We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Apple's AirPods Max are some of the best headphones money can buybut they are also among the most expensive, normally at half a grand. An updated AirPods Max model was released in September, causing the older AirPods Max to drop significantly in price, currently with a $150 discount. But the newer version is also discounted now, down to $449.99 (originally $549.99). That's a record-low price, according to price-tracking tools. If you're coming from the older AirPods Max, be aware that there are some minor but key differences. USB-C Charging, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, Personalized Spatial Audio. (New) Apple AirPods Max $449.99 at Amazon $549.00 Save $99.01 Get Deal Get Deal $449.99 at Amazon $549.00 Save $99.01 Lightning Charging, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, Personalized Spatial Audio. (Older) Apple AirPods Max $399.99 at Best Buy $549.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal Get Deal $399.99 at Best Buy $549.99 Save $150.00 SEE -1 MORE When the AirPods Max came out in 2020, there wasn't as much competition for headphones that could achieve active noise-cancelling (ANC), ambient awareness features, and provide top-tier audio as well. These days, there's stiff competition in all of those categories, especially at this price point. However, buying AirPods Max is a statement. Even though they don't have the Apple logo, you're paying a premium price for the recognition. If that's what you're after, these headphones are it.When it comes to features, the AirPods Max aren't jam-packedbut the few they do have are very good quality, which is on-brand for Apple's minimalist vibe. They are some of the best ANC headphones you can buy (they don't give you that weird pressure sensation when you turn them on), have very good ambient awareness to hear your surroundings well, have adaptive EQ and spatial audio, which adjusts the audio automatically to you and your environment, and hands-free Siri, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. Some of the downsides are that they are heavier than regular headphones at 13.6 ounces. This comes from the choice to use metal for the ear pieces. You also can't manually adjust the EQ to your liking, so if you don't like the sound signature, you're out of luck. Finally, the smart case it comes with is, well, ugly and doesn't protect the mesh that rests on your head (a delicate part of the headphones). You also need that smart case to put your headphones in "sleep" mode so your 20 hours of battery aren't drained.

The Supreme Court has sided with the Biden Administration on a law that could ban TikTok in the coming days. In a unanimous ruling, the court upheld the law, writing in an unsigned opinion that "TikToks scale and susceptibility to foreign adversary control, together with the vast swaths of sensitive data the platform collects, justify differential treatment to address the Governments national security concerns."The ruling marks the end of TikToks many legal challenges to a law, passed last spring, that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the United States. It comes amid mounting tensions between the US and China, and just days after the Biden Administration moved to restrict the export of GPUs used for AI applications.In a statement, TikTok said that "unless the Biden Administration...provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement" immediately, it will unfortunately be forced to go dark on January 19. "The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability to over 170 million Americans," it said.White House officials said Thursday that the Biden Administration would not enforce the ban on President Joe Biden's last day in office. Incoming President Donald Trump, who will be sworn in one day after the ban is supposed to take effect, has suggested he wants to save the app. Thats caused some speculation that he could instruct the Justice Department not to enforce the law or find some other arrangement that would allow the app to remain accessible."The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation." He also said that he had discussed TikTok with China's Xi Jinping on Friday, but did not provide details. Earlier in the week, The Washington Post reported that Trump was considering an executive order that would give TikTok an additional "60 or 90 days" to comply with the law. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump's inauguration where he will sit alongside Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.In a brief statement shared on TikTok, Chew thanked Trump, but didn't say whether the app would go dark this weekend when the ban goes into effect. " I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States," he said. "This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship." Representatives for TikTok, Google, Apple and Oracle (which hosts TikTok's US data) have not responded to questions about their plans to comply with the law.In a concurring opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding TikTok's future. "Even what might happen next to TikTok remains unclear, " he wrote. "All I can say is that, at this time and under these constraints, the problem appears real and the response to it not unconstitutional."Free speech groups have denounced the law and the Supreme Court's decision to uphold it. The Supreme Courts ruling is incredibly disappointing, allowing the government to shut down an entire platform and the free speech rights of so many based on fear-mongering and speculation, Patrick Toomey, deputy director of ACLUs National Security Project, said in a statement. By refusing to block this ban, the Supreme Court is giving the executive branch unprecedented power to silence speech it doesnt like, increasing the danger that sweeping invocations of national security will trump our constitutional rights.The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group, said in a statement that "the ban or forced sale of one social media app will do virtually nothing to protect Americans' data privacy only comprehensive consumer privacy legislation can achieve that goal."TikTok users have also vocally opposed the ban. Before the law was passed, legions of fans called their Congressional representatives offices, urging them to not support the bill. The move may have had unintended consequences as some members of Congress accused TikTok, which had encouraged users to make the calls, of interfering with the legislative process. More recently, TikTok fans have pushed a number of previously unknown apps, including a Chinese social media app known as RedNote or Xiaohongshu, to the top of the app stores as they search for alternatives.Update, January 17, 2025, 9:45 AM PT: This post has been updated to add details from a statement made by Shou Chew.Update, January 17, 2025, 10PM ET: Added TikTok's statement.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/supreme-court-upholds-tiktok-ban-150901494.html?src=rss

Amazon is ending the Try Before You Buy program in favor of AI tools.

Tough new EU regulations requiring banks to bolster their cybersecurity systems officially came into effect Friday but many firms aren't in compliance.

As the country prepares for the second inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, thousands are preparing to gather in protest and make their voices heard. On Saturday, January 18, 2025, just two days before Trump is set to be sworn in, a (likely) massive march will take to the streets of Washington, D.C. (the site is permitted for 50,000), and in other major cities.The demonstration is being called The Peoples March, and its organizers are the same who led the 2017 Womens Marchthe worldwide protest that took place on January 21, 2017, the day after Trump was sworn in for the first time. As thousands prepared for the iconic Womens March by knitting pink pussy hats to cover their heads on the day of the demonstrationa response to Trumps infamous conversation with Billy Bushthe march became a massive sea of pink. The Womens March was seen as a triumphant call for women and womens allies, to push back against what many predicted, and rightly so, would be a misogynistic presidency.This time, however, the march belongs, not just to women, but to the people, perhaps in a call for everyone to stand up to the incoming president and his potential policies of intolerance. Even in times of sorrow or hopelessness, political conditions are dynamic, the Peoples March website reads. As we move forward, there are reasons to believe a new social movement can rise to confront Trumpism, drawing on past successes and effective strategies against autocrats. Who is organizing the march?Organizers of the march include leaders from Abortion Action Now, Time to Act, Womens March, Popular Democracy In Action, Harriets Wildest Dreams, The Feminist Front, NOW, Planned Parenthood, National Womens Law Center Action Fund, Sierra Club, and many others. And there is no shortage of issues that organizers say the Peoples March seeks to address. Talking about immigration, talking about peace, talking about abortion access, talking about racial justice and reproductive justice, said Tamika Middleton, the managing director for Womens March, told local news station NBC Washington. And so we are trying to create opportunities for people to be together, and thats really our message, is for people to find ways for them to engage with each other.Where will marchers meet?According to the Peoples March information page, there are three kick-off locations where D.C. marchers can plan to meet. The site explains that attendees can choose their kick-off location by looking at the issues that most resonate with them, as each location focuses on a different set of issues. While many of us hold intersecting identities and have varied issue-based interests, we encourage marchers to find a kickoff spot that most aligns with the body of activist work that you are able to engage in for the future, it reads. Some of the issues represented by each location include the climate, immigration, LGBTQIA+ rights, the Palestinian Youth Movement, and more.Each of the groups will meet at 10 a.m. and march to the Lincoln Memorial, where a rally will take place from about 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. What if Im not in D.C.?Across the country, there are at least 100 Peoples March demonstrations scheduled to take place in cities including New York, PortlandOregon and MaineAtlanta, Chicago, Columbus, San Francisco, and West Palm Beach, Florida. To find a march location near you, enter your zip code on the websites march location page.At the time of writing, nearly 74,000 people have RSVPed to gather at the many march locations.

A "ribbon" of curved concrete crowns Forest Road, a brick apartment block in London that local practice Gort Scott designed to reference the area's connections to the 20th-century Arts and Crafts movement.Designed for Pocket Living a developer specialising in small homes for first-time buyers the block in Walthamstow provides 90 one-bedroom apartments overlooking Lloyd Park, the site of the Grade II-listed William Morris Gallery.Its prominent corner plot was formerly occupied by a defunct, fenced-off care home, and Gort Scott saw Forest Road as an opportunity to open up the site to its surroundings and better reflect the area's existing built fabric.Gort Scott has completed the Forest Road apartment block in Walthamstow"There had previously been a poor quality post-war building on the site, which sat uncomfortably with the Victorian terraces that dominate this part of Walthamstow and at an oblique angle to surrounding streets," Gort Scott associate Andrew Tam told Dezeen."We saw an opportunity to create a building whose presence engages more positively with the terraced houses that surround it and its prominent location on arterial Forest Road, while nevertheless offering a different typology, " Tam added.The brick volumes of Forest Road form a V-shape in plan, creating a new frontage on both the adjoining main road and side street while leaving space for a large communal courtyard behind.Forest Road has a V-shape plan with a courtyard in the rearLooking to foster a sense of what Tam calls a "mutually supportive community", both this courtyard and the apartments are accessed off a generous entrance lobby.This lobby connects both wings of the V-shape plan with a skylit, open-sided stairwell.The top of the building features concave window lintels"The building is in a prominent location so we felt it important for it to have a civic presence," Tam said."The site's angled geometry and three-sidedness was a challenge that we turned into an opportunity without it we wouldn't have the dramatic lightwell and stair that provides the building's central moment," he added.Read: White Arkitekter draws on Scandinavian principles for east London estate regenerationWhile predominantly finished in buff brick, Forest Road has been enlivened with a series of details that nod to the area's Arts and Crafts history.On the window lintels and top of the building, sections of concave pigmented concrete reference the curved bay windows of the William Morris Gallery, while deep red tiles line the entrance lobby.Deep red tiles line the entrance lobbyIn collaboration with cultural programmers Hive Curates, two murals by local artist Adriana Jaros were added to each side of the building."The murals aren't as shouty and obvious as other street art in the area and look like they've always belonged to the building with plaques explaining the creative and inclusive process behind them," said Tam."We used pigmented concrete decorative details at the crown of the building to complement the brick. Placed together, they create a ribbon that wraps around the top of the building, and give it a lightness when viewed from the street," he added.Murals were added to each side of the buildingForest Road is the second scheme completed by Gort Scott for Pocket Living in Walthamstow, following the Gainsford Road scheme that opened in 2018.Other projects by the studio include the redevelopment of a college at the University of Oxford, which reunites it with a nearby river, and a concrete house that hugs a rocky crag in Whistler.The photography is by Jack Hobhouse.The post Gort Scott draws on Arts and Crafts details for Walthamstow housing block appeared first on Dezeen.

Sometimes, the most incredible things come in small packages. Thats definitely the case with the TriPro Stand, a sleek multitool that packs 15 functions into something no bigger than your finger. Its like having a tiny toolbox clipped to your keychainonly this ones made from titanium, weighs a mere 56 grams, and looks good doing it. Lets just say this little guy punches well above its weight.Multitools arent exactly a new concept. But the TriPro Stand feels different, like someone finally stopped to ask: What do people actually want to carry every day? The result is a thoughtfully designed gadget that solves real problems without overloading you with unnecessary frills. From a phone stand to a screwdriver, SIM ejector, knife, knife-sharpener, pry-bar, window-breaker, (and many more), everything about it feels practical. Not flashy, not excessivejust right.Designer: AlloyXClick Here to Buy Now: $69 $99 ($30 discount) Hurry! Only 28 of 80 left!Barely the size of an old-school USB thumb drive, the TriPro Stand is a clever little tool that combines great design with great features. The great design part lies in just how much it packs in such a small form factor, all owing to its machined titanium body. The sheer durability of titanium over other metals like steel or aluminum mean tiny details can take on immense amounts of physical stress, so a spoke wrench can be just a few millimeters wide and work flawlessly without breaking or warping. On the feature front, having as many as 15 tools in one design makes the TriPro Stand a must-have for pretty much all the problems life throws at you.Take the phone stand feature, for example. Its not some flimsy gimmick slapped on as an afterthought. The stand uses its detachable panels to hold your phone at a comfortable 45-degree angle, in portrait or landscape mode. Video calls, Netflix binges, even recipe-following in the kitchenit handles it all without fuss. And when youre done, it folds back into its compact form, ready to disappear into a pocket or attach to your keyring.But thats just the start of what this multitool can do. If youve ever needed a screwdriver on the fly, youll appreciate the bit driver system. Its got both 1/4-inch and 1/6-inch options, with onboard storage for three bits so youre always prepared. Loose screw on a chair? Easy. Quick bike adjustment? No problem. A tiny hatch holds as many as 3 bits that you can pop out and snap onto multiple docking areas on the TriPro Stand (for better torque/grip or reach), and built-in magnets hold the bits in place whether theyre docked or stashed away, so a lost hex bit is never a problem.What I personally love about the TriPro Stand is also its ability to foresee needs that you usually wouldnt. Now hey, I dont normally need a SIM ejector on the fly, but whenever Ive needed one, Ive always had to dig right into my gadget cupboard for an old smartphone box and search for a SIM ejector inside. With the TriPro Stand, you get a SIM ejector snapped right onto the tool. A magnet holds it in place in its recessed cabin so it doesnt accidentally fall out. When you ever need a SIM ejector, pop it out. When youre done, it goes right back in. Neat, huh?The outdoor crowd gets a nod too. With a pry bar, nail puller, and even a portable knife sharpener, its clear the TriPro Stand isnt just for desk-dwellers. The folding scalpel, in particular, is a standout feature. Lightweight and easy to handle, its perfect for precision tasks like opening packages or quick crafting projects. Plus, the blades are replaceable, and the mechanism makes switching them out a breeze.The spoke wrench is a familiar feature to anyone who rides bicycles. It helps tighten or loosen the spokes on your wheels to ensure a smooth ride, and complements the TriPro Stands screwdriver feature well. Finally, a tungsten-tip glass-breaker gives the TriPro Stand its last-but-not-least feature. Any multitool should serve flawlessly in an emergency, and whats more urgent than needing to save your life? Simply hold the TriPro Stand firmly in your grip and strike the window-breaker tip onto any kind of glass (even hardened ones) and the glass instantly shatters. Pair this with the scalpel knife that should easily cut through a seatbelt and you have the perfect emergency escape tool right in your pocket.The TriPro Stand is a marvel of compact engineering, measuring just 8 cm (3.1 inches) in length and tipping the scales at a featherweight 56 grams (1.9 ounces). Crafted from titanium alloy, it boasts exceptional strength and resistance to corrosion while remaining light enough to carry effortlessly. A keychain loop means the multitool can be strung to a lanyard or keyring, although its compact design easily makes it pocket-friendly. Tritium slots let you dock glow-vials so you can spot your EDC in the dark too, and ditch the removable scalpel blade and the entire thing becomes TSA-friendly and flight-legal.The TriPro Stand is currently raising funds on Kickstarter, with prices starting at $69 for early backers. Each unit comes with five replacement blades, a SIM card ejector, and three screwdriver bits. Shipping is included, and the estimated delivery date is May 2025. For something this feature-packed, that price feels more than reasonableespecially considering the fact that with even moderate use, this titanium multitool should easily last you a lifetime and then some more!Click Here to Buy Now: $69 $99 ($30 discount) Hurry! Only 28 of 80 left!The post This Impressive 15-in-1 Titanium Multitool Has More Tools and Features Than Youll Ever Need first appeared on Yanko Design.

The severance procedure isn't realbut some of Severances ideas arent as out-there as you may think.

The Chinese-owned company said it will cut off its services unless the U.S. assures Apple, Google and other companies that they will not be punished for hosting and distributing TikTok.

Apple has finally introduced the Apple Store in India, which now provides users with customization options and the ability to buy from Apple directly via the app.Apple Store app - Image Credit: AppleApple has been quickly expanding its presence in India, both in terms of manufacturing and in retail. Now, it has moved to the next step of retail, by launching the Apple Store app in the country.The app, downloadable from the App Store, lets users buy directly from Apple, like they would from the website or from a physical Apple Store location. Using the app, customers will be able to receive personalized recommendations for their shopping cart. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums