In Candywriter's BitLife, some careers need your character to have a serious glow-up such as Actor and Supermodel. On top of that, having high Looks stats is a must-have for completing certain weekly challenges like Fairest In The Land, Ken Enough, and Beauty In Pain.

Boxing is a full-body workout. Deceptively so youre just moving your arms, how tough could it be, right? But if youre throwing a punch correctly, youre putting your entire body into that motion. A boxing punch should involve a whole set of simultaneous movements that engage your legs, your core, your shoulders, and your arms. Fitness Boxing 3 cannot offer the same experience as an in-person trainer correcting your every move. But it does provide a series of easy-to-learn routines and daily workouts that ramp up into a regimen that could whip you into shape about as well as attending regular in-person group boxing classes.As the first paragraph demonstrates, Ive taken in-person boxing lessons. (Before I got into boxing, I also taught karate professionally for years; I have a black belt in Uechi-Ry.) So, I have a lot of opinions about martial arts training. It should therefore come as no surprise that I would recommend you take at least one in-person boxing class if you want to really understand how to maximize the workout that you can get from it. Fitness Boxing 3s virtual trainers wont be able to tell if youre punching incorrectly and not using your entire body to the extent that you should. In fact, when I missed a punch in-game, Fitness Boxing 3 would almost always give me a Perfect or at least an OK score on it; the motion sensitivity of handheld Joy-Cons is far from pristine. But because Ive taken boxing classes in real life, I knew when I was doing it right, and so I was able to correct my own form and get a great workout from the routines in this game.Lets just say you have no intention or time or energy to take an in-person class. How will Fitness Boxing 3 fare as your sole teacher? Well fine, if a bit lifeless. After completing the first few days of daily workouts in FB3, you can select from a roster of trainers and, over time, unlock different outfits for them. You can even decide how much they compliment you during a workout (I personally found this creepy, although some might find it encouraging do whatever helps you). They all have somewhat dead eyes and narrowly defined body types (the women in particular are teeny-tiny) that dont much resemble the diversity of the real people who pursue boxing at real-life gyms around the world. That body diversity at my gyms always inspired me, but again, were assuming youre not going to go to a gym and this game is what you have.After several days of FB3 workouts, if you are performing the exercises correctly (and perhaps even if you arent), you will get the accompanying muscle soreness that will illustrate the potential long-term benefits of boxing. The game includes all of the actual standard punches and typical combinations that real boxing instructors will teach their students, and it teaches them to you much more slowly and methodically than most classes, which is the main benefit of this game (I definitely felt intimidated and lost at my first in-person group class; it got easier, but obviously a group class isnt going to go at your pace). You wont have the benefit in FB3 of learning to use a punching bag (something most in-person classes will incorporate and provide, along with gloves and hand wraps), but even just punching the air for 35 minutes if you actually use your full body each time will leave you drenched in sweat and developing muscle mass in places that many other workouts dont touch.Dissimilar to going to a gym, playing FB3 rewards you with various typical gamification systems to keep you logging in day after day; youll earn points and unlock trophies for completing different workouts and routines, and your trainer will soon start encouraging you to work out harder and longer (within reason). If thats the sort of motivation that helps you stay on track with a new exercise regimen, FB3 will hit all of the right notes.Its soundtrack will not. In theory, FB3 is a rhythm game in which you hit the punches to the beat of the music that plays in the background. Because the Joy-Con motion tracking is so forgiving, however, this barely matters, and the games music is boring and forgettable. Once youve got the hang of the standard punches and the timing of most combinations, turn off the audio and put on a soundtrack of your own. I punched along to the speed of my own workout music and still got Perfect hits the majority of the time (and had a much better time doing it, since a good workout playlist is half the fun of working out, I say).The last big downside of Fitness Boxing 3 is: Its Fitness Boxing 3, and thats it. By that I mean, its just boxing. Traditional boxing combinations, over and over. Theres a lot of variation within that framework, but its not like a real boxing gym where there are other options hitting the bag, running drills, working up to sparring sessions, maybe even incorporating some free weights. This game is just punching the air. Thats all, every single time. And if youre anything like me, you need more than one kind of workout in your week, or you get bored. (Its like how I need to constantly be making new workout playlists or I get bored. Same deal.)Luckily, the Nintendo Switch has some excellent workout video games on offer. Ring Fit Adventure is a longtime favorite in our household, as well as the Just Dance series. I would also recommend fleshing out your home gym with a set of free weights and a copy of Casey Johnstons weightlifting book for total beginners (Liftoff: Couch to Barbell).Fitness Boxing 3 is another great addition to my current home gym setup and ongoing video game library of workout options, and I was surprised by how comprehensive it was. I had personally fallen off the wagon with boxing after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the game reminded me how much I love it and it let me remember that in a simple, approachable way that didnt make me feel bad for how many years its been. Whether youre trying to get back into boxing or youre a total newcomer to the sport, Fitness Boxing 3 will teach you the basics and show you how intense the ramp-up can become. It just might inspire you to buy a punching bag or even go to a place that has a lot more of them.Fitness Boxing 3was released Dec. 5 on Nintendo Switch. The game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch using a download code provided by Nintendo. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can findadditional information about Polygons ethics policy here.

For someone whos really into theme parks, Disney history, and the stories behind childhood favorites, I became a Defunctland fan far too late but Im so glad I did.The channel has a wonderful spread of videos, from the feature-length documentary-style ones that the channel is primarily known for to the shorter, quicker bite-sized dives into beloved educational childrens programming. Every video on Defunctland, created by Kevin Perjurer, is sharp and funny and also incredibly informative. And every single one of those appeals to my interests, to the point where once I started watching, I had to ration them out so I didnt just blitz through the channel all at once.While many rave about the FastPass deep dive (which is so good!) or the investigation into who made the Disney Channel theme song (which might just make you cry!), my personal favorite has to be the story behind the American Idol Experience at Disneys Hollywood Studios.For many years, Hollywood Studios was my favorite Disney World park for two reasons: One, it originally housed an offshoot Disney animation studio which made two of my favorite Disney movies (Mulan and Lilo & Stitch), and two, its historically been a hot mess with an identity crisis that has only increased as time has gone on. But when I clicked on the American Idol Experience video, I wasnt expecting it to actually be all about Hollywood Studios, specifically using this one very strange attraction as a touchpoint to really drill into whats historically been weird and off about Hollywood Studios as a concept since its early days as MGM Studios.Thats what Perjurer does so fantastically. He takes one specific thing the American Idol Experience, FastPasses, the four notes of the Disney Channel theme, the Garfield dark ride and uses it to examine not just the bigger-picture story of whatever theme park/media property the video is about, but also places it within a greater cultural context. What started as a YouTube series dedicated to the history of now-defunct (get it?) theme park attractions has grown into a channel with some of the most insightful cultural analysis on the internet.

The new year is the perfect occasion to tidy up your desktops and start on a fresh, clean slate. No clutter, just the things you really need and plenty of space for whats about to come. So how about some new desktop wallpapers to make the makeover complete and spark your inspiration this January?More than thirteen years ago, we started our monthly wallpapers series to bring you a new collection of beautiful and unique desktop wallpapers every month. And, of course, this month is no exception.In this post, youll find January wallpapers to inspire, make you smile, or just to cater for some happy pops of color on a dark winter day. All of them are created with love by artists and designers from across the globe and can be downloaded for free. A big thank you to everyone who shared their designs with us you are truly smashing! Have a happy and healthy 2025, everyone!You can click on every image to see a larger preview.We respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artists work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience through their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers werent anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.Submit your wallpaper design! Feeling inspired? We are always looking for creative talent and would love to feature your desktop wallpaper in one of our upcoming posts. We cant wait to see what youll come up with!Happy New Year 86Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain.previewwith calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160Who Wants To Be KingDesigned by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain.previewwith calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160Bird Bird Bird BirdJust four birds, ready for winter. Designed by Vlad Gerasimov from Georgia.previewwithout calendar: 800x480, 800x600, 1024x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1440x960, 1600x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 2560x1600, 2880x1800, 3072x1920, 3840x2160, 5120x2880Celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day!Join us in honoring our furry little forest friends this Squirrel Appreciation Day! Whether theyre gathering nuts, building cozy homes, or brightening up winter days with their playful antics, squirrels remind us to treasure natures small wonders. Lets show them some love today! Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.previewwith calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Cheerful Chimes CityDesigned by Design Studio from India.previewwithout calendar: 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440A Fresh StartDesigned by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain.previewwithout calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160Cold Penguins!The new year is here! We waited for it like penguins. We look at the snow and enjoy it! Designed by Veronica Valenzuela from Spain.previewwithout calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Open The Doors Of The New YearJanuary is the first month of the year and usually the coldest winter month in the Northern hemisphere. The name of the month of January comes from ianua, the Latin word for door, so this month denotes the door to the new year and a new beginning. Lets open the doors of the new year together and hope it will be the best so far! Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Boom!Designed by Elise Vanoorbeek from Belgium.previewwithout calendar: 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Winter LeavesDesigned by Nathalie Ouederni from France.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1200, 1920x1200, 2560x1440Start SomewhereIf we wait until were ready, well be waiting for the rest of our lives. Start today somewhere, anywhere. Designed by Shawna Armstrong from the United States.previewwithout calendar: 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Peaceful MountainsWhen all the festivities are over, all we want is some peace and rest. Thats why I made this simple flat art wallpaper with peaceful colors. Designed by Jens Gilis from Belgium.previewwithout calendar: 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Be Awesome TodayA little daily motivation to keep your cool during the month of January. Designed by Amalia Van Bloom from the United States.previewwithout calendar: 640x960, 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1920x1200, 2560x1440YogabearDesigned by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain.previewwithout calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160Winter GetawayWhat could be better, than a change of scene for a week? Even if you are too busy, just think about it. Designed by Igor Izhik from Canada.previewwithout calendar: 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 2560x1600Don Quijote, Here We Go!This year we are going to travel through books, and you couldnt start with a better one than Don Quijote de la Mancha! Designed by Veronica Valenzuela Jimenez from Spain.previewwithout calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440The Little ParadoxDesigned by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain.previewwithout calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160A New BeginningI wanted to do a lettering-based wallpaper because I love lettering. I chose January because for a lot of people the new year is perceived as a new beginning and I wish to make them feel as positive about it as possible! The idea is to make them feel like the new year is (just) the start of something really great. Designed by Carolina Sequeira from Portugal.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 1280x1024, 1680x1050, 2560x1440Happy Hot Tea MonthYou wake me up to a beautiful day; lift my spirit when Im feeling blue. When Im home you relieve me of the long days stress. You help me have a good time with my loved ones; give me company when Im all alone. Youre none other than my favourite cup of hot tea. Designed by Acodez IT Solutions from India.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Dont Forget Your VitaminsDiscover the seasonal fruits and vegetables. In January: apple and banana enjoying the snow! Designed by Vitaminas Design from Spain.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1920x1080, 2560x1440Dare To Be YouThe new year brings new opportunities for each of us to become our true selves. I think that no matter what you are like this little monster you should dare to be the true you without caring what others may think. Happy New Year! Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 640x1136, 750x1334, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1242x2208, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 2880x1800Angel In SnowDesigned by Brainer from Ukraine.previewwithout calendar: 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1260, 1920x1200, 1920x1440SnowmanDesigned by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Oaken JanuaryIn our country, Christmas is celebrated in January when oak branches and leaves are burnt to symbolize the beginning of the new year and new life. Its the time when we gather with our families and celebrate the arrival of the new year in a warm and cuddly atmosphere. Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Rubber Ducky DayWinter can be such a gloomy time of the year. The sun sets earlier, the wind feels colder, and our heating bills skyrocket. I hope to brighten up your month with my wallpaper for Rubber Ducky Day! Designed by Ilya Plyusnin from Belgium.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440The Early January BirdJanuary is the month of a new beginning, hope, and inspiration. Thats why it reminds me of an early bird. Designed by Zlatina Petrova from Bulgaria.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440A New StartThe new year brings hope, festivity, lots and lots of resolutions, and many more goals that need to be achieved. Designed by Damn Perfect from India.previewwithout calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440Wolf MonthWolf-month (in Dutch wolfsmaand) is another name for January. Designed by Chiara Faes from Belgium.previewwithout calendar: 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

10. A Parking Lot Becomes a Colorful School for Early Childhood EducationIn Vitria, Esprito Santo, Brazil, Estdio Protobox converted an underused parking garage into the playful Childrens Studio at Colgio Salesiano, a dynamic, flexible space dedicated to early childhood education, embodying principles from the Montessori method and the guidelines of the National Common Core Curriculum (BNCC). The primary goal of the project was to create an environment that fosters autonomy, collaboration, and interactive learning among children.9. Noovo Plus: A Modern Camper Van With a Super High Interior CeilingIf youve ever been inside a camper van or watched someone else in one, you know that typically one has to slouch or bend over due to their low ceiling heights. Then Noovo Plus set out to change that. Built on the Super High Roof platform, this innovative vehicle offers unparalleled comfort, versatility, and off-grid capabilities, making it an ideal choice for adventurers and remote workers alike.8. The Astell&Kern P1 Is Built for the Audiophile on the GoAstell&Kern, for its high-end portable music players, came out with a slightly different take. The Astell&Kern P1 is just as premium as its previous models, but unlike previous devices, this one is built for those with a more active lifestyle.7. Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 Speakers: Ultimate Fusion of Design + SoundIn a market flooded with inexpensive wireless speakers designed for mass purchase, finding meticulously crafted, high-quality speakers is increasingly rare. Though such products still exist, theyre becoming more niche with each passing year. Bang & Olufsen, however, continues to champion wireless connectivity while maintaining its tradition of iconic speaker design exemplified perfectly by the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 speakers.6. New KEF Q Series Speakers Feature Acoustic Black Hole TechKEF is renowned for its high-quality speakers that deliver excellent sound while enhancing the aesthetics of any space. With the release of its Q Series speakers, KEF is bringing its cutting-edge Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) to a more accessible price point.5. IKEA Reimagines Iconic Pieces From the 60s + 70s in Nytillverkad CollectionGlobal Swedish brand IKEA took us all back in time with the third release of its iconic Nytillverkad collection. This latest edition pays homage to the carefree and creative spirit of the 1960s and early 1970s. Reviving timeless designs by influential IKEA designers Karin Mobring and Gillis Lundgren, the Nytillverkad collection offers a modern reinterpretation of the eras relaxed and playful aesthetic.4. FiiO Gives Portable CD + Cassette Players a Modern SpinFiiO is taking the technology of yesteryear and bringing it into the modern era. The Chinese audio gear company launched the FiiO DM13 portable CD player, alongside a refresh of the FiiO CP13 portable cassette player. Both have instantly classic designs and modern features, plus they allow you to dig out that CD and cassette collection that youve been storing in the garage to enjoy once again.3. The Mid-Century Lark House Embraces Modernity While Preserving HistoryIn scenic West Seattle, Washington, perched atop a cliff with panoramic views of Vashon Island, the Olympic Mountains, and the Puget Sound, stands the Lark House. Originally designed in 1958 by esteemed architect Al Bumgardner, this mid-century gem underwent a transformative renovation, reimagining its space to better align with its present owners while honoring its legacy. The project, led by SHED Architecture & Design, breathes new life into the home by delicately balancing innovation with preservation.2. Portland Airport Grows With Expansive Mass Timber Roof CanopyAs an alternative to concrete and other conventional composites, wood has re-emerged as a popular building material. Long thought of as too fragile and prone to damage, this natural resource has been re-engineered into a suite of fortified structural elements known as mass timber: glued, nailed doweled panels and beams able to shore-up everything from large residences to full-scale skyscrapers. The massive canopy of the expanded main terminal at Portland Airport (PDX), designed by ZGF, might be its most impressive application yet.And the top post of 2024 is1. SHED Revives a Mid-Century House in Portland With Japanese MinimalismSHED Architecture & Design had three modern homes in the Top 10 Architecture Posts of 2024, so its no surprise that they came out on top overall with the Mori House. In a forested area of Portland, Oregon, this dreamy, mid-century modern home, originally designed by Saul Zaik in 1963, was thoughtfully reimagined to meet the aesthetic and functional needs of its new owners: a young family with a passion for design. Framed by towering trees, the peaceful retreat prioritizes connection with the natural environment.As always, thank you for reading Design Milk in 2024 and beyond! Check out the rest of Design Milks end of the year coverage here!

Practical advice, not vague analogies, on how to use UX StorytellingContinue reading on UX Collective

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We may earn a commission from links on this page.I was a bad sleeper. I often had trouble falling asleep, I was easily woken up because I wasnt sleeping deeply, I tossed and turned, and I woke up tired, sometimes with headaches, even after a long nights sleep.Over the past year, I have slowly adjusted every aspect of how I slept, from the bed itself to the climate, sound, and lights in my room, and ultimately solved most of my sleep problems. Here's everything I recommend, based on a variety of sleep-related challenges.If you have trouble falling asleep during the dayIts critical to your sleep for your body to think it's nighttime. Luckily, there are a number of brands that offer smart blackout shades, so you can block out all the light from your windows with one command. I installed Rolli shades, a colleague enjoyed Smartwingz, but Im also excited about Switchbots Roller Shade, coming in February, which will be inexpensive and adjustable for any window's width.An alternative is a mask, and I believe I found the holy grail of smart sleep masks: The Aura is pillow soft, even if you sleep on your side. You can place scented lavender layers inside, and then use the Aura app to set up meditation or white noise programs to listen to, or you can simply use the mask as a Bluetooth speaker for any music you like. There are lights inside the mask, so you can set an alarm and it will gently bring up the lights like a sunrise to wake you up. It controls all your senses, and while Ive never been a sleeping mask kind of person and found the idea of a scented smart mask absurd, it is legitimately relaxing and effective for me.If you have trouble falling asleep at nightOn nights that I know I need to go to sleep but am not quite ready for it yet, I get into bed with my Kindle, turn off my overhead lights and turn on a calming program on my Nanoleaf lights. They project calming waves of light and motion across the room, and I find they truly affect your mood.If anxiety or a busy mind is keeping you from sleeping, your voice assistant might help. Whether you use Siri, Alexa, or Google, let your assistant remind you of all your calendar items for the next day, so you dont feel like youre forgetting something. If thoughts often pop into your head as youre about to go to sleep, you can ask your voice assistant to remind you of them tomorrow rather than staying awake ruminating on them. (You can also use them to check to make sure smart appliances are off so you dont have to get back up.)If you toss and turn at nightAn inability to stay asleep can be attributed to a number of factors like climate and distractions, but ultimately, the solution lies in how comfortable your body is in bed, and how well supported your body is, which is decidedly un-technological. While there are a number of websites and even apps to help you choose beds, I found there is no substitute for going to a store and laying on each bed to try them out, and choosing the one right for you. Particularly if you are larger or suffer from body aches, you may want to choose a bed that is made more traditionally with coils, rather than foam. Where foam may be helpful is pillows. Moving away from the traditional pillow shapes full of down, choose foam shapes that work for your body, not just under your head but between your knees or behind your back.I really liked Bearaby pillow shapes, particularly the Cuddler, which is a long body pillow you can wrap around you. If you are easily woken up at nightYou can use your smart speaker to drown out random noise in the background that might startle you. First, use your voice assistant to turn your devices to do not disturb while you sleep. Your smart speaker offers white noise options: You can ask your assistant to play a standard white noise, but there are also a plethora of natural options like whale song and rainforest. You can adjust the sound level as needed using your voice. Of course, if you prefer, you can listen to music, too.If you sleep too hot or coldI have found that having multiple forms of climate control works best. I have smart air conditioner units and heaters. For the A/C, I rely on my Midea U-Shaped Smart A/C, which Ive had for a few years; it works with my voice assistants and powers on and off on a smart routine in Google Home. For heat, I use a Smart Envi wall heater, which works the same way.Adding climate control to my bed was the chefs kiss. The BedJet 3 shoots hot or cold air into your bed, either into a pillowy top sheet or directly on you, under your top sheet or blanket. You can tune it to cold or hot air from the phone app or a remote, but it will also allow you to create custom programs for the whole night. My favorite feature turns out to be a ten minute blast of 110 degree air which is perfect for slipping into bed on cold nights or for frosty toes first thing in the morning.The solutions arent all technical, either. Some sheets (brushed cotton) are made for hot sleepers, and some for cool sleepers (linen), and choosing the right sheets can make a big difference for you.If you get headaches or sinus problems at nightI often woke up with headaches or sinus issues, which I thought were due to having air blowing directly at me. A fan that I can actually stand is any Dreo modelthey have a natural setting that mimics a breeze. Also, you can really clean a Dreo fanthey come completely apartwhich means less dust blowing around, which can aggravate sinuses. I added in a smart air purifier that adjusts on the fly as needed to the conditions in my room. I use a Mila in my room to remove dust, pollen and dander, and my headaches and congestion went away.It also helped to adjust the angle at which I sleep. Many brands offer electric base layers that will turn any bed into an adjustable one, where you can lift your head, knees, or feet. I chose one from BedJet, called the Power Layer. Subtle adjustments can keep your head upright enough to stop you from snoring, or alleviate a stuffed up nose. You use a remote or an app to connect to make adjustments.If snoring keeps you awakeIf youre wondering if youre a snorer, an app like SnoreLab will provide very humbling evidence by listening to you overnight. This can be the push you need to get a sleep apnea test, which you can now do at home using, you got it, smart monitoring devices.If you wake up tiredHow well youre sleeping isnt only how long you slept. I started measuring the quality of my sleep using my Oura ring. This wearable device uses heart rate, respiration, skin and body temperature, movement, and heart rate variability to create a sleep efficiency score. Using the metrics above, Oura determines when you enter REM and deep sleep, and for how long. The night before and after the Saatva HD arrived Credit: Amanda Blum While seeing how long I was in bed for versus sleeping was often disheartening, if eye opening, the efficiency score created by those metrics was more usable for determining how effective various changes I made to my sleeping ritual were. Oura provides an overall sleeping score daily as well, which is a mix of the efficiency, how much activity you had while you slept tossing and turning, how much time you spent in REM or deep sleep, and how quickly you fell asleep. If you dont like the idea of a wearable, you can try non-wearables like a Chilipad Sleep Tracker or Withins Sleep Tracking Pad.

The tricky thing about naming the years biggest losers in tech is that in 2024, it once again felt like everyone lost. Amid the depressing spiral that is social media, the will-they-or-wont-they dance of banning TikTok in the US and the neverending edited and deepfaked content that has everyone questioning whats real, the world lost. And it is lost.But a few areas this year stood out as particularly troubling. Specifically, AI and dedicated AI gadgets proliferated more than ever, spreading not only to our digital assistants and search engines but to our wearables as well. We also saw more deterioration in Intels standing and bid farewell to a robot maker, as well as Lightning cables. Im pretty happy about that last one, though.Our annual collection of the worst tech developments each year is shorter than usual, but that might be because were all exhausted. And also because most of the bad things can be attributed to AI, social media or misinformation. Still, we journey down this nightmarish memory lane, hopefully so we can avoid similar pitfalls in future.Generative AI in every possible crevice2024 was a year in which consumer-facing AI tools became harder and harder to ignore. That's thanks to the tech giants Google, Meta and finally Apple baking AI tools into some of the most-used software on the planet. And in this push to get AI in front of everyone, I cannot help but stop and wonder who exactly is asking for this, and is anyone actually using it?In the past few months, I've been testing a Samsung Chromebook with a host of AI tools built-in as well as trying the various Apple Intelligence features that have rolled out through the autumn. It all came to a head in one of Engadget's Slack channels in early December, just after Apple launched its generative emoji and Image Playground features. Getting Image Playground to spit out AI-created pictures was easy enough, and Genmoji does feel like the logical next step after Apple introduced its personalized Memoji back in 2018. But across the board, the results felt uninspired, off-putting and - perhaps worst of all - extremely lame.Since I take so many pictures on my iPhone, there are tons of images categorized under my name in the Photos app (it will group together similar faces for years, if you let it). With hundreds of images to pick from, Image Playground should have no problem making a convincing facsimile of me... playing the guitar on the moon, right? Well, yes and no.In this image, as well as ones created of my colleagues Cherlynn Low, Valentina Palladino and Sam Rutherford, there are a few facial characteristics that made me feel that the AI-generated cartoon I was looking at was at the very least inspired by these people. But they all gave off serious uncanny valley vibes; rather than being a cute digital cartoon like we all built with Bitmoji back in the day, these results are soulless representations with no charm and mangled fingers.In a totally different vein, I just had occasion to try out Google's "help me read" summarization features on a 250-page government report. I knew I did not have time to read the entire document and was just curious what AI could do for me here. Turns out, not much. The summary was so brief that it was essentially meaningless not unreasonable, as it tried to parse 250 pages into about 100 words. I tried this trick on a review I was writing recently, and it did a much better job of capturing the gist of the article, and it also accurately answered follow-up questions. But given that the final product amounted to maybe four pages, my impression is that AI does a decent job of summarizing things that most people can probably read themselves in the span of five minutes. If you have something more complex, forget it.I could go on I've been having a blast laughing at the ridiculous notification summaries I get from Apple Intelligence with my co-workers but I think I've made my point. We're in the middle of an AI arms race, where massive companies are desperate to get out ahead of the curve with these products well before they're ready for primetime or even all that useful. And to what end? I don't think any AI company is meaningfully answering a consumer need or finding a way to make people's lives better or easier. They're releasing this stuff because AI is the buzzword of the decade, and to ignore it is to disappoint shareholders. Nathan Ingraham, deputy editorPhoto by Cherlynn Low / EngadgetHumane AI Pin and other AI gadgetsThis year, no two devices arrived with more manufactured hype than the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1. And no two devices were more disappointing either. Both Humane and Rabbit made the argument that people were ready to drop their phones for something smarter and more personal, but neither of their devices were actually good or useful.Of the two, Humane was easily the biggest loser of 2024. The company achieved the ignominious honor of reaching net negative sales because former buyers began returning the AI Pin faster than new units could be sold. I wish I could say its troubles stopped there, but they didnt. After Humane first warned customers that the AI Pins charging case was a fire risk, it issued a formal recall in October. In the intervening months, the company has reportedly tried to find a buyer without success.Rabbit has certainly faced its own share of troubles, too. After being roundly panned by reviewers in May, a hacker group announced in June that the R1 had huge security holes. In July, it came to light that user chats with the R1 were logged with no option for deleting.Last I checked, Humane has since pivoted to making an operating system that it expects other companies will want to add to their devices, but heres the thing: poor software was a big part of what made the AI Pin bad in the first place. You have to give the company points for trying, but at this point, I would be surprised if Humane is still in business by this time next year. Igor Bonifacic, senior reporterGoogle Search and AI OverviewsThis observation has been making the rounds all year long, but if you compare Google from 10 years ago to what it is now, the difference is stark. With the introduction of AI Overviews this year, it felt like Google finally made search results utterly impossible to use without scrolling. Forget sponsored results, newsboxes and discovery panels and all the different modules taking up the top half of the results page for any given query in 2024, Google decided to add yet another section above everything, pushing the actual list of websites even further down.Since its initial release in the US in March, AI Overviews told people it was okay to put glue on pizzas or to eat rocks. In spite of the general tendency for AI to get facts wrong, Google continued to expand the feature to more countries, while admitting that the overviews could be "odd, inaccurate or unhelpful."Not only that, it also began to add ads to Overviews, meaning that in addition to the unreliable AI-generated results at the top, people could pay to put what they want to promote in that precious real estate, too. Throw in the fact that the actual results boxes and rankings are all susceptible to SEO gaming by websites trying everything they can to garner a higher spot on the list, and you'll find that Google's search results are basically pay-for-play at this point. And while that will continue to earn the company billions of dollars, it makes finding actually good, high-quality results much more arduous for the discerning user.It gets worse when you consider the priority Googles search engine has on iPhones and Android devices. This year, the US government declared Google a search monopoly, saying the company paid the likes of Apple, Samsung and Mozilla billions of dollars a year to be the default search engine on their devices and browsers. Then there's Chrome, which is the world's most popular browser with its own dubious history around tracking users in Incognito mode. Can we even trust what we see on Google Search any more?People have begun to quit using Google Search altogether, with the rise of alternatives like DuckDuckGo and Kagi, a search engine you'd pay $10 a month to use, as well as OpenAI's SearchGPT, which launched this year. But I'm not convinced that the vast majority of users will switch to these options, especially since one of them costs money and another involves more AI. I can understand that it's hard to make a product that adapts to your users' needs while also keeping your shareholders happy. If only Google (or any big company, really) could re-rank its priorities and bring back a search engine that simply connects people to the best that the internet has to offer. Cherlynn Low, deputy editorIntelThe road to every great tragedy is paved with people making the most self-serving decisions at the worst possible times. Which brings us neatly to Intel as it burns through its last remaining chances to avoid becoming a business school case study in failure.Earlier this month, it fired CEO Pat Gelsinger halfway through his ambitious plan to save the chip giant from its own worst instincts. Gelsinger was an engineer, brought in to fix a culture too beholdened to finance types who cant see beyond the next quarter.Sadly, despite telling everyone that fixing two decades worth of corporate fuck-ups would take a while and cost money, it came as a surprise to Intels board. It ditched Gelsinger, likely because he was trying to take a longer-term view on how to restore the storied manufacturer's success.Its likely the accursed MBA-types will now get their way, flogging off the companys foundry arm, kneecapping its design team in the process. Itll take Intel a decade or more to actually feel the consequences of ignoring Gelsingers Cassandra-like warnings. But when TSMC reigns alone and were all paying more for chips, itll be easy to point to this moment and say this was Intels last chance to steer out of its own skid. Daniel Cooper, senior editorPhoto by Cherlynn Low / EngadgetFans of Apples Lightning connectorsWe knew the writing was on the wall when the iPhone 15 debuted with USB-C in 2023, but this year put Lightnings shambling corpse in the grave. The Apple-only connector was a revelation when it debuted in 2012s iPhone 5, replacing the gigantic iPod-era 30-pin connector. Unlike the then-ascendant micro-USB port that dominated Android phones and other small devices in the early 2010s, Lightning was thinner and this was key reversible, so there was no wrong way to plug it in.It eventually made its way to a large swath of devices in the Apple universe, including AirPods, iPads, Mac accessories and even a Beats product or two. But even Apple relented and started flipping new products to the similarly sized (and likewise reversible) USB-C, albeit years after it had become the dominant standard for data and power connections worldwide. With even holdouts like the AirPods Max and the Mac input devices getting USB-C retrofits in 2024, only a handful of legacy Lightning devices the iPhone SE, iPhone 14 and old Apple Pencil are left on Apples virtual shelves, and all will doubtless be gone by this time next year. Thats OK: Lightning served us well, but its time has passed. All hail our universal Type-C overlords.So while the death of Lightning is a flat-out win for cross-device charging for the whole world going forward, anyone whose home is still bristling with soon-to-be-replaced Lightning charging stations can be forgiven for feeling a pang of nostalgia in the meantime. John Falcone, executive editorMoxie the robot diesWhen I wrote about Moxie, the child-friendly robot from Embodied, I was charmed by its adorable design and chatty demeanor. It was meant to serve as a companion to children, something that could help them read or simply have conversations. I was less charmed by its $1,499 to $1,699 price, alongside an eventual $60 a month subscription. And now Moxie is officially dead, as Embodied announced its shutting down operations due to financial challenges after a failed funding round.Dead home robots arent exactly a new phenomenon (remember Jibo?), but Moxies demise feels particularly rough, since it was a device mainly meant to help kids. Imagine having to tell your child that their robot friend had to shut down because of financial challenges. Embodied said it would offer customers age appropriate guidance to help discuss the shutdown, but no matter how you spin it, itll be a tough (and possibly traumatizing) conversation for your youngin. Perhaps its good to learn early though that all of your smart devices will die. (Not our pets though, they are immortal.) Devindra Hardawar, senior editorThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/techs-biggest-losers-in-2024-140039822.html?src=rss