The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone (Photo by JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesLater this month, Samsung will host its latest Galaxy Unpacked launch event, and the Samsung community will get their first look at the presumptively-named Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra. When can they expect to see the new handsets, when will pre-orders open, and when will the new OneUI-powered Android flagships reach them?When Will The Galaxy S25 Ultra Be Announced?It is widely assumed that Samsung will host the Galaxy Unpacked event on January 22nd. This date was first mooted through leaked promotional images of an Italian launch event. The photos (which have since been taken offline, included the date of 22nd January 2025.Since then, various tipsters have pushed the January 22nd date. While some have highlighted January 23 instead, a careful look at the timezones of all the reports points to a morning time slot on the West Coast of America on the 22nd.When Will Pre-Orders For The Galaxy S25 Ultra OpenIn previous years, the pre-order window for the new Galaxy S handsets has opened at the end of the event, allowing those watching the livestream to sign up immediately. The current information is that pre-orders will launch two days after the event, on Friday January 24th, and remain open until Tuesday February 4th.If Samsung follows the same pattern as in previous years, the pre-order window will have several offers to encourage consumers to sign up. These have included discounts on accessories (including the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds), a bump up to the next storage level, and web-exclusive colors only available through Samsungs website.MORE FOR YOUWhen Will The Galaxy S25 Ultra Go On Sale?Following the pre-order window, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, along with the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+, will go on sale on Friday February 7th. This sticks with Samsungs traditional two-week gap from the opening of pre-orders to the handsets going on sale in various regions around the world.Now it remains to be seen if we will see any new features, or even the early tease of the fourth Galaxy S25, the Special EditionNow read more about the features that will help sell the Galaxy S25 Ultra

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsA story of two men, bound by war and honorOur obligation to each otherMany a movie has been made about the cultural differences between the East and the West. From action epics like The Last Samuraito contemplative dramas like The Farewell and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, the cultural clash of East versus West has proven to be a subject capable of withstanding multiple approaches and takes. Few American films have, however, tried to tackle it as unsentimentally or as thoughtfully as The Yakuza.The Yakuza (1974) Trailer HD | Robert Mitchum | Ken TakakuraThe underrated, Sydney Pollack-directed neo-noir gem is very much the grimy potboiler crime thriller that its title suggests, but it is also just as thematically rich as its screenwriting duo of Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) and Robert Towne (Chinatown) would lead you to suspect it is. It turned 50 years old last month, and while it isnt nearly as well-known outside cinephile circles as it deserves to be, its never too late to check it out. You wont regret doing so, either. Its a moody 70s thriller that will not only get your pulse racing, but also leave you sitting in silent astonishment over its twisty, emotionally thorny story.Recommended VideosWarner Bros.The Yakuza follows Harry Kilmer (Robert Mitchum), a retired police detective, who is hired to travel to Tokyo to save an old friends daughter from her Japanese kidnappers. Harry, we learn, spent time in Japan as a marine following the end of World War II during the Allies occupation of the country. While there, he helped and fell in love with a Japanese woman, Eiko (Keiko Kishi). Their romance was complicated by the return of Eikos brother, Ken (Ken Takakura), a dedicated Imperial Japanese soldier who was left stranded for months on a remote island. Ken was predictably outraged by Harry and Eikos relationship, but his gratitude to Harry for saving Eiko and her daughters lives also left him with a lifelong burden of gratitude, or giri, to the American soldier. A conflicting storm of emotions ensued that compelled Ken to leave his family behind.RelatedKens return and quick departure caused a fracture within Eiko and Harrys relationship that is still present when he returns, as lovelorn as ever, to Japan at the start of The Yakuza. Looking to save his friends daughter, Harry seeks out not only Eiko, but also Ken, and he calls upon the latter to reenter the world of the yakuza and honor his obligation to Harry. Ken reluctantly agrees to do so, and it isnt long before he and Harry find themselves caught up in a conspiracy even more dangerous and twisted than they expect. Along the way, new discoveries are made about Kens actual connection to Eiko and the full, difficult complexity of his and Harrys bond is brought to light. Their shared past is undeniably convoluted, but The Yakuza elegantly lays out Harry, Ken, and Eikos complicated history in its first act, and the film wisely relies on the different shades of heartbreak portrayed by Mitchum, Kishi, and Takakura to do much of its early emotional heavy-lifting.The Yakuza 1974 - TANNER!Ken and Harrys many debts to each other allow their onscreen bond to achieve an operatic kind of dramatic grandeur one befitting of a connection between two men that frequently feels like a mirror for America and Japans postwar relationship. While The Yakuza takes its time winding its way through its story, Pollack punctuates its runtime with thrillingly staged, brutal bursts of violence, including a midpoint home invasion sequence that is as technically impressive as its outcome is shockingly unsparing. Towne and Schraders screenplay, meanwhile, contains beautifully lyrical pieces of dialogue, such as when one character notes, Ken is a tormented man. It is Eiko, of course, but it is also Japan. In a different scene, Mitchum wryly responds to Eikos questioning about Ken by noting, Hes been unhappy ever since he lost the war. I keep trying to tell him its not his fault. He wont take my word for it.Warner Bros.As effective as Pollacks blunt, no-nonsense direction and Towne and Schraders considered, elliptical script are, The Yakuza is ultimately elevated most notably by Robert Mitchum. The actor, one of the greatest of all Hollywood stars, holds your attention every time he is in the frame, and he gives a performance that, much like his late-career turn in The Friends of Eddie Coyle, effortlessly evokes a sense of quiet resignation and desperation that is deceptively powerful. He plays Kilmer not as an arrogant American, but as a good man who yearns to honor a culture he doesnt fully understand.It is only when he discovers the full scope of his impact on Ken and Eikos lives, how much he has inadvertently taken from them simply by stepping unthinkingly into their circle, that Mitchums former marine is able to understand the Japanese beliefs and customs that have haunted and mystified him for three decades. There exists a clear metaphor here for American interventionism and how even the most just or well-intentioned interventionist acts can cause unforeseen consequences and devastating social ripples. But The Yakuza does not hit viewers over the head with its larger thematic ideas.Warner Bros.Instead, the film arrives at a conclusion that manages to powerfully recognize the obligation that we, regardless of and sometimes because of our cultural differences, have to each other. The Japanese, of course, would call that giri. However, while our duty to each other may sometimes feel like a burden, it is also an honor, one we can only try our best to bear well.The Yakuza is available to rent now on all major digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video.Editors Recommendations

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Score DetailsWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl proves that the 35-year-old franchise hasn't yet lost its cheerful, hilarious touch.ProsA scene-stealing villainMany memorable, silent comedic gagsA reliably funny star duoConsA world that could be fleshed out moreYoud never know from watching Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowlthat its been nearly 20 years since The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, the franchises last feature film, hit theaters. The long-running stop-motion animated series latest entry slips so effortlessly back into its signature screwball, charming groove that its hard to believe the Netflix film is technically a sequel to a movie that came out back when Netflix was still nothing more than a DVD rental service. A lot has changed since viewers last saw Wallace and Gromit, but the pair remain like so many other iconic screen duos timelessly funny and endearing.Recommended VideosVengeance Most Fowl never quite matches its franchises highest highs, but it comfortably delivers many of the same kinds of laughs, visual gags, and cozy details that have elevated Wallace and Gromits kooky adventures from the very beginning. Its a film that knows how to make the most out of what its got whether that be a silent, mean-mugging penguin or a journalist with a minor narrative role whose name is the perfectly cheeky Onya Doorstep. Its also a sequel with a lot on its mind, and it isnt particularly subtle in communicating its ideas about the dangers that technology and AI pose to the deeply human connections, including those between a man and his dog, that keep us all together.NetflixWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl begins by flashing back to the night that its heroes helped catch the would-be diamond thief known as Feathers McGraw at the end of the Oscar-winning 1993 short film The Wrong Trousers. The film then follows the penguin as he spends his next many years living a prison-like existence in a local zoo, working out, silently loathing his arrogant guards, and waiting for the moment when he can finally enact some vengeance on the man and dog who put him away. This opening sequence proves to be the perfect intro to Vengeance Most Fowl, a film that rarely fails to tell its story in as economical and humorous a fashion as possible. All it takes is co-directors Merlin Crossingham and Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Parks first canted close-up of Feathers silently scowling penguin face to realize what funny, safe hands youre in.NetflixFeathers gets the chance hes been waiting for when the ever-eccentric, aloof Wallace (voiced here by Ben Whitehead, who comfortably steps into the late, great Peter Sallis shoes) ignores his loyal companion Gromits growing dislike of his inventions and invents a robotic garden gnome named Norbot (Reece Shearsmith). Wallace initially creates Norbot to help Gromit manage his garden, but it isnt long before hes decided to use the robot as a much-needed source of income by leasing him out to his neighbors. In doing so, Wallace unwittingly creates a window for Feathers to not only reinsert himself back into his enemies lives, but also mastermind his long-awaited escape from his zoo prison by stealthily reprogramming Norbot and his many copies.RelatedThis premise is utterly absurd, and Vengeance Most Fowl knows it. The film has a lot of fun running wild with its technology-gone-wrong plot filling its second act with plenty of inspired, Silent Era-esque visuals involving an army of off-putting gnome robots. Park and Crossingham pack Vengeance Most Fowl to the brim with so many funny details and images that you may be inclined to rewatch it simply to see what you missed the first time. Feathers long-distance hacking of Norbots artificial brain, for instance, includes a quick shot of the villainous penguin scrolling through the robots attitude settings, which range from pleasant to bit selfish to really nasty and, ultimately, evil. Like the Paddington films and a few other, modern British comedies, Vengeance Most Fowl finds the right balance between its dry English sense of humor and the kind of blunt-edged, yet clever comedic gags that would make iconic screen comedians like Buster Keaton and W.C. Fields proud.NetflixIt isnt long before Gromit ends up embarking on a solo adventure that, thanks to the characters dialogue-free persona, allows Vengeance Most Fowl to let its visual playfulness take center stage. Amid all of its many entertaining stop-motion set pieces, though, the film manages to thematically tie its ridiculous heist-revenge story together by exploring the fissure created between Wallace and Gromit by the formers growing dependence on his machines. This subplot isnt easy to miss, not with Wallace repeatedly and obliviously raving about the merits of a technology-reliant lifestyle in Vengeance Most Fowls first act. The films clearly modern ideas about the worrisome nature of AInonetheless strike a surprisingly emotional chord.This is due in no small part to Vengeance Most Fowls stunning stop-motion animation, which is employed particularly well in its opening 10 minutes. This section of the film reintroduces viewers to Feathers, Wallace, and Gromit, and the animation teams masterful ability to communicate Gromits emotions and reactions using just his eyebrows, eyes, and ears makes it easy to grasp the distance, disappointment, and loneliness that he feels because of his owners obsession with technology. Few could have ever predicted that Vengeance Most Fowl would explore AI of all things, but by showing the many deeply felt ways that automation and AI threaten to irrevocably separate its lovable leads, the film successfully highlights how easily and unnoticeably technology can come between us and even those we love most.Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl | Official Trailer | NetflixVengeance Most Fowl is so keyed into its lead characters strained relationship that, outside of one fairly forgettable B-plot involving a rookie cop and her halfway-out-the-door boss, it rarely explores the world beyond Wallace and Gromits home. This can make the film feel surprisingly insular at times, despite how lovingly all of its individual frames are brought to life. Fortunately, the comedy saves its biggest set pieces and most beautiful images for its finale, which sends Vengeance Most Fowl out on a high note. Its flaws are, in other words, minimal, and while it almost never exceeds its franchises set standards, the film delivers everything that preexisting fans might expect and so much more than newbies ever possibly could. Its an exciting, welcome jolt of fun and good humor to kick off the new year.Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is streaming now on Netflix.Editors Recommendations

The New York Times has plenty of word games on its roster today with Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword, theres something for everyone but the newspapers standard crossword puzzle still reigns supreme. The daily crossword is full of interesting trivia, helps improve mental flexibility and, of course, gives you some bragging rights if you manage to finish it every day.While the NYT puzzle might feel like an impossible task some days, solving a crossword is a skill and it takes practice dont get discouraged if you cant get every single word in a puzzle.Recommended VideosIf youre having trouble completing todays NYT Crossword, were here to help. Weve got all the answers for todays clues down below.Please enable Javascript to view this contentNew York TimesAcross1 Home in the country? : USEMBASSY10 Red container, maybe : CASK14 Second woman, after Kathryn Bigelow, to win a best director Oscar (2020) : CHLOEZHAO15 ___ Huang, whose Fresh Off the Boat memoir was turned into an ABC sitcom : EDDIE16 Alternative to a chop or shank : LAMBSTEAK17 Rage : CRAZE18 Shopping meccas of old : AGORAE19 Sauce named after a steward to Louis XIV : BECHAMEL21 Hit entertainment org. in Vegas? : UFC22 Informal suggestions : RECS23 Historic founder of the Shakers : ANNLEE26 Totally didnt see that one coming, sarcastically : SHOCKING30 Head shop purchase, nowadays : VAPE31 Language spoken in northern New York : MOHAWK33 What goes around in the Pacific? : LEI34 [Back off!] : GRR35 Supports : UPHOLDS36 Recording inits. : VHS37 ___ on ones 38-Across : ACT38 See 37-Across : BEHALF39 Name combining with El-, Eg- or Engel- : BERT40 Just *done* with something : SOOVERIT42 Development area : UTERUS44 Un animal del zodaco : TORO45 Hip-hop group with the 1990 hit 100 Miles and Runnin' : NWA46 Truly awful : THEWORST50 Fudge substitute : DARNIT54 Holy oleo! speaker : ROBIN55 Designation for some apartments : LOWINCOME57 Vacuous : INANE58 Creature whose name means forest person : ORANGUTAN59 Simon of Shaun of the Dead : PEGG60 Get carried along, in a way : PIGGYBACKRelatedDown1 Holder of the longest winning streak in N.C.A.A. mens basketball history (88 games) : UCLA2 High-piled style : SHAG3 Popular red Halloween costume : ELMO4 Ochlocracy, by another name : MOBRULE5 Take care : BESAFE6 Ancient figure called the huey tlatoani by his subjects : AZTECEMPEROR7 ___ Came to Me (2023 rom-com) : SHE8 Maker of the 900 in 94 and the 9-3 in 99 : SAAB9 Join the team? : YOKE10 Music stand : CDRACK11 David Sterns successor as N.B.A. commissioner : ADAMSILVER12 L or M, but not N or O : SIZE13 Collapse, with over : KEEL15 Things sent from some online accounts : ECHECKS20 Kickstarter activity : CROWDFUNDING23 Portmanteau term for airplane fuel : AVGAS24 Traffic figure, in brief : NARCO25 Iconic bit of media merch : NPRTOTEBAG26 Tiny swine : SHOAT27 Room for a meal, perhaps : HALL28 Writer of 1929s Letters From a Father to His Daughter while imprisoned : NEHRU29 Essences : GISTS32 Hesitant response to Is that you? : OHHI35 Premium service with discounts on rides : UBERONE39 Babe in the woods? : BEARCUB41 Oath activity : VOWING43 Like some country singers voices : TWANGY46 Word with round or power : TRIP47 Perfect over time : HONE48 Refuse to eat? : SLOP49 Spelling seen in credits : TORI51 ___ chance : NOTA52 Cooks offering with chips? : IMAC53 Many a charity run : TENK56 Jokester : WAGEditors Recommendations

Star czar Elon Musk: Were going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction. What to make of Musk's comments that are critical of NASA's lunar plans? Eric Berger Jan 3, 2025 12:28 pm | 475 Elon Musk has always been more interested in Mars as a destination than the Moon. Credit: SpaceX Elon Musk has always been more interested in Mars as a destination than the Moon. Credit: SpaceX Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAlthough SpaceX founder Elon Musk is known for outspokenness and controversial comments on his social media site X, he has been relatively restrained when it comes to US space policy in recent years.For example, he has rarely criticized NASA or its overall goal to return humans to the Moon through the Artemis Program. Rather, Musk, who has long preferred Mars as a destination for humans, has more or less been a team player when it comes to the space agency's lunar-focused plans.This is understandable from a financial perspective, as SpaceX has contracts worth billions of dollars to not only build a Human Landing System as part of NASA's Artemis Program but also to supply food, cargo, and other logistics services to a planned Lunar Gateway in orbit around the Moon.But privately, Musk has been critical of NASA's plans, suggesting that the Artemis Program has been moving too slowly and is too reliant on contractors who seek cost-plus government contracts and are less interested in delivering results.Silent on policy no longerDuring the last 10 days, Musk has begun airing some of these private thoughts publicly. On Christmas Day, for example, Musk wrote on X, "The Artemis architecture is extremely inefficient, as it is a jobs-maximizing program, not a results-maximizing program. Something entirely new is needed."Then, on Thursday evening, he added this: "No, were going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction."These are definitive statements that directly contradict NASA's plans to send a series of human missions to the lunar south pole later this decade and establish a sustainable base of operations there with the Artemis Program.It would be one thing if Musk was just expressing his opinion as a private citizen. But since playing a significant part in the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States last year, Musk has assumed an important advisory role for the incoming administration. He was also partly responsible for the expected nomination of private astronaut Jared Isaacman to become the next administrator of NASA. Although Musk is not directing US space policy, he certainly has a meaningful say in what happens.So what does this mean for Artemis?The fate of Artemis is an important question not just for NASA but for the US commercial space industry, the European Space Agency, and other international partners who have aligned with the return of humans to the Moon. With Artemis, the United States is in competition with China to establish a meaningful presence on the surface of the Moon.Based upon conversations with people involved in developing space policy for the Trump administration, I can make some educated guesses about how to interpret Musk's comments. None of these people, for example, would disagree with Musk's assertion that "the Artemis architecture is extremely inefficient" and that some changes are warranted.With that said, the Artemis Program is probably not going away. After all, it was the first Trump administration that created the program about five years ago. However, it may be less well-remembered that the first Trump White House pushed for more significant changes, including a "major course correction" at NASA."I call on NASA to adopt new policies and embrace a new mindset," then-Vice President Mike Pence said in May 2019. "If our current contractors can't meet this objective, then we'll find ones that will." (Speaking of the vice president, it'sunlikely that the National Space Council will be reconstituted under JD Vance).To a large extent, NASA resisted this change during the remainder of the Trump administration, keeping its core group of major contractors, such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, in place. It had help from key US Senators, including Richard Shelby, the now-retired Republican from Alabama. But this time, the push for change is likely to be more concerted, especially with key elements of NASA's architecture, including the Space Launch System rocket, being bypassed by privately developed rockets such as SpaceX's Starship vehicle and Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.Not one, but bothIn all likelihood, NASA will adopt a new "Artemis" plan that involves initiatives to both the Moon and Mars. When Musk said "we're going straight to Mars," he may have meant that this will be the thrust of SpaceX, with support from NASA. That does not preclude a separate initiative, possibly led by Blue Origin with help from NASA, to develop lunar return plans.Isaacman, who is keeping a fairly low profile ahead of his nomination, has not weighed in on Musk's comments. However, when his nomination was announced one month ago, he did make a germane comment on X."I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch," he wrote. "With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth."In short, NASA is likely to adopt a two-lane strategy of reaching for both the Moon and Mars. Whether the space agency is successful with either one will be a major question asked of the new administration.Eric BergerSenior Space EditorEric BergerSenior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 475 Comments

My family enjoys going to steakhouse chains. In many ways, they're better than stand-alone spots.With chains, we know what to expect, which is especially great when we're traveling.I've had steaks at chains that were as good as ones from high-end restaurants. Steakhouses are one of my husband and I's favorite places to get an extravagant dinner.As our kids have gotten older, we've brought them along to enjoy steak dinners with us in exciting locales or as part of birthday celebrations.Even so, our recent visits to steakhouse chains have felt like the best value for our family of four.Although we could afford to take our teens to higher-end, independently owned steakhouses, I think we get more bang for our buck at chains like The Capital Grille or Outback Steakhouse.Here's why steakhouse chains have become some of my family's go-to places to dine out. Knowing which chains my kids love makes grabbing dinner a breeze especially if we're traveling My family has enjoyed dining at LongHorn Steakhouse. Terri Peters Chains aim to deliver consistent experiences, which is especially great for picky eaters and families with kids. At chains, my teens know what to expect and look forward to it, which can minimize stress in a new place. Plus, we know they'll actually eat what they ordered if they've had it before and enjoyed it.The first time we visited LongHorn Steakhouse was on a weekend trip to Orlando, and we've returned to other locations and had similarly positive experiences while traveling to California and Pennsylvania.Since our first time trying Outback Steakhouse, we've gone to its locations in different cities and on various occasions for consistently good meals. We still like to support small businesses and have our kids try unique, local cuisines when we travel, but sometimes our family is "hangry" and just needs a familiar meal.If we're going to spend a lot on a special dinner, it's nice to know exactly what we can expect It's nice to know what we can expect at Ruth's Chris locations around the US. Terri Peters I like knowing the quality and experience I can expect when returning to a chain again and again, especially when a meal is expensive.Although trying new restaurants with my husband is fun, it's satisfying to know we can expect our $460 dinner at The Capital Grille to be the same whether we're in Baltimore or Orlando.Since my family of four had an incredible $500 meal when we visited Ruth's Chris on Mother's Day weekend, I'd also confidently go to any of the chain's locations for any holiday celebration. My family still talks about our meal there, and I know the level of quality and value I can expect for my money.Really, steakhouse food is pretty similar everywhere Returning to the same steakhouse chain over and over means our family knows exactly what we'll be getting for the money we spend. Terri Peters I've had meals at well-known stand-alone steakhouses in cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles although each was delicious, there are only so many ways to cook a steak or bake a potato.Most of my dinners at chain steakhouses have impressed me just as much. One standout is The Capital Grille. Our experience there was on par with the ones I've had at some of the highest-of-high-end steakhouses.In many ways, chains just make it easy for our family to have a nice dinner My kids know what they like to get at Outback no matter which location we visit. Terri Peters It's nice to go somewhere reliable when we're looking to have a nice meal, which is easy to do when most of our favorite steakhouse chains are fairly accessible across the USThe meals we've had so far have been delicious, and our experiences have remained consistent.Our teens are still learning what they want out of a dining-out experience, and I like that chains allow them to figure that out while having consistent, clear expectations.For now, we'll continue going to steakhouse chains when we have extra money to spend on a reliably tasty meal.

As a lawyer, I got the chance to live in both New York City and London.I found New York City to be full of life, but it was too expensive and party-focused.London was cheaper, and I could picture a future there.For as long as I can remember, I've always had two cities in mind when I thought about the most bustling business hubs in the world: New York City and London.In my mind, it never got any better than the Big Apple or the British capital. They were the cities to make it in the arts or the corporate world. From Broadway and the West End to Canary Wharf and Wall Street, I wanted to experience it all. My dream was to live in one of them at some point in life to try my luck as a corporate lawyer.Hard work, perseverance, and a bit of luck gave me the opportunity to live in both of them. Both are chaotically enchanting, absurdly overpriced, and fast-paced, but if I had to pick one to live in today, it would be London. Here's why.I couldn't picture my life long-term in New York CityI first lived in New York City in the center of Manhattan, to be precise. I moved from Mexico City at the end of 2020 and stayed there for a year. Yes, it was in the middle of the pandemic. But my experience of the city wasn't affected negatively by that. On the contrary, I got to see an empty New York go from zero to 100 in a couple of months. For better and for worse, the city was everything that I expected: dirty, cosmopolitan, full of concrete, and way too expensive.But beyond the unrealistic price tags and tall skyscrapers, I also got to appreciate the city's unique attributes: its social aspect,iconic restaurants, unmatchable style, andcolorful neighborhoods. The city is full of life. In every corner of every street, I could feel it.However, those attributes that made it so desirable for a short stay were exactly what made New York City a clear "no" for my long-term plans. New York is ethereal and unapologetic. Yes, at the same time, life-changing. But I couldn't see myself partying and working 24/7 for the rest of my life.Life in London seemed more manageableI moved to London at the end of 2021 after both Brexit and the pandemic. Both the city and I felt like we needed a fresh start. So, I decided to discover London from a comparative perspective. I analyzed every one of its major aspects against those of its American counterpart. The results were surprising as I found similarities between them where I thought there would be clear differences.For starters, I knew that London was famous for its dreary and often gray weather, but when I moved there, I realized that it wasn't as bad as I thought especially compared to the extreme heat or cold of New York City.I also thought London would be more expensive. However, I found that rent and travel were much more affordable and diverse than in the Big Apple.London suddenly (without even considering its majestic history and stunning beauty) became a place I could call home for a longer period of time. I saw it as a busy financial hub with more things than just work or parties. There were parks, museums, schools, recreational areas, and a sense of humanity.London felt more mature and like homeOn the one hand, New York City reminds me of my most toxic ex: the intensity, the beauty, and the danger. Just like with my ex, I knew it wouldn't last long, and that's what made it so special.On the other hand, London reminds me of my most stable relationship: its pragmatism, its elegance, its maturity, and its sense of purpose. I felt like I could build my life there.New York City should be your sole option if you are young and ambitious. But be sure to move to London when you want to grow old and have a family before it's too late. That's just what I did.

Bettina Anderson grew up in Palm Beach, Florida, and comes from a prominent family.Bettina Anderson's parents, Inger Anderson and Harry Loy Anderson, in 1970. Slim Aarons/Getty Images Anderson's father, Harry Loy Anderson, became the youngest bank president in the US in 1970 when he took over Worth Avenue National Bank at 26 years old. He was also a philanthropist who supported numerous charitable causes including the American Red Cross, of which he was a board member. He died of Alzheimer's in 2013 at 70 years old, according to his obituary.Her mother, Inger Anderson, is a philanthropist and business owner who operates Palm Beach Groves, an orange orchard and souvenir shop that she and her husband bought in 1978.Anderson, 38, grew up on a Palm Beach estate known as Oasis Cottage that once belonged to fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau. Inger Anderson sold the state for $11.88 million in 2016, the Palm Beach Daily News reported.Anderson has five siblings, including a twin sister.Anderson is an Ivy League graduate.Bettina Anderson. Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Zacapa No. 23 Rum Anderson earned a bachelor's degree in art history from Columbia University in 2009, according to her LinkedIn profile. She's worked as a business development professional as well as a model and influencer.Bettina Anderson in 2012. Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Omega Boutiques USA Anderson's rsum includes working as a business development manager for the pharmaceutical company TherapeuticsMD and as an independent consultant for the Florida-based investment company Merrick Ventures.She has modeled for Quest Magazine, Palm Beach Illustrated, and Modern Luxury Palm Beach, in which she was referred to as an "ambassador of Palm Beach style and local 'it' girl."Anderson also has over 51,000 followers on Instagram, where her profile features affiliate links to skincare products and her Amazon Shop. She co-founded an environmental charity with her siblings called Project Paradise.Bettina Anderson at a charity event. USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters Connect Project Paradise funds filmmaking grants for documentaries about environmental conservation.The organization released a short documentary, "The Water State," calling attention to the fragility of Florida's freshwater springs."One of the greatest focuses of my life is how I can be of service to others and a be steward of the environment," Anderson told fashion blog The Daily Front Row in 2022.Anderson also volunteers with the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County and is a young patron of The Everglades Foundation. Anderson attended the Republican National Convention in July, months before she was first linked to Donald Trump Jr. in September.Bettina Anderson, wearing a red pantsuit, was seated behind Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at the Republican National Convention. Brian Snyder/Reuters At the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Anderson was seated behind Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, and other members of the Trump family.In September, the Daily Mail reported that Anderson and Trump Jr. were seen kissing and eating brunch together in Palm Beach. Neither responded to a request for comment about the nature of their relationship. She co-hosted a fundraiser for Donald Trump's 2024 campaign at Mar-a-Lago in October.President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago. Evan Vucci/AP Photo The event featured former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Vivek Ramaswamy, all of whom went on to become members of Trump's administration.Attending the dinner cost $100,000 per couple, and admission to a fireside chat cost $30,000 per couple, the Palm Beach Daily News reported. She has not publicly confirmed that she's dating Trump Jr., but she has featured him on her Instagram and joined him at Mar-a-Lago.Donald Trump Jr. at Mar-a-Lago. Joe Raedle/Getty Images On her birthday in December, Anderson posted a photo of a bouquet of flowers on an Instagram Story and tagged Trump Jr.The card accompanying the flowers read, "Many have said you're aging out but I think you're perfect...happy birthday!"Anderson and Trump Jr. were also photographed holding hands while exiting a restaurant in Palm Beach and celebrating Trump Jr.'s birthday together at Mar-a-Lago on New Year's Eve.Trump Jr. has not confirmed his breakup with Guilfoyle, but told Page Six in a statement that he and Guilfoyle "will always keep a special bond" and that he "could not be more proud of her and the important role she'll continue to play in my father's administration" as ambassador to Greece.

Isaac Schultz and Passant Rabie Published January 4, 2025 | Comments (0) | Top left: Sunset at the Rubin Observatory on Chile's Cerro Pachn (photo: Olivier Bonin/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory); Right: ESAs Space Rider will remain in orbit for six months to carry out experiments in the microgravity environment (credit: ESA); bottom left: two galaxies as seen by the Webb Space Telescope (credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI). 2024 was s huge year for our understanding of the cosmos and the spaceflight industry writ large. But out with the old, in with the new, so we must turn our heads towards the ambitious projects that are getting off the ground (ha!) this year.For your reading pleasure were highlighting over a dozen projects poised to hit major landmarks this year. Taken together, these missions, unfolding over the next 12 months, aim to paint a more complete picture of what we stand to gain from spaceflight and astronomical research. Its a reminder that space research comes in many shapes and sizes, but all of whats set to happen is importantand very exciting. Without further ado, heres your year ahead in space. Lucys flyby Illustration: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center The Lucy spacecraftnamed for the remarkable fossil of the same namelaunched into space in October 2021. Its charge? Investigating the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, a population of space rocks that have never been explored up close. Lucy has since travelled tens of millions of miles through space, visiting the unique Dinkinesh binary asteroid in January 2023.This year, Lucy will make a flybya near passof the Trojan asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20. This will be the spacecrafts only asteroid flyby of the year, with the next one not scheduled until August 2027. If youre interested in asteroids that could help explain how the planets and the solar system took shape, Id buckle in for this April flyby. Junos farewell Illustration: NASA The Juno spacecraft had an incredibly busy 2024, a year in which the spacecraft took close-up images of Jupiters moons, including the most volcanically active body in the solar system, and collected data that helped NASA scientists identify a lava lake on that bodys surface. 2025 will be even more climactic, as the Juno mission will end this year.The mission will conclude with the spacecraft plummeting into Jupiter on September 15, marking the end of the 14-year mission. Well be sure to publish a eulogy for the hardworking spacecraft when the time comes. Tracking Earth systems from space An illustration of the NISAR satellite in orbit. Illustration: NASA In March, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)s NISAR satellite will launch. NISAR will scan nearly all of Earths land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, according to NASA, helping scientists monitor shifts in the planets surface and better understand the evolving impacts of climate change. Constantly monitoring Earths surface from space will give NASA and ISRO a sweeping view of our planets systems. The mission will operate for at least three years and orbit our planet some 464 miles (747 kilometers) above its surface.Debut of the Space Rider spaceplane An artists concept of ESAs Space Rider in orbit. Illustration: ESA A spaceplane the size of two minivans is set to cruise through Earths orbit, carrying out science experiments in the microgravity environment. The European Space Agencys (ESA) Space Rider is set to launch for its first uncrewed test flight sometime in late 2025.Space Rider will launch on a Vega-C rocket, and stay in orbit for around two months, according to ESA. After it wraps up its mission, it will return to land on Earth, deliver its payloads, and prepare for its next launch. The low Earth orbit vehicle is meant to provide ESA with routine access to space, transporting payloads to different orbital altitudes for a variety of applications. Spaceplanes are all the rage today. The launch vehicles operate in orbit like a spacecraft, but are built to land on Earth similarly to an airplane. This allows for regular reusability and a fast turnaround between missions.First flight of Sierra Spaces Dream Chaser The worlds first commercial space plane is ready to take off this year. At least we hope. Sierra Spaces Dream Chaser is planned for launch no earlier than May, with plans to fly to the International Space Station as part of a NASA contract. Artists impression of Dream Chaser. Image: Sierra Space Dream Chaser will launch from Earth atop United Launch Alliances Vulcan Centaur rocket (the spaceplane was originally scheduled for liftoff in 2024 but changes to the rockets schedule delayed its launch). The partially reusable vehicle is designed with foldable wings that fully unfurl once the spaceplane is in flight, generating power through solar arrays. Its also equipped with heat shield tiles to protect it from the scorching temperatures of reentry through Earths atmosphere, after which it will perform runway landings on the surface upon its return.Colorado-based Sierra Space was awarded a NASA Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract in 2016, under which it is meant to provide at least seven uncrewed missions to the ISS to deliver cargo. Firefly on the Moon An illustration of the Blue Ghost mission on the surface of the Moon. Credit: Firefly Aerospace Theres a special delivery to the Moon. Space startups are fashioning landers equipped to drop off payloads to the lunar surface on a more regular basis, preparing for humanitys attempt to sustain a longtime presence on the Moon. As part of NASAs Commercial Lunar Payloads Services (CLPS), Firefly Aerospace is prepping its Blue Ghost lander for a trip to the Moon in mid-January. After launching, the lander will take around 45 days to reach the Moon, targeting a landing spot in Mare Crisium, the site of an ancient asteroid impact basin that was later filled with basaltic lava.Blue Ghost is packed with 10 science instruments to explore the Moon, and is designed to operate for one full lunar day (or the equivalent of 14 days on Earth).Texas-startup Firefly is meeting its end of a $93.3 million contract with NASA for its first lunar lander. As part of CLPS, two other companies, Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, launched their own lunar landers to the Moon in 2024, but we were reminded that landing on the dusty surface is no easy feat.Astrobotics Peregrine lander lost propellant at a critical rate, preventing any chance of it reaching the lunar surface. Intuitive Machines became the first private company to land on the surface of the Moon with its Odysseus lander, although it did end up tipped over on its side. ispaces Resilience Moon lander Blue Ghost wont be journeying to the Moon on its own, as another lunar lander will be coming along for the ride. Japanese startup ispaces Resilience lander will ride on board the same SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that is set to launch Fireflys lunar mission sometime in mid-January. The two landers are targeting different lunar mares. If all goes well, Resilience will land in a region called Mare Frigoris located at the Moons far northern regions. The lunar lander is carrying a small rover, named Tenacious, and is packed with several science instruments, mostly from Japans private space sector, that are designed to explore the lunar surface. Januarys mission will mark ispaces second attempt at landing on the lunar surface. In April 2023, the Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1) Lunar Lander plummeted towards the Moon and crashed on its surface. Hakuto-R M1 was carrying both commercial and government-owned payloads, including a tiny, two-wheeled transformable robot from the Japanese space agency.Intuitive Machines heads back to the Moon In February 2024, Intuitive Machines became the first commercial venture to land on the Moon with its Odysseus lander. The companys first mission delivered 12 payloads near the Malapert A crater at the Moons south pole region following an eight-day journey through space. This year, the Houston-based company is hoping to double on its success with the Athena lander. The IM-2 mission is set to launch in February, carrying a drill and a mass spectrometer to investigate the presence of ice water beneath the lunar surface.Intuitive Machines will use its NOVA-C landing platform under NASAs CLPS initiative. The Athena lander will target a touchdown at the Shackleton connecting ridge, near Shackleton Crater close to the south pole. In addition to its drilling operations, the IM-2 mission will also test a Nokia LTE 4G communications system on the Moon. A new look at the Suns charged environment An artists impression of the IMAP mission in space. Illustration: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton University/Steve Gribben NASAs Interstellar Mapping Acceleration Probe (IMAP) is launching sometime in late 2025, packed with 10 instruments to explore the magnetic bubble surrounding the solar system, known as the heliosphere. The IMAP mission will operate from the L1 Lagrange point, an area around 932,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth. From its orbital perch, the spacecraft is designed to map out the heliosphere, observing the wide range of particles in interplanetary space and the interaction of solar wind with material in the Milky Way.The mission was originally scheduled to launch in 2024 but has been delayed several times. IMAP is not launching on its ownits carrying two rideshare missions, NASAs Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations SWFO-L1 (Space Weather Follow-On at L1). Starships critical refueling test SpaceXs Starship made tremendous progress in 2024 with the companys impressive catch of the oversized booster during the rockets fifth test flight. This year, SpaceX is ready to take it up a notch and attempt the daring refueling of Starship in orbit. An illustration of a Starship tanker transferring propellant to Starship HLS. Credit: SpaceX During an interview with Spaceflight Now, Kent Chojnacki, the deputy manager for NASAs Human Landing System program, revealed that Starships in-flight propellant test may take place in March 2025. The test entails two Starships rendezvousing in orbit, with one transferring fuel to the other. The two rockets will launch around four weeks apart before meeting and docking in space for the first-of-its-kind demonstration. SpaceX is under a $53.2 million contract with NASA, signed in 2020, to use Starship tankers for in-orbit propellant transfer. Using in-flight refueling, NASA aims to develop technologies that are essential for establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon and sending crewed missions to Mars.Launch of Vast Spaces Haven-1 space station This year, a California-based startup wants to be the first company to fly a commercial space station to orbit.Vast is planning to launch Haven-1 on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to low Earth orbit no earlier than August 2025. Vast is a relative newcomer to the space industry, founded by crypto billionaire Jed McCaleb, but its already got big plans to take over a coveted spot in Earth orbit. Vast wants to build a 328-foot-long (100 meters) multi-module space station in orbit, which will spin to produce artificial gravity. Following the deployment of its first module, Haven-1, the company wants to send a four-person crew to the space station on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, where they will spend up to 30 days in orbit. First light featuring the worlds biggest digital camera Photo: Olivier Bonin/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory One of the biggest projects to look forward to in 2025 is the Vera Rubin Observatorys first light. The observatorys state-of-the-art 3.2-gigapixel (or 3.2-billion-pixel) camera has been in the works for years, and is the centerpiece of the observatory. Each night, the camera will collect 15 terabytes of data on the southern sky. That data will be part of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (or LSST), a 10-year survey of the ever-changing cosmos both near and very, very far. All told, 60 petabytes of data will be collected on the evolution of the universe and all that comprises it. Regarding the Milky Way specifically, LSST will capture the motion of millions of stars in the galaxy, creating a map of the celestial objects over 1,000 times the volume of past surveys.You can see updates on the observatorys development here. First light is currently slated for July 4, 2025.Axiom Mission 4 Axiom Space expects to fly its fourth mission to the ISS in spring 2025, transporting a crew of four astronauts to low Earth orbit. The company has so far dominated commercial trips to the space station, previously sending three private crews to the ISS. This time around, Axiom is launching astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary to the space station. Peggy Whitson, who is Axiom Spaces director of human spaceflight and a former NASA astronaut, will serve as the Ax-4 commander. The first private mission by Axiom, Ax-1, launched to the ISS in April 2022. It was a learning experience, and NASA admitted to having learned some important lessons when it comes to private space station missions. As a result, the space agency updated a few of its rules for future private astronauts, including a requirement that the missions would be led by a former NASA astronaut. A vast survey of the universes galactic and stellar portfolio An artists concept of SPHEREx in Earth orbit, with the near-infrared universe (and Milky Way disk) in background. Illustration: Caltech In February 2025, NASA will launch the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorerin short, SPHEREx. The two-year mission will survey the cosmosmore than 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in our own solar system in optical and near-infrared light. Some of the light SPHEREx collects will be from over 10 billion light-years away. Researchers will use that data to create a 96-color sky map, making it the sky map with the most comprehensive color resolution. SPHEREx will also identify target objects for detailed follow-up observations by telescopes, including the Webb Space TelescopeNASAs premier space-based observatory. Webb, often seen as Hubbles successor, continues the legacy of deep space exploration, though Hubble remains operational.SPHERExs map of the universe will also help astronomers determine how galaxies emerged from the cosmic ether that preceded them and how water and organic molecules are distributed in stellar nurseries, where stars are born. Its going to be another jam-packed year, and as these missions unfold, theyll expand our understanding of the universe and place within it. Each launch, landing, observationand even failurebrings us close to answering some of the biggest questions in science.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Passant Rabie Published January 2, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published December 30, 2024 By Passant Rabie Published December 23, 2024 By Passant Rabie Published December 20, 2024 By Passant Rabie Published December 18, 2024 By Isaac Schultz Published December 18, 2024

2025File this under phones that I wish were available in the U.S. Now available in over 50 countries, the Oppo Find 8X Pro (1,049, 16GB of RAM, 512GB onboard storage) is a revelation. A sleek flagship thats also pleasantly durable, the Find 8X Pro is seriously impressive. Boasting powerful Hasselblad cameras, the smartphone can definitely take a pretty photo. And the 6.78-inch display is one of the brightest Ive encountered thus far. It also has an 80W charger for speedy recharges. Plus, its MediaTek processor handed the Find 8X Pro an unexpected win over the iPhone. And, of course, there are several AI features baked in.Speaking of the iPhone, the Oppo drew heavily from one of the best smartphones in the game. It even has a programmable Action button that defaults to snapping pics. Heck, even the icons in its Color OS 15 UI are iPhonesque. Oppos even made transferring files to an iPhone easier by using a simple tap. However, heavy iPhone influences aside, the Oppo Find 8X Pro is an excellent smartphone for people who are bored with the usual suspicions of flagships. Oppo Find 8X Pro The Oppo Find 8X Pro is a great Android flagship with a bunch of iPhone influences. Pros Cons Oppo Find 8X Pro Review: Design Ive handled a lot of smartphones in my day, but this is the first Ive seen with so much pearlescence. And Im smitten. The matte Pearl White glass rear panel has bands of silky finish that produce soft glints whenever it catches a little light. Theres a large flash in the top left corner, right next to the massive circular silver metal module that houses a quad of camera sensors. Oppo is written in sterling lettering. The phone is also available in Space Black, a color found on iPhones.Photo: Adriano Contreras/Gizmodo The front of the phone is nearly all screen thanks to the Infinity View display. A 32MP shooter sits at the top of the display, with an integrated fingerprint reader towards the bottom. The Find 8Xs sides are wrapped with silver metal. A pair of light gray stripes sit near the top, demarcating the volume rocker on the right and the alert slider on the left. The Power and Quick buttons are also located on the phones right. The latter button acts like the iPhone 16s Action button, allowing you to snap a photo with a quick press. The USB-C charging port and microSIM slot reside along the Find 8X Pros bottom. Both sides of the phone are durable and made of Corning Gorilla Glass to protect against scratches and potential cracks. But thats not where the durability ends. Oppo outfitted the Find8X with IP68 and IP69 protection. That means the phone is dust- and water-resistant. Regarding the water component, the Find 8X Pro can survive 30 minutes of submersion in water up to 1.5 meters deep.The Oppo weighs 7.6 ounces and measures 6.4 x 3 x 0.33 inches, which is slightly lighter than theGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL(7.8 ounces, 6.4 x 3 x 0.3 inches),iPhone 16 Pro Max(7.9 ounces, 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.32 inches), andSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (8.2 ounces, 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.33 inches). Oppo Find 8X Pro Review: Display Slim bezels, bold, almost lurid color with a dazzling brightness. The Find 8X Pros 6.78-inch, 2780 x 1264p, OLED Infinity View display is a sight. Whether watching episodes of Dan Da Dan, Found, or playing Dead Cells or Alien Isolation, I enjoyed vivid hues with sharp details and inky blacks. If you dont like the screens default look, you can go into the Display Settings menu and choose between one of the two modes. Or you could adjust the color temperature from warm to cold or something custom. Still, as a flagship phone, the resolution could be higher.Photo: Adriano Contreras/Gizmodo As for brightness, you might want to grab a pair of shades or keep the adaptive brightness on. The Find 8X Pros minimum brightness starts at 800 nits and tops at a ludicrous 4,500. At max brightness, Ive noticed that lighter colors and blacks can get washed out, and in some instances, they can look a little gray.Like most modern flagship smartphones, the Oppo has an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz. This is ideal for gaming, as it kicks the refresh rate to maximum and drops it to lower, more power-efficient rates when reading or surfing the web. Oppo Find 8X Pro Review: UI This is my first Oppo phone review, so its also my first brush with Color OS, and so far, I think I like it. Based on Android 15, Color OS 15 is a user interface with a few AI elements and streamlined sharing with iPhones. The UI also boasts smoother interfaces compared to previous iterations thanks to the Luminous Rendering Engine, which boasts over 800 animations and 18% faster touch response. Its also uber customizable as you can pick between unified and split notifications/quick toggles panel views. You can also personalize the status bars look. Photo: Oppo Photo: Oppo Color OS 15 interface Color OS 15 navigation doesnt differ much from stock Android. There are gesture controls or the classic three-button setup. The icons and widgets are similar to those on an iPhone. Navigation is very smooth, and as an Android fan, I find the interface comfortable and familiar.AI features are grouped under the companys Oppo AI umbrella, covering productivity and photo editing. Well kick things off with the AI ToolBox, encompassing AI Speak, which reads emails and notifications for you aloud. Then theres AI Summary, which summarizes highlighted text, and AI Writer, which adds a bit of polish to your writing while considering your writing style. Speaking of summaries, the Recorder app creates concise summaries of transcription. Documents offer summaries in seven languages, while Notes summaries and restructure formats. Photo: Oppo Photo: Oppo Photo: Oppo For photos, Oppo has several AI-powered photo remastering tools including AI Clarity Enhance which upscales low resolution images, AI Unblur highlights finer details like hair and skin. And for those shots with distracting glare, theres AI Reflection Remover. AI Studio quickly became my favorite as it let me create AI avatars of myself so I could see myself as a futuristic space soldier or a beauty queen in various styles. Oppo also made sure the Find 8X Pro plays nice with the iPhone. The smartphones Touch to Share feature lets iPhone and 8X Pro owners transfer files with a quick tap as long as the Apple device has Oppos O+ Connect app. And speaking of iPhone, Oppo cribbed off of Apples Dynamic Island Alerts with ColorOS Live Alerts as it displays real-time updates centered around the punch-hole camera.Oppo Find 8X Pro Review: Performance The Oppo Find 8X Pro is the first smartphone with MediaTeks Dimensity 9400 processor. The 3-nanometer chip works with the Trinity Engine, a proprietary system architecture designed to improve the phones performance and efficiency. The Find 8X Pro also has a vapor chamber with a graphite layer and thermal gel designed to dissipate heat, keeping the smartphones components cool and running at peak performance. I didnt hold back with the Oppo Find 8X Pro. I launched over 50 tabs in Google Chrome and had a number of apps open, including Adobe Photoshop Express, Netflix, and a few G-Suite apps. The Oppo didnt slow down as I navigated through pages or switched between apps, and the animations were just as smooth. The phone also held its own when I played Dead Cells for an hour. The phone stayed relatively cool, and I lived to die quite a few deaths. I also ran Geekbench 6 to see how the Oppo would fare against other flagships, and it held its own. The Oppo scored a single-core result 2,818 and a multi-core outcome of 8,434. It obliterated the Pixel 9 Pro XL (1,920 single, 4,208 multi) and even gave the iPhone 16 Pro Max a run for its money (2,975 single, 7,438 multi). Its one of the few phones Ive seen this year to route the iPhone. Oppo Find 8X Pro Review: Camera Whats in a name? If its Hasselblad, its a world-renowned camera brand synonymous with excellent cameras and lenses. Oppo teamed up with the Swiss company to create Find 8X Pros quad camera set. Each of the four cameras has 50 megapixels and a pair of telephoto shooters. Oppo says the Find 8X Pro is the worlds first smartphone with dual-periscope telephoto cameras.Photo: Adriano Contreras/Gizmodo The main sensor has a /1.6 aperture, with a 1/1.4-inch sensor. The first telephoto lens offers 50MP resolution, a /2.6 aperture with a 3X optical zoom, while the second telephoto camera (/4) offers a 6X optical zoom. Next, you have the ultrawide lens with a /2.0 aperture and the front camera, which deviates from the rest with 32MP (/2.4). Im itching to do a shoot-off between this, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max because my testing yielded some impressive results. Photo: Sherri L. Smith/DreamSmith LLC @Photo: Sherri L. Smith/DreamSmith LLC Photo: Sherri L. Smith/DreamSmith LLC Wide shotsMy favorite is a wide shot of a hornets nest. Zoomed into 3x, you can see the individual ridges of the nest clearly, along with the trees pods. I also captured a few shots of my puppies, accurately capturing their adorableness. Despite being an action shot, theres not a lot of blurring, and if you zoom in, you can see Natashas (on the left) eye color and brindle pattern. Photo: Sherri L. Smith/DreamSmith LLC @Photo: Sherri L. Smith/DreamSmith LLC Zoom shotsNow, regarding digital zoom, the Find 8X Pro gives the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra a run for its money. The former boasts a 120x digital zoom to the latters 100x. But as youll discover with both phones, maxing out the zoom leads to incredibly blurry shots. Oppo attempts to fight this with its AI Telephoto Zoom, which, as you can see in my shot, is the top of a far-off skyscraper. Although you can make out the outline of the building and some of the lights, the photo is ultimately really blurry. Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC @Photo:Sherri L. Smith/DreamSmith LLC Selfie shots The selfie cam is no slouch, either. The front shooter produced clear details, displaying the intricate design in my boyfriends pocketwatch and the individual hairs in his beard. His skin tone was warm with red undertones, offset by his olive-colored T-shirt. Oppo Find 8X Pro Review: Battery When I ran the Gizmodo battery test, playing a 24-hour YouTube video with the display brightness set to 50%, the Find 8X Pro lasted 19 hours and 42 minutes. However, the battery life will differ depending on how you use the phone. I squeezed 12:29 out of the phone with mixed-use, including scrolling through social media, watching the latest episodes of Dune: Legacy, streaming music from Spotify, playingStreets of Rage 4, texting, and making a few calls here and there.The smartphone is capable of 80W wired fast charging or 50W wireless. However, youll have to fork out some extra cash for Oppos proprietary wireless charger. Oppo Find 8X Pro Review: Verdict This is my first time with an Oppo phone, and I like much of what the Find 8X Pro offers. Its got a unique, eye-catching design, a stunning display, and a great set of cameras. While the Color OS user interface is Android software, it offers features similar to modern iPhones. Hell, Oppo even made sure that the phones play nice when transferring files. Plus, a host of AI features run the gamut of productivity and photo editing. This is one of the few smartphones that have upended the iPhone 16 Pro Max in terms of performance. The phone also has great battery life, depending on what youre doing. However, in terms of some of the features and the interface, Oppos flying a bit too close to the iPhones sun. And while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the Find 8X Pro is toeing the line of derivativeness. Regarding the display, if this is a flagship, I expected a higher resolution for the price. Then theres the brightness. 4500 nits is the highest Ive seen on a smartphone, and although that means youll rarely have problems reading anything on this screen, it can be too much of a good thing at times, as the extreme brightness can wash out some colors. If youre looking for a flagship Android smartphone with heavy iPhone influence, great performance, endurance, and a lovely display, the Oppo Find 8X Pro is it.