindle Scribe has come a long way. Now with the second-generation e-reader, you can finally jot notes directly onto a wider range of Kindle ebook pages, convert handwriting to text, and even summarize notes in its built-in notebooks.But the Scribe has more and better competition than ever. And with a price bump, it needs to nail these new features to make it worth $399.99. Thats especially true given the original Kindle Scribe is still available for $60 less, and you can download all of these features onto it via Amazons latest software update.6Verge ScoreAmazon Kindle Scribe (2024)$399.99The GoodActive Canvas lets you finally write directly onto your Kindle booksThe new AI-generated summary and handwriting conversion features are usefulSpacious and sharp E Ink displayThe BadIts still not easy to annotate ebook pagesNote-taking capabilities are still lackluster compared to competitorsOverpricedgiven the main changes are software updates also available on the last-gen model$400 at Amazon$400 at Best BuyHow we rate and review productsThe latest Kindle Scribe is almost identical to its predecessor save for a few cosmetic differences. It now arrives in a beautiful new Metallic Jade colorway, and it has even, paper-like white trim instead of the asymmetric black bezels on the original model.Otherwise, the Scribe is still very much a larger version of the Kindle Paperwhite at heart, and it shares many of the same strengths and weaknesses as its smaller sibling. Its still exceptionally easy to buy and read Kindle books and more complicated to read outside of the Amazon ecosystem. It isnt waterproof or as snappy as the Paperwhite, but its fast enough with an adjustable warm light and the same, crisp 300ppi display resolution. Thats sharper than the $399.99 Kobo Elipsa 2E, and on par with the $379.99 Onyx Boox Go 10.3, which lacks a light altogether.Granted, its not easy lugging around a 10.2-inch e-reader, especially one made from slippery aluminum, and you cant hold it comfortably with one hand. But on the flip side, the extra screen real estate makes it easier to read and take notes. The tablet weighs slightly less than a pound, which helps with portability.1/2The Premium Pen stylus comes with a customizable shortcut button and a rubber eraser.1/2The Premium Pen stylus comes with a customizable shortcut button and a rubber eraser.But the Kindle Scribes key selling point is that you can take notes on it, and in that respect, I have mixed feelings. The general handwriting experience is excellent. As before, theres no lag, and it really does feel as if youre directly writing on paper. It comes bundled with Amazons Premium Pen, a small green stylus that comes with a new rubber soft-tipped eraser that reminds me of an actual pencil. I loved using it, especially since it doesnt require charging and comes with a customizable shortcut button just like its predecessor. (The Premium Pen is now standard, instead of being a $30 upgrade option, which partially accounts for the price increase from the original Scribe.)While I enjoyed writing with the pen, the Scribes new note-taking capabilities still fall short of the competition. With the new Active Canvas tool, the company finally addresses one of my chief complaints with the Scribe: you can now write notes that remain visible directly on ebook pages, rather than on sticky notes that disappear into an icon in the margins (Amazon still offers the sticky notes feature if you prefer those). The software feature adds a resizable text box around your handwritten note, then reflows the rest of the page around it. It also works well on other reflowable documents, including PDFs and Word files. Amazon will also be releasing an expandable margins feature in early 2025, too, allowing you to scribble notes in a side panel you can then hide, though thats not yet available to test.The Kobo Elipsa 2E (left) is still way easier to take notes on than the Kindle Scribe (right).But Amazon still doesnt really understand how people naturally take notes on books or what would make those notes useful. While the old sticky notes and highlighted passages sync with Kindle mobile apps, you cant view the Active Canvas notes on your Kindle mobile or browser app, or export them to another app theyre only visible on the Scribe. You cant add them to your on-device notebook, either. Plus, sometimes the text box size messes up the page formatting, creating extra spaces between sentences. While you can resize, theres a lag thatll slow you down. A few times, my notes disappeared altogether, so I had to keep adjusting the size until it reappeared.Whats more frustrating, you cant circle a word or phrase and jot down a note right next to it. Once you write a note, the page automatically realigns, so a lot of times the Scribe would add my note to the wrong part of a line or passage. Amazon doesnt let you move the text boxes around, and you cant even draw an arrow from a line to your note, so you cant manually anchor it to the correct piece of text either. All in all, its a frustrating, complicated experience, especially when rivals from Kobo and Onyx let you seamlessly annotate pages with easy-to-find notes just as you would writing on a physical book.The Kindle Scribes built-in notebook comes with multiple templates, including a daily planner.Marking up PDFs is a lot more intuitive and free of Active Canvas limitations, so you can take notes naturally. You can also mark up text-searchable PDFs and export them without losing the ability to search within the text. Unfortunately, you cant search within the markups. You also cant mark up sideloaded PDFs; you have to use Amazons Send to Kindle feature. That said, Amazon says your documents are encrypted, both while being sent, in the cloud, and while on the device.A glimpse of some of the other templates and pages Amazon provides.Amazon also made some improvements to its built-in notebooks, offering a wider selection of templates than when the first Scribe launched. Theres 18 preloaded templates ranging from lined to dotted paper you can use as weekly planners, checklists, and more, all of which I found helpful. You can also download more templates from Amazon, or upload PDF files and treat them as templates.1/3I wrote some of my review in the Kindle Scribes built-in notebook partly so I could test the AI features.1/3I wrote some of my review in the Kindle Scribes built-in notebook partly so I could test the AI features.The Scribe also gets two new AI features for its built-in notebooks that can summarize your notes and refine your handwriting. However, youll need an internet connection to use them and you cant tie notes you made in the built-in notebook to notes within ebooks or PDFs whatsoever. The AI summary feature is still helpful, given it does a good job of providing a broad overview of your notes. Meanwhile, the refine your handwriting feature for the most part accurately converted my handwriting into typed text, albeit slowly and onto a separate page you can only add either to the front or back of your notebook. You cant convert Active Canvas notes into typed text, though, which would have been a useful addition.Even with those additions, the Scribes built-in notebook capabilities still arent as rich as its rivals. Similar tablets from Onyx can also summarize notes and convert handwriting to text, while also letting you insert links to notes, files, websites, and attachments, record your voice, and hop into a split-screen feature. The latter lets you take notes using all the advanced built-in notebook tools, while simultaneously navigating apps downloaded from the Google Play Store like Kindle and Kobo but also the likes of The New York Times. The Kobo Elipsa 2Es note-taking tools arent as advanced as the Boox and it cant summarize notes like the Scribe, but it at least lets you quickly convert handwriting into typed text in the original notebook document.Its a decent Kindle for taking notes just like its predecessor. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The VergeThe Kindle Scribe is a better e-reader for taking notes compared to when it made its debut two years ago. Being able to write directly on ebook pages is a welcome improvement, and converting handwriting to typed text is a helpful addition. But though its starting to fall more in line with rivals from the likes of Kobo and Onyx, the Scribes still not the best option for serious note-taking. Its still too hard to annotate ebooks, and the new features just arent as useful compared to the competition.Even if youre just looking for a large Kindle with basic note-taking capabilities, the new Scribe is a tough sell when the original model is still available for $60 less and also offers Active Canvas and the generative AI features when you download the latest software update (or wait for the over-the-air update in 2025). Id recommend skipping the new Scribe and sticking with the last-gen model. Both are good e-readers for reading Kindle ebooks and casual note-taking, but theyre nearly indistinguishable.Agree to Continue: Amazon Kindle ScribeLike many e-readers, Amazons Kindle Scribe requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it contracts that no one actually reads. Its impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit agree to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people dont read and definitely cant negotiate.When you first use your Kindle Scribe, youll be asked to connect or create an Amazon account. When you set up or connect your Amazon account, Amazon will receive your email and billing address as well as your credit card number so you can buy and download content. You must also agree to the following terms:Amazons Kindle Store Terms of UseAmazons Amazon.com Conditions of UseAmazons Amazon.com Privacy NoticeAmazons Amazon Device Terms of UseAmazons Amazon Photos Terms of UseAmazons Audible Conditions of UseAmazons Kindle Personal Documents Distributor Terms of UseAmazons Alexa Terms of UseAmazons Kindle Unlimited Terms of Use (if you purchase Kindle Unlimited)Amazon Prime Terms & ConditionsAmazon Kids+ Terms & ConditionsKindle Unlimited Terms of UseIn total, there are 11 mandatory agreements to use the Kindle Scribe.Photography bySheena Vasani/ The Verge

This article contains massive Nosferatu spoilers.Judging by his filmography, its probably safe to say Robert Eggers is not strictly a religious man. His first film did, after all, end with a Puritan girl finding liberation from her Calvinist upbringing by selling her soul to the Devil and floating above a fire fed by the fat of her siblings flesh. And thats the happiest finale thus far to an Eggers joint.With those humble beginnings, the influence of religion, tradition, and magic would continue to course throughout all four of Eggers feature films to date, from his malevolent exploration of early modern anxieties about witchcraft (and independent women) to his jarringly alien and remote glimpse into the Dark Ages, a time when inhabitants of the British Isles were as likely to pray to Odin as Christ. These meditations weigh heavily, too, on Eggers newest film, Nosferatu.Like the source material that inspired the 2024 film and its 1922 ancestor, Nosferatu is steeped in matters of faith and of what happens when the beliefs of the old world confront the new. Though antiquated now, such ideas presumably kept author Bram Stoker up at night. For what is the original Dracula novel if not a Victorian man channeling his anxieties about rituals, foreign Eastern influences on the culture, and even the sex lives of young women into a gripping adventure about the modern Englishman and his dutiful New Woman wife using science and modern Christianity to vanquish the ancient past?But Nosferatu is not Dracula, and Robert Eggers is certainly not Bram Stoker. In fact, when we sat down with Eggers earlier this year to discuss his new movie, we pointed out that while Nosferatu is awash in Christian imagery, it is usually in relation to impotent attempts to control the monstrous evil represented by the films vampire, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgrd). Yes, Eggers also created a Van Helsing proxy, the newly named Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe), but this good doctor does not have the resolute confidence of Stokers Van Helsing, a doctor sure that his talents in medicine and the liberal arts could defeat the Undead. Conversely, Dafoes Von Franz is a raving alchemist.I make fun of that idea with some of the dialogue that Von Franz has, Eggers told us when I asked if he saw his Nosferatu as at all related to Draculas metaphor about modernity versus the old world. But is it a traditional good versus evil story? I dont think so. I think its gray, and I think that thats always more interesting. [and Von Franz] uses more occult talismans in his possession [scenes] and not a cross. Even his Christian diatribes are a bit strange.It is of a piece with Eggers larger theme, which is not so much about defeating the forgotten past, but solemnly remembering it, paying it homage, and if need be, succumbing fully to its thrall.A Priestess of Isis versus a Vampiric MagicianThe scene which most encapsulates Eggers thesis is also perhaps the tenderest in his oeuvre. In the cold, sunless embrace of a winter morning where the snow wafts by like teardrops, all of the human characters have just left a cheerless funeral where two children and their mother were consigned to a mausoleum. Afterward Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) realizes she must come to an understanding with her doctor.Up to this point, Von Franz has been the closest thing Ellens known to a confidant in matters of the supernatural. Her husband Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) adores her, and she loves him, but even after coming face to face with the Devil, and feeling that demon sup from his breast, Tom remains hopelessly unable to understand the monster they must defeator for that matter why his wife would feel a physical draw to its presence.She neednt explain herself to Von Franz; he knows what it means to have a fascination with the dark. He also is the only person she can discuss with how to truly return to the light. Nonetheless, its only cold comfort he has to offer that morning. While Von Franz has read of varying customs for killing vampires, in Eggers script this variety of solutions confirms their impotency. The only method Von Franz gives credence to is one hidden away in the journals of Orloks willing disciple: black magic practitioner Herr Knock (Simon McBurney) and his account of a young woman being so comely (and willing) before a vampire that the nosferatu ignored its own self-preservation and drank from her until the first crow of cock and the rising of the sun.For the record, this is more or less the fateful epiphany in F.W. Murnaus original 1922 Nosferatu. Like Von Franz, the silent movies Ellen reads about how a woman must offer herself to a vampire should the plague and pestilence of the Undead be defeated. In this way, Nosferatu was always a more fatalistic and despairing tale than Dracula, perhaps befitting a film made by World War I veterans instead of a comfortable Victorian stage manager who dabbled in his free time with fiction-writing.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!It also plays into Eggers natural instincts as a storyteller. All four of his movies have a sense of inescapable doom, although in the case of Nosferatu (2024), there is a newfound sympathy and warmth to this plight, separating it from even the 1922 film. Dafoes Von Franz expresses genuine sorrow and empathy for Ellen, suggesting that in another world, back in pagan times, she mightve been revered as a Priestess of Isis. Alas in 1838 Germany, she is consigned to corsets, suspicion, and finally sacrifice.Eggers frames the 19th century bonnet around Depps face as if it were a halo whose beneficence might choke her. But the face still shows acceptance and even a serene comfort in Von Franzs kind whispers of oblivion.It is informed by a movie which heightens Ellens sacrifice into a larger narrative about foregoing the certainty of modernity in favor of the obscurity of a past we can never fully comprehend. While snatches of dialogue inform us of what Orlok once was in this story, with a nun telling Thomas the vampire was a powerful sorcerer, we are never given the full picture of how Orlok became a ghoul. There is no flashback or humanizing backstory like in Francis Ford Coppolas Bram Stokers Dracula, nor a vivid monologue painting a portrait of his life before, which is pretty much the first two volumes of Anne Rices Vampire Chronicles.Eggers Orlok is a sinister presence who clearly was at some moment in history man, but the deals he made or magic he used to cheat the grave are as esoteric as exactly what was on that sheet of paper that poor Thomas signed when he thought he was just selling real estate. Instead he sold his marriage, and perhaps more, to a wraith of the old world for a sack of gold. The devil is in the details, but while Eggers and his production designer seem to implicitly know them, we like Ellen and Von Franz are left to form educated guesses. The film never even once explains Von Franzs preferred emblem, the Fourth Pentacle of Mercury in The Key of Solomon the King (a 15th century Renaissance spellbook), is a really talisman really used to seek hidden things and control spirits.But even if Von Franz and Ellen amount to occultist amateurs blundering in the dark, at least they try to better understand the metaphysical world around them. Other characters, those who most represent modernity like the preening and affected Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), are left completely defenseless in the face of ancient truths we allowed to vanish down our collective memory hole. And woe unto ye who is too afraid to go looking into that abyss for answers.Witches, Gods, and North FolkNosferatu might have the gentlest expression of this theme, with Ellens tragic fate being grieved via handfuls of lilacs sprinkled across the remains of her, and her demon lovers, bodies. But it remains of a piece with Anya Taylor-Joys Thomasin accepting shell never be one of the Puritans elect few to see Heaven, so she instead takes the Devil up on a more earthly and immediate satisfaction in the here and now; it also is reminiscent of a crazed Wickie (Robert Pattinson) confronting some unknowable truth in a lighthouse that renders him fated to perhaps forever be fed upon by a seabird who picks at his liver, as if this is a nautical echo of the the titan Prometheus fate in Greek mythology; and of course Amleth (Alexander Skarsgrd) was nothing if not a Viking thrilled to embrace his doomed destiny so long as his death came with his enemys severed head in his hand.In all of Eggers movies, the metaphysical world exists exactly how the characters of its setting imagine it does. In the case of The Witch, the Devil walks among them in the shape of a goat or rabbit, here to inflict trauma and spiritual suffering; in The Lighthouse, a seabird really holds the soul of a sailor lost at sea perhaps even that of the sailor Thomas Wake (Dafoe), the elder Wickie who also at times resembles Poseidon in the minds eye of his guilt-ridden assistant; and in The Northman, were led to believe that Viking Amleth can really see his unborn children in the womb of witchy lover Olga (Taylor-Joy), a young woman who one might call a white witch given her confidence in using magic to free herself. She certainly seems capable of calling forth a mighty wind when her ship needs it.Nosferatu is slightly different in this regard since none of the characters have the expertise to fully know what theyre dealing with in Orlok, or how best to confront him. In fact, there is something pathetic about Dafoes warm Von Franz accepting there is no way to save the living except by sacrificing his ideal priestess. Nonetheless, these are all stories where magic exists, and the best way to survive it is to rekindle our covenant with it.Years ago, Eggers told me that he had Jungian leanings and that he muses these bits and bobs of the past are knocking around in everyones heads to some degree. If thats true, his films exist as an exercise in jiggling those bits to the forefront of our collective subconsciousbits and scraps about witches and vampires, as well as spiritual truths that the Cult of Isis spread across the entire length of the Nile and all the way into Rome and Ancient Greece. To this day, folks really do worship Isisperhaps unwittingly preparing themselves for the return of Nosferatus plague.Read more Old Magic in New Robert Eggers Movies Yet to ComeWhile preparing for this article, Eggers teased out to IndieWireThe Knight, a film described as a medieval period piece and which has sat on a shelf with a lot of screenplays. As Eggers pointed out, there were several times when Nosferatu was supposed to happen but didnt in the last decade. These days he likes to have five things going on, because you never know whats going to work, whats going to appeal to people, whats going to be greenlit.Be that as it may, the concept of exploring medieval Christianity in a movie titled The Knight could end up playing just as foreign and alien as the paganism in The Northman or Professor Von Franzs personal library. Consider the stories of St. Francis of Assisi who allegedly was pierced by the same lance that bled Christ on the crucifix after a six-winged angel approached the holy man in 1224. There are similar tales of convents and religious orders where folks were convinced they loved Christ, in the literal flesh, or for that matter turned into wolves because of opposing influences.There were also knights with their own codas and customs which were more than a bit removed from what modern interpretations of King Arthurs court would lead you to believe.And of course there are other films and worlds Eggers could explore. Personally, we wouldnt mind if he went back to his Nosferatu line about pagan times with their cults of Isis and everything else, be it Roman, Greek, or Egyptian (the latter of which Hollywood has barely visited). It would seem the sword and sandals movies are back, and the idea of the director of The Northman playing in what has become almost wholly Ridley Scotts purview could prove to be a religious experiencepagan or otherwise.Nosferatu is in theaters now.

JASON VARNEYOver the course of a calendar year, we see hundreds, if not thousands, of rooms. Sure, there are the homes we feature in our pages, but there are also the countless art exhibitions we're covering, hotels we're frequenting, and hot new restaurants we're scouting. Like eating Pringles, it's virtually impossible to stop at just one. There are, however, a handful of places that stood out to us in 2024as news makers, as places of transcendence, or as sites of incomparable glamour. Though it was a tough exercise, we polled our staff editors, A-List designers, and contributors toyespick favorites. Without further ado, here are the spaces that we couldn't stop thinking about this year and that will doubtlessly inspire us into 2025and beyond. 1Notre-Dame Cathedral, ParisSARAH MEYSSONNIER//Getty ImagesIt was the cultural moment of the year: the resurrection of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, just five years after the catastrophic fire that left it in a smoldering shell. Thanks to a massive $1 billion restoration project involving nearly 1,000 craftspeople trained in the art of medieval skills, this glowing new interior is radiating, with mural painting restoration efforts removing centuries of accumulated patina, 8,000 meticulously restored organ pipes, and 1,500 new chairs and kneelers. R.S. 2Charlie Fox, New YorkBrian W. FerryThe moment you step inside Charlie Fox, the city chaos melts away into this dreamy world of warm neutrals, perfect lighting, and the kind of thoughtful design that makes you want to take off your coat, sit at the banquette, and stay a while. Leave it to Home Studios and Charlie Fox to make buying flower feel like selecting fine wineTime Square's newest high society indeed.Julia Cancilla, Audience Engagement Editor Advertisement - Continue Reading Below3The Eugenie Room at Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon, VersaillesLoop Images//Getty ImagesThis year I spent the weekend in Versailles and got to visit the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's more casual residence on the grounds. The Eugenie room is the perfect shade of blue. I'm dying to do a room that colorAlyssa Kapito, ELLE DECOR A-List Designer 4Patrick Mele at the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House, New YorkNickolas SargentIf theres one room that remains delightfully seared into my memory, its Patrick Meles room for the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York. Upon entering into the baby blue space, which he coined On a Clear Day, I was transported. Its stark scheme was punctuated by bold botanical prints that form the rooms statement canopy bed (a nod to Albert Hadley, the designer says). This bedroom is dedicated to the many intelligent, strong, and inspiring women in my life, Mele told ELLE DECOR. Is that a Degas hanging over the bed?Rachel Silva, Associate Editor Advertisement - Continue Reading Below5Roman & Williams, Certain Slant of Light, New YorkRobert WrightMaybe it was the Emily Dickinson reference but Certain Slant of Light is the exhibition put on by Roman & Williams at the New York Mercantile Exchange this December was one of my most memorable rooms of the year. Over 100 lights displayed in one of New Yorks most historic rooms. Depending on the time of day the whole mood shifted, which told the story of the power of good lighting, and also of New York.Stellene Volandes, Editorial Director 6Taliesin Theater, Wisconsin Courtesy Taliesin PreservationIn my decade-plus as an architecture and design reporter, no place has captured my imagination quite like Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin campus in Spring Green, Wisconsin. The UNESCO World Heritage site is a place of some of the most revolutionary ideas in design (Wright schooled the likes of John Lautner and Bruce Goff in his ideas of organic architecture here) but its also a site of unspeakable tragedy and renewal. What a privilege it was this year to attend the reopening of Taliesin's historic theater, a venue where the school's students and rural community alike came together for film, performances, and ideas starting nearly a century ago. The highlight of the $1.1 million restoration effort is a gorgeous abstract curtain, based on a Wright design, that has been meticulously restored. Talk about a sublime second act! Anna Fixsen, Deputy Editor, Digital Advertisement - Continue Reading Below7Quarters, New YorkWilliam Jess LairdWant to feel like Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan? Look for the graffiti-covered metal door in Tribeca, then climb the narrow staircase to The Bar at Quarters and enter into a world that feels part louche downtown home, and part secret speakeasy. This is Quarters, a new concept store from the Brooklyn designers behind the lighting brand In Common With. The 8,000-square-foot space is arranged in rooms like a library, living room, dining room and kitchen, and everything is for salefrom an Andr Solnay 1950s sideboard to a $21 jar of chocolate hazelnut spread (in the pantry). Best of all is the natural wine bar, with its stunning fresco by artist Claudio Bonuglia, and food and drink by Jennifer and Nicole Vitagliano, the sisters behind the buzzy restaurant Rafs, which is decorated with In Common With lighting. The Material Girl would approve.Ingrid Abramovitch, Executive Editor 8The Marble Chamber at Rosenborg Slot, CopenhagenM.J. DaviduikMy first stop in any European city is a castle. Earlier this year I visited Rosenborg, built as a summer palace for Christian IV in 1606. Dutch Renaissance the style in which this castle was built has been my favorite period, art historically speaking, since college. There is something satisfyingly grotesque about this room, with its plaster protrusions nearly a foot deep decorating the ceiling and it's busy checkerboard floors. It's an acid trip of the 17th-century. Camille Okhio, Senior Design Writer Advertisement - Continue Reading Below9COQODAQ, New YorkJASON VARNEYCOQODAQ, restaurateur Simon Kim's glittering temple to Korean fried chicken and bubbles, is one of this year's most stunning debuts. David Rockwell's design is pure magic the amber-lit dining room, with its enfilade of golden arches and cozy banquettes, makes everyone look like a million bucks. As always, Rockwell masterfully marries glamour and fun, creating a setting that sparkles as bright as the champagne.William Li, Contributing Editor 10Bar Les Ambassadeurs at Htel de Crillon, ParisAFP Contributor//Getty ImagesI'm obsessed with Bar les Ambassadeurs at the Htel de Crillon in Paris. It's like a chic trip back in time. All the details are impeccable. It's so French. The chandeliers are my fave.Rayman Boozer, ELLE DECOR A-List Designer Advertisement - Continue Reading Below11Leong Leong at the Costume Institute, New YorkNaho KubotaIts one thing to design someones private space; its an entirely different prospect to design a space for one of the Metropolitan Museums most hotly-anticipated exhibitions, which will be viewed by thousands of guests. Hats off to architecture firm Leong Leong, who built the stage for Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. The result is a series of 29 modular rooms for garments spanning 400 years of history. Its multisensorial, AI-driven, and totally worthy of the historical garments it set the stage for.R.S.

The Opportunity: We're seeking a talented Full-Stack Developer/ML Engineer to join our innovative startup building a consumer AI product for e-commerce. You'll be instrumental in developing our AI/automation engine using Python, crafting our backend infrastructure with Node.js, and creating engaging mobile experiences with React Native. We are a technology company focused on transforming the e-commerce experience through intelligent automation and personalization.Salary: $2,500 - $3,000 per monthLocation: RemoteSchedule: Pacific Standard TimeExperience: At least 3 years experience as a Senior Full-Stack Software EngineerRequirements Your Goal: As a key member of our technical team, you'll spend your days architecting and implementing AI algorithms in Python, developing scalable APIs with Node.js, and building intuitive mobile interfaces using React Native. Your daily responsibilities will involve training machine learning models, optimizing backend services, and ensuring our AI-driven features deliver exceptional user experiences.1. You're a Technical Expert:You have deep expertise in Python and Node.js developmentYou've built production ML/AI systems at scaleYou're proficient in React Native mobile development2. You're a Startup Athlete:You excel in fast-paced, dynamic environmentsYou maintain high code quality under pressureYou balance speed with technical excellence3. You're an Independent Executor:You own features from conception to deploymentYou make sound architectural decisions autonomouslyYou solve complex technical challenges effectively4. You're ML/AI Proficient:You've implemented production AI/ML workflowsYou optimize models for real-world performanceYou stay current with AI/ML best practices5. You're Growth-Oriented:You adapt quickly to new technologiesYou contribute to technical strategyYou mentor and elevate team capabilitiesBenefits Competitive Compensation:Earn between $2,500 - $3,000 monthly (based on experience) Technical Innovation:Work on cutting-edge ML/AI solutions Significant Impact:Shape core technical infrastructure Full Ownership:Lead complex technical projects Growth Potential:Exceptional learning and development opportunities

ExpressVPN is CNETs top pick as the best VPN overall. Intuitive for everyone from beginners to privacy enthusiasts, ExpresVPN boasts the easiest, most consistent and streamlined VPN app experiences on any platform, whether MacOS or another operating system. Its minimalist interface is simple to use, whether youre an advanced VPN user or if youve never used one before. The app settings are easy to navigate, connecting to a server location is straightforward and the app always connects in a snap. Its a veteran VPN provider that consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to privacy and transparency. On the entertainment side, ExpresVPN is excellent for streaming with effortless unblocking for all sorts of streaming content, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. In 2024, we measured a 24.8% average speed loss with ExpressVPN. This is still fast, considering that many VPNs can slash your internet speeds by 50% or more. However, we saw substantially better speeds from faster VPNs like NordVPN (11% speed loss) and Surfshark (17% speed loss). Nevertheless, ExpressVPNs speeds were largely consistent and aligned with our expectations across protocols and server locations. In the end, ExpressVPNs speeds were still plenty fast enough for general browsing as well as for more data-intensive activities like streaming, gaming and videoconferencing -- especially if you use Lightway, where we saw only a 7% speed loss on Mac.ExpressVPN says it collects no logs, a claim bolstered by a 2023 no-logs audit by KPMG, and published its bi-annual transparency report in July 2024. In addition to its transparency efforts, ExpressVPNs privacy protections are top-notch and forward-thinking. The provider's proprietary open-source Lightway VPN protocol with Quantum Protection helps guard against future threats from quantum computers, along with offering encryption enhancements to better protect against threats like eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. And ExpressVPNs TrustedServer technology elevates the protections of the traditional RAM-only server architecture by reinstalling the entire software stack with every reboot.

The holidays are a good time to buy a smartwatch. If you're thinking about upgrading your current Apple Watch or buying an Apple wearable for the first time, you may be considering the new Apple Watch Series 10. But you might wonder how it stacks up against last year's Series 9, which can often be found at a much lower price. The Series 10 starts at $400 in the US, just like the Series 9 did at launch (you can find pricing for the UK and Australia in the chart below). There are some key differences between these wearables. Namely, the Series 10 offers a bigger screen and larger case sizes, plus it has a new voice isolation feature and can play music aloud on the speaker. Keep reading for an even closer look at how the Series 9 and 10 compare.Buy Apple Watch Series 10Buy Apple Watch Series 9 Watch this: Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Series 9: Spec Breakdown 05:34 Apple Watch Series 10 gets a bigger and brighter screen Hello, Apple Watch Series 10. James Martin/CNETThe Series 10 has the biggest screen of any Apple Watch yet. It's available in two new sizes; a 46-millimeter and a 42-millimeter option. That 46-millimeter option is even slightly larger than the Apple Watch Ultra. The Series 9, on the other hand, comes in a 45-millimeter and a 41-millimeter option.Apple says that a bigger Series 10 display gives you up to 30% more screen area compared to the Series 4, 5 and 6, and up to 9% more screen area compared to the Series 7, 8 and 9. In everyday use, that means you can have an extra line of text on your watch, or up your font size without losing content. Buttons for things like the Calculator app and typing in your passcode are bigger, too. The Apple Watch Series 9 (left) is slightly smaller than the new Series 10. Lisa Eadicicco/CNETThe Series 10 is also brighter. Both the Series 9 and 10 have a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, but the Series 10's wide-angle OLED makes the screen 40% brighter when viewed at an angle. While typing her Apple Watch Series 10 review, my colleague, Lexy Savvides, wore the Series 9 and 10 on the same wrist. When she glanced down to check the time at an angle, she found that the Series 10 looked slightly brighter.The Series 10 also has an LTPO 3 display that can get down to a 1Hz refresh rate, allowing a ticking second hand to appear on the always-on display. Not only is LTPO 3 not offered on the Series 9, but it's rare to see on smartwatches, in general. It's more commonly found on premium smartphones like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. In her Series 10 review, Lexy raves about the ability to see that ticking second hand without having to wake her watch screen up.Apple Watch Series 10 is thinner and lighterThe Series 10 is also the thinnest Apple Watch ever. It's 9.7 millimeters thick, while the Series 9 is 10.7 millimeters thick. That's about a 10% difference. The Apple Watch Series 10 (top) is 1 millimeter thinner than the Series 9. Lisa Eadicicco/CNETThe Series 10 comes in aluminum and titanium finishes, while the Series 9 is available in aluminum and stainless steel finishes. Both the aluminum and titanium Series 10 models are lighter than the equivalent Series 9 models.Yes, the Apple Watch Series 10 charges faster, but the battery life is the same The Series 10 charges faster than the Series 9, but the battery life is identical. Celso Bulgatti/CNETThe Series 10 offers faster charging than the Series 9. Apple claims that going from 0% to 80% takes around 30 minutes on the Series 10 and 45 minutes on the Series 9. In her Series 10 review, Lexy notes that she charged the watch from 7% to 84% in half an hour, so her test pretty much matched Apple's claim.Apple also says that the battery on both the Series 9 and 10 lasts up to 18 hours, or up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode. In her review, Lexy points out that it's unfortunate that the Series 10 doesn't offer a longer battery life than the Series 9, especially now that Apple is leaning more heavily into sleep-oriented features like sleep apnea detection (more on that below), and I agree.Apple Watch Series 10 has a stellar new voice isolation feature The Apple Watch Series 10 speaker lets you play music. James Martin/CNETThe Series 10 has a voice isolation feature not found on the Series 9. It's meant to reduce background noise as you take calls. So for her Series 10 review, Lexy put this feature to the test in a noisy scenario: a dragon dance at Lion Dance Me in San Francisco. Dragon dances happen during events like Lunar New Year celebrations and include drums that can be quite loud. Thanks to voice isolation, even when Lexy called our colleague,Lisa Eadicicco, from a dragon dance, they were both able to hear each other.The Series 10 also allows you to play music aloud on the speaker, while the Series 9 does not.New Apple Watch Series 10 water features The depth gauge on the Apple Watch Series 10 makes it ideal for snorkelers. Lisa Eadicicco/CNETBoth the Series 9 and 10 are water resistant and swim-proof, but the Series 10 has a depth gauge rated for 6 meters and a water temperature sensor not available on the Series 9. The Series 10 also has the Oceanic Plus app for snorkeling, while the Series 9 does not.Apple Watch Series 9 and 10 receive a new sleep apnea feature with WatchOS 11The Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Ultra 2 have a new tool for detecting potential signs of sleep apnea. It uses the accelerometer, along with Apple's algorithms, to recognize possible breathing disturbances as you sleep. You can read more about how it works here. This sleep apnea feature comes with WatchOS 11, which ships on the Series 10 and is also available for the Series 9.Additionally, WatchOS 11 brings a new Vitals app that monitors important metrics as you sleep, like heart rate, respiratory rate and wrist temperature. The app will highlight these metrics if they're abnormal and notify you if you have two or more outliers.With WatchOS 11, both wearables also allow you to pause your rings to take an activity break. It's also worth noting that WatchOS 11 is available as an update for older Apple Watches dating back to the Series 6 and second-generation SE. You can now pause your rings on the Apple Watch Series 9 and 10 with WatchOS 11. Celso Bulgatti/CNETRead more: Best New WatchOS 11 Features You Need to Try On the Apple WatchBeyond the new tools that come to the Series 9 and 10 with WatchOS 11, these wearables share many of the same features you may already be familiar with, like high and low heart rate notifications, emergency SOS and fall and crash detection (see the chart below for more).Should you upgrade? The brand-new Apple Watch Series 10 is not a huge jump from last year's model. James Martin/CNETIn short, the Series 10 offers a bigger, brighter screen and larger case sizes, while being thinner and lighter than the Series 9. The Series 10 also has voice isolation and allows you to play music aloud on the speaker, unlike last year's model. If you're upgrading from the Series 9, these differences probably won't feel very stark. If you're currently using a Series 4, 5 or 6, they likely will. That bigger and brighter screen will be more noticeable, you'll gain access to new features and you'll get WatchOS updates for longer.For more on how the new Apple Watch Series 10 compares to last year's Series 9, check out the spec chart below.Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 9 Apple Watch Series 10 Apple Watch Series 9 Shape SquareSquareWatch size 42mm, 46mm41mm, 45mmMaterials, finishes Aluminum, titaniumAluminum, stainless steelDisplay size, resolution 42mm: 1.65-inch OLED 446 x 374 pixels; 46mm: 1.81-inch 496 x 416 pixels41mm: 1.61-inch, 430 x 352-pixel OLED; 45mm: 1.77-inch, 484 x 396-pixel OLEDDimensions 42mm: 42 x 36 x 9.7mm; 46mm: 46 x 39 x 9.7mm41mm: 35 x 41 x 10.7 mm; 45mm: 38 x 45 x 10.7 mmWeight 29.3g-41.7g depending on size, material and connectivity31.9g-51.5g depending on size, material and connectivityColors Aluminum: silver, rose gold, jet black; titanium: natural, gold, slateAluminum: midnight, starlight, silver, pink, Product Red; stainless steel: graphite, silver, gold; Hermes stainless steel: silver, space blackAlways On YesYesInterchangeable bands YesYesGPS YesYesAutomatic workout detection YesYesCompass YesYesAltimeter YesYesWater resistance 50m, IP6X dust resistance50m, IP6X dust resistanceCalls YesYesMicrophone YesYesSpeaker YesYesVoice assistant Yes (Siri, on-device)Yes (Siri, on-device)Mobile Payments Yes (Apple Pay)Yes (Apple Pay)Sleep tracking YesYesPeriod tracking YesYesSensors Accelerometer, altimeter, gyroscope, temperature sensor, compass, third-gen optical heart sensor, electrical heart sensor, ambient light sensor, depth gauge, water temperature sensorAccelerometer, altimeter, gyroscope, temperature sensor, compass, third-gen optical heart sensor, electrical heart sensor, ambient light sensorEmergency features Fall detection, crash detection, Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, noise monitoring, BacktrackFall detection, crash detection, Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, noise monitoring, BacktrackCompatibility iOS 18 and neweriOS 17 and newerSoftware (at launch) WatchOS 11WatchOS 10Processor Apple S10Apple S9Connectivity LTE and UMTS, Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.3, second-gen ultra widebandLTE and UMTS, Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.3, second-gen ultra widebandMemory and storage 64GB capacity64GB capacityCharging USB-C magnetic fast charging cableUSB-C magnetic fast chargingBattery life Up to 18 hours; up to 36 hours in low power modeUp to 18 hours; up to 36 hours in low power modeBattery capacity UnavailableUnavailableUS price 42mm: $399 (Wi-Fi); 42mm: $499 (cellular); 42mm: $699 (titanium); 46mm: $429 (Wi-Fi); 46mm: $529 (cellular); 46mm: $749 (titanium)41mm: from $399; 45mm: from $429UK price 42mm: 399 (Wi-Fi); 42mm: 499 (cellular); 42mm: 699 (titanium); 46mm: 429 (Wi-Fi); 46mm: 529 (cellular); 46mm: 749 (titanium)41mm: from 399; 45mm: from 429Australian price 42mm: AU$649 (Wi-Fi); 42mm: AU$809 (cellular); 42mm: AU$1,199 (titanium); 46mm: AU$699 (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth); 46mm: AU$859 (cellular); 46mm: AU$1,279 (titanium)41mm: from AU$649; 45mm: from AU$699

Apple releasediOS 18.2on Dec. 11, more than a month after the company releasediOS 18.1. The update brought more Apple Intelligence features, likeGenmojiandChatGPT integrated Siri, to some iPhones. While iOS 18.2 brings new features and bug fixes to your iPhone, iOS 18 gave you more avenues to customize your iPhone. The operating system lets you customize yourlock screenandhome screen, as well as your Control Center.Control Center was introduced in 2013 with iOS 7. At the time, the Control Center gave you control of some iPhone functions, like screen brightness, and a few apps, like your calculator. Since then, you've been able to add certain functions and apps to the page, like Low Power Mode and Notes. With iOS 18, you can add whatever apps and functions you want to your Control Center.Read more:Everything You Need to Know About iOS 18Here's how you can make your iPhone's Control Center live up to its name.How to add controls to your Control Center in iOS 181. Unlock your iPhone and swipe down from the top right corner of your screen.2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top left corner of your screen.3. Tap Add a Control near the bottom of your screen. There are a lot of accessibility controls that you can add to your Control Center. Apple/Screenshot by CNETYou can either search for controls in the search bar across the top of the new menu, or you can scroll through the different controls. Some of the controls include old favorites, like Screen Recording, as well as new controls for things like Tap to Cash or Ping My Watch.There's also a shortcut called Open App, which turns any other app on your iPhone into a control. You can only open the app with this control, but you can use it to clean up your home screen or keep all your favorite apps in one place for quick access.You can add as many controls as you want to your Control Center even after you've filled the page. Once you've filled the first Control Center page, the next control you add will appear on a new page, similar to how adding new apps to your home screen will keep adding new home screens. To access other Control Center pages, swipe up or down on your Control Center, or tap the correct page symbol on the far right side of your Control Center screen.And When Apple released iOS 18.1, it added new separate connectivity controls to enable and disable things like your VPN and Bluetooth. Before that update, these controls would be present in the Connectivity tile, or on the Connectivity page in Control Center, but you couldn't add them as their own control.How to customize apps and functions in your Control CenterYou can also make the controls larger to make them easier to access. Some controls can transform into tiles while others -- like Music -- can become their own Control Center page. Here's how to resize your apps and functions.1. Unlock your iPhone and swipe down from the top right corner of your screen.2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top left corner of your screen.In this new view, the border around each control will now be thicker in its bottom right corner. Tap and drag this thicker section to expand the control. You can resize many controls in the Control Center. Apple/Screenshot by CNETYou can rearrange controls in this new view. After you've tapped the plus (+) sign in the top left corner of your Control Center, press and drag your controls to their new home like you would on your home screen.How to remove controls from your Control CenterHere's how you can easily remove controls from your Control Center if you're no longer getting much use out of them and want to make room for new ones.1. Unlock your iPhone and swipe down from the top right corner of your screen.2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top left corner of your screen.3. Tap the minus (-) sign in the top left corner of the control you want to remove.Can you reset your Control Center?Yes! When Apple released iOS 18.1in November, that update introduced a way for you to reset your Control Center back to its original layout and factory defaults. That way you can give your Control Center a fresh start.Here's how to reset your Control Center.1. Open Settings.2. Tap Control Center.3. Tap Reset Control Center.Follow the on-screen prompts and you're set.For more on iOS 18, here's what to know aboutiOS 18.2andiOS 18.1. You can also check out ouriOS 18 cheat sheetand what Apple could bring to your iPhone iniOS 18.3. Watch this: Tips for Creating in Apple's Image Playground and Genmoji 07:46

Traveling by train may seem like a thing of the past, but Belmond is singlehandedly keeping luxury sleeper train experiences alive. The Britannic Explorer, the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales, is next in its very stylish lineup. (Earlier this fall, Belmond unveiled its LObservatoire Suiteconceived by artist JR, the experience spans across an entire car of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.) The Britannic Explorer will begin operating in July 2025, offering three-night journeys departing from London. Itineraries include Wales, Cornwall, and the Lake District. On board, there will be a bar serving curated cocktails with botanical influences and 18 cabinsthree spacious grand suites and 15 other suites, all designed by the London studio Albion Nord.The double suite cabins, pictured above, reflect British landscapes through a mossy color scheme. The suites have a double bed set-up with an en-suite bathroom.The bespoke decor is inspired by visions of landscapes that travelers may encounter on their journey, with mythological frescoes, striped walls, and floral motifs common to much of the furniture. Just as the interiors are an invitation to escape from our daily lives, equally transportive are the dishes created by chef Simon Rogan, whose restaurants around the world have racked up eight Michelin stars. An early leader of the farm-to-table movement in the UK, he has embraced the challenge of developing recipes that both highlight local ingredients and have to be prepared in small kitchens. Regarding an ideal luxury sleeper train menu, he explains: For me, true luxury lies in humble ingredients, grown with care and respect for their surroundings, and harvested at their peak. I am very excited to bring this approach to the launch of the Britannic Explorer, where each plate will reflect Britains diverse landscapes. I hope every passenger not only enjoys the flavors but also feels a connection between the dishes and the journey, making their time on board truly memorable.In addition to the aforementioned cocktail bar inspired by the world of Victorian apothecaries, passengers will be able to enjoy spa treatments on board. Fittingly, afternoon tea service is provided as well. Each menu is tailored with regional ingredients to the route travelled onfrom mint cake on Lake District routes to the classic Welsh Bara Brith. While well have to wait until next summer to discover all of the details of the Britannic Explorer, it promises to be one of the most beautiful sleeper trains in the world.Fares for the Britannic Explorer start from $6,000 per person, or $11,500 for a double suite. The price includes a three-night itinerary, excursions, as well as meals and wines and alcoholic beverages on board.Reserve Your SeatThe blues of the twin suites reflect British shores, and feature twin beds, ceramic shelving, an en-suite bathroom, and a fold-out work area.Courtesy of Belmond

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Sure, Jan27 years ago, record holder for longest cutscene in a video game Hideo Kojima said that the "one thing" he didn't want in Metal Gear Solid was characters just "blabbering at each other for 4 or 5 minutes"And yet here we are.Image credit: Konami News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Dec. 28, 2024 Hideo Kojima is infamously known for his lengthy cutscenes these days, but once upon a time he was a lot more cautious of them.There are a lot of players that don't really like long cutscenes. After all, the point of a game is to play it, right? Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima hasn't cared about that for quite a while though, with the fourth game in the espionage series holding the record for the longest continuous cutscene in any game ever at a whopping 71 minutes to this day. Except, funnily enough, Kojima didn't always seem too keen on including such long cutscenes. As unearthed by Shmupulations (thanks, GamesRadar), in a 1997 interview with Famitsu, the iconic game developer spoke about all things Metal Gear Solid prior to its release on the original PlayStation.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Interestingly, the topic of cutscenes came up, where Kojima had this to say: "The one thing I want to avoid, though, are those tedious scenes where characters are just blabbering at each other for 4 or 5 minutes." Only four or five minutes! Kojima, buddy, if only you knew what your future had in store for you (let's not forget that 71 minutes might be the longest cutscene Kojima has under his belt, but a number of his other games have lengthy cutscenes too).He even sounded a bit hesitant to add cutscenes at all, despite his known love for cinema, saying that he was "worried about the cinematic presentation. In order to make the direction effective, I feel like I may have to add unskippable cutscenes. The story for Metal Gear is very complicated, so I think cutscenes will be necessary."These days we can obviously see Kojima thinks differently about cutscenes, and with Death Stranding 2 on the way sometime next year (with a weird photomode to boot), time will only tell if he beats his record. Fingers crossed he does, if only because it would be funny.