There are a lot and I meana LOT of fitness trackers out there, many of which can provide a surprising amount of insight into your health and fitness. That being said, the bare-bones Casio WS-B1000, which is currently on sale at Amazon and Walmart for an all-time low of $39.10 (about $17 off), is not exactly one of them.RelatedAt its core, the WS-B1000 is a lightweight wristwatch with some basic smarts, retro styling, and a few different color options. Theres no optical heart rate monitor or fancy-schmancy OLED display, though it does boast an onboard accelerometer for tracking your steps, up to two years of battery life on a single CR2016coin cell battery, and Bluetooth for pairing it with your phone. Doing so lets you view a basic activity log in the Casio app while ensuring you always have the correct time on hand (a wild concept, I know).You get some basic wristwatch functionality as well including a stopwatch, a timer, and an alarm but the appeal of the WS-B1000 isnt what it offers but what it lacks. For someone like me whos burnt out on push notifications and rarely tracks anything beyond steps, a cheap tracker with some Y2K vibesRead our Casio WS-B1000 review.Casio WS-B1000$39$5630% off$39$39$5630% offThe Casio WS-B1000 combines retro chic with step tracking, Bluetooth connectivity with your phone, and classic wristwatch functions like a stopwatch, alarms, and timers.Other ways to save this weekendSamsung held its latest Unpacked event this week, providing us with a closer look at its forthcoming slate of Galaxy phones. The iterative S25 Ultra is the most capable of the bunch thanks to its improved ultrawide camera, and if youre looking to reserve it ahead of its February 7th release date, its now up for preorder at Amazon and Best Buy with a $200 gift card starting at $1,299.99. Samsung, meanwhile, is offering the 6.9-inch phone for the same price with $150 in store credit. Read our hands-on impressions.Now through the end of tomorrow, January 26th, Ankers 341 USB Power Strip is available from Amazon and Anker for an all-time low of $18.69 (about $7 off). The 11-in-1 power strip isnt going to provide a ton of surge protection, sure, but it sports a pair of wall-mounting slots, several USB ports, and a whopping eight AC outlets. Plus, it features a nifty fastener, allowing you to easily coil the 5-foot cable if you plan to take it with you on the road.If my colleague Antonio G. Di Benedettos recent experience with the GameSir G8 Plus left you envious of his big screen upgrade, you can now pick up the clamp-on mobile controller at Amazon for $65.99 ($14 off), which nearly matches its all-time low. Its similar to 8BitDos first smartphone controller in that it features drift-free Hall effect sensors in the joysticks and connects over Bluetooth as opposed to USB-C; however, unlike 8BitDos offering, the G8 Plus supports Android and iOS, along with the Nintendo Switch.

Any ebook reader will let you cram a Beauty and the Beast-sized librarys worth of books in your pocket, but so will your phone. An ebook reader offers a more book-like reading experience, with fewer distractions and less eye strain, and many include extra features, like adjustable frontlighting. Some really are pocketable. Others are waterproof or offer physical page-turning buttons, while a few even let you take notes.What Im looking forComfortHow easy is it to use and read on? A sharp display and relatively fast performance are essential to an enjoyable reading experience, as are size and weight.Build qualitySome e-readers come with different features, like waterproofing, which means you really can read anywhere. Others offer buttons that make using the e-reader more intuitive to use.Supported content typesThere must be easy, direct access to a wide selection of digital titles, which includes audiobooks as well as various file formats.AffordabilityIs the price justified, given what the e-reader offers?Ive been using ebook readers for nearly a decade, and Ive gone hands-on with dozens, from the Kindle Paperwhite to lesser-known rivals like the Pocketbook Era. Whether you want something your kid can throw against the wall or a waterproof, warm-glow Kindle that wont ruin your spa ambiance, these are the best ebook readers for everyone.The best KindleKindle Paperwhite (2024)$160Amazons latest Paperwhite features a larger seven-inch display and noticeably faster performance. It also boasts longer battery life than the previous model, retains IPX8 waterproofing, and includes a USB-C port.Dimensions: 7 x 5 x .3 inchesWeight: 211 grams / Screen area and resolution: 7-inch screen, 300ppi resolution / Storage: 16GB / Other features: IPX8 waterproofing, Bluetooth audio supportIf you mostly buy ebooks from Amazon, youll want a Kindle, and the 12th-gen Kindle Paperwhite is the best choice for most people. Starting at $159.99, its cheaper than the Kobo Libra Colour my top non-Amazon ebook reader, which Ill dive into later while offering many of the same features. Those include a spacious 7-inch 300pi display with rich contrast levels and an adjustable warm white frontlight, which make for a clear and enjoyable reading experience. The latter also conveniently improves sleep by cutting down on blue light that interrupts melatonin production.That warm white frontlighting is an advantage over the cool white of the $109.99 base-model Kindle, and unlike the base Kindle, the Paperwhite has IPX8 water resistance. The $199.99Signature Edition Paperwhitealso has an auto-adjusting frontlight and no lockscreen ads. It has wireless charging, which is a rare feature to find in an e-reader.The latest Kindle Paperwhite offers a sharp display thats easy to read.Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world, and it dominates the US ebook market, so Kindle owners have access to advantages owners of other ebook readers dont. Much of Amazons hardware strategy depends on offering cut-rate discounts to pull you into its content ecosystem. If you have Prime and buy a lot of Kindle ebooks, the Paperwhite is the best choice because Amazon makes it incredibly easy to buy and read its stuff.Its ebooks and audiobooks are often on sale, and Prime members get more free content through Prime Reading. Rivals like Kobo offer sales, too, but its hard for them to offer discounts as steep as Amazon.RelatedThere are downsides, though. The Paperwhite has lockscreen ads unless you pay $20 extra to get rid of them. Its also too big to hold comfortably with one hand. Perhaps the Kindle Paperwhites biggest flaw, though which it shares with all Kindles aside from Fire tablets is that its not easy to read books purchased outside of Amazons store. Kindle ebook formats are proprietary and only work on Kindle.Unlike Kobo and other ebook readers, Kindles dont support EPUB files, an open file format used by pretty much everyone except Amazon. So, for example, if you often shop from Kobos bookstore (or Barnes & Noble or Google Play Books or many other ebook stores), you cant easily read those books on a Kindle without using a workaround. There are ways to convert and transfer file formats so you can read on the Kindle and vice versa, but itll take a couple of extra steps.However, if you dont buy your books elsewhere or you dont mind shopping from Amazon, youll be more than happy with the Kindle Paperwhite.Read our Kindle Paperwhite review.The best non-Amazon ebook readerKobo Libra Colour (32GB, ad-free)$200$2209% off$200$200$2209% offThe Kobo Libra Colour is a color e-reader with physical page-turning buttons and a 7-inch E Ink display. It also boasts IPX8 waterproofing and compatibility with the Kobo Stylus 2.Dimensions: 5.69 x 6.34 x 0.33 inches / Weight: 199.5 grams / Screen area and resolution: 7-inch screen, 300ppi (black-and-white), 150ppi (color) / Storage: 32GB / Other features: Physical page-turning buttons, waterproofing, Kobo Stylus 2 support, Bluetooth audio supportThe Kobo Libra Colour is an excellent alternative to Amazons ebook readers, especially for readers outside the US or anyone who doesnt want to tap into Amazons ecosystem. Kobos latest slate offers many of the standout features found on the 12th-gen Kindle Paperwhite including waterproofing, USB-C support, and a 300ppi display along with a few perks that make it more helpful and enjoyable to use.The color display is the most obvious. The Libra Colour uses E Inks latest Kaledio color screen technology, which provides soothing, pastel-like hues that still pop in direct sunlight. Its not as sharp as reading in monochrome the resolution drops to 150ppi when viewing content in color but its a nice touch that makes viewing a wider range of content more pleasant. Book covers and comics, while still muted, have an added layer of depth, even if the colors are nowhere near as vivid as that of a traditional LED tablet or as vibrant as the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. Thanks to its physical page-turning buttons and color display, the Kobo Libra Colour is an impressive e-reader. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The VergeHowever, unlike the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, the Libra Colour works with a digital pen the Kobo Stylus 2 (sold separately) which lets you highlight text in various colors or take notes using Kobos integrated notebooks. You can also take advantage of some of the more advanced capabilities found in the Kobo Elipsa 2E, allowing you to solve math equations, convert handwriting into typed text, and insert diagrams. This lets the Libra Colour function as a mini notebook of sorts, though I wouldnt use it as a primary note-taking device since the seven-inch display can feel cramped to write on.Kobos Libra Colour comes with integrated notebooks. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The VergeRelatedThe color display is only part of the appeal, though. The Libra Colour doesnt have the lockscreen ads on the base Paperwhite and packs physical page-turning buttons, which feel more intuitive to use than tapping either side of the display as you have to do on Amazons modern e-readers. The speedy e-reader also supports more file formats, including EPUB files, and makes it much easier to borrow books from the Overdrive library system. Native support for Pocket, meanwhile, means you can read your articles offline if youre someone who uses the long-standing bookmarking app.You can highlight in color. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The VergeHowever, at $219.99, the Libra Colour costs $60 more than the entry-level Paperwhite and thats without Kobos $69.99 stylus, which is required for performing certain tasks. That gap widens further when the Paperwhite is on sale. It more often is than the Libra Colour. The Kobo cant easily tap into Amazons vast library of ebooks, which can be frustrating if youve amassed a collection of Kindle titles over the years. It can be done, but you have to convert file formats using third-party apps, which is tricky and can take time.But if those things dont matter or apply to you, the Kobo Libra Colour will give you the best digital reading experience of all the e-readers on our list. Its my personal favorite.Read our Kobo Libra Colour review.The best cheap ebook readerKindle (2024) $110Amazons new entry-level Kindle retains a six-inch, 300ppi display and USB-C. Its brighter and slightly faster than its predecessor, though, and features longer battery life.Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.3 x 0.32 inchesWeight: 158 grams / Screen area and resolution: 6-inch screen, 300ppi resolution / Storage: 16GB / Other features: USB-C support, Bluetooth audio supportThe base-model Kindle ($109.99 with ads) is the best cheap ebook reader. Its 300ppi resolution makes text clearer and easier to read than the lower-resolution screens on other ebook readers in its price range. Plus, it even has USB-C for relatively fast charging.1/2The 2024 Kindle is easy to hold with one hand and offers a sharp display. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The Verge1/2The 2024 Kindle is easy to hold with one hand and offers a sharp display. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The VergeReading on its six-inch screen feels a little more cramped than it does on the larger displays of the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Colour. However, the flip side is that its small size makes it pocketable, light, and easy for small hands to hold. Combined with its relatively affordable price, the Kindle is also the best ebook reader for kids especially the Amazon Kindle Kids Edition which costs $20 more. The kid-friendly version shares the same specs but is ad-free with parental controls, a two-year extended replacement guarantee, and a case. It also comes with six months of Amazon Kids Plus, which grants kids access to thousands of childrens books and audiobooks for free. After that, though, youll have to pay $79 per year.The kid-friendly version of the Kindle comes with one of several colorful cases.The base Kindle doesnt have extra conveniences like the waterproofing youll find in the entry-level Kobo Clara BW and Paperwhite. You also dont get the physical page-turning buttons found on Barnes & Nobles entry-level e-reader, the Nook GlowLight 4e (though the Kindle is a lot snappier than the Nook). And because its an Amazon ebook reader, youre also locked into the Amazon ecosystem and have to pay extra to remove ads. But if you can do without that, the Kindle delivers the essentials for under $110.The best ebook reader for taking notesKobo Elipsa 2E$350$40013% off$350$350$40013% offThe Kobo Elipsa 2E is an ad-free 10.3-inch e-reader you can write on with the included stylus. It offers a whole host of useful features, like the ability to convert handwriting to typed text and a great selection of pen types.Dimensions: 7.6 x 8.94 x 0.30 inches / Weight: 390 grams / Screen area and resolution: 10.3-inches, 227ppi resolution / Storage: 32GB / Other features: Handwriting to text conversion, magnetic stylus, Bluetooth audio supportOf all the large ebook readers I tested, the Kobo Elipsa 2E stood out the most because its a good e-reader with solid note-taking abilities. You can write directly on pages and margins just as on a physical book. The Kindle Scribe lets you annotate book pages as well, but its complicated involving resizable text boxes that mess up the page formatting and prevent you from doing basic things like circling words. In contrast, taking notes on the Ellipsa 2E feels far more intuitive and natural.1/2The Kobo Elipsa 2E lets you insert diagrams, convert handwriting to text, and can even solve math equations for you. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The Verge1/2The Kobo Elipsa 2E lets you insert diagrams, convert handwriting to text, and can even solve math equations for you. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The VergeThe Elipsa 2E offers other helpful note-taking tools and capabilities. Like the Kobo Libra Colour, its capable, for example, of solving math equations for you. You can also insert diagrams and drawings, and itll automatically snap them into something that looks cleaner and nicer. You can also sync your notes with Dropbox or view them online and convert handwriting to typed text. The Kindle Scribe offers the latter capability, too, but again, Kobo does it faster and better within the original notebook document as opposed to on a separate page. The only thing missing from the Elipsa 2E is the Scribes note-summarization feature, but thats a trade-off I am okay with given how much easier it is to take notes.RelatedFinally, the Kobo Elipsa 2E comes with twice the storage (32GB) for the same price as the base Kindle Scribe. You can step up to the 32GB Kindle Scribe for $20 more or upgrade to 64GB for $40 extra. Yet given the Scribes limitations, I still recommend saving the money and buying the Kobo Elipsa 2E instead.1/2The Kobo Elipsa 2E comes with an included stylus. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The Verge1/2The Kobo Elipsa 2E comes with an included stylus. Photo by Sheena Vasani / The VergeNote-taking capabilities aside, the Kobo Elipsa 2E is also a good e-reader with the same strengths and weaknesses as other Kobo devices. Theres support for a wide range of file formats, but you cant easily read Kindle books without converting them first. Its 227ppi display is also slightly less sharp than the 300ppi screen found on the Kindle Scribe and the Kobo Libra Colour. However, the 10.3-inch screen balances things out a bit and makes text easier to read, so its not a noticeable drawback. Plus, the Elipsa 2E comes with an adjustable warm light for nighttime reading. Thats a feature rivals with more advanced note-taking capabilities like the $379.99 OnyxBoox Go 10.3 which lets you do everything the Scribe does and more, like insert links to notes lacks.Other ebook readers that didnt make the cutThere are some other ebook readers my colleagues and I have tested that I didnt feature above but are still worth highlighting. Here are the most notable: Kindle Colorsoft Signature EditionThe Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is the firstKindleto feature E Inks color screen technology and it stands out from other color e-paper devices with customizations. It offers improved contrast, more vibrant colors, and faster screen refreshes. With a $279.99 price tag, its the most expensiveKindlemodel currently available that doesnt support a stylus for note-taking, and it includes premium features like wireless charging that are convenient but not really necessary for a device with months of battery life. Amazon doesnt offer a cheaper version of the Colorsoft like it does with the Paperwhite, which is available in standard and Signature Edition versions, but if you want a color screen and want to stick with Amazon, the Colorsoft is your best option. - Andrew Liszewski, Senior ReporterKobo Clara ColourIf youre looking for a non-Amazon alternative thats more affordable than the Kobo Libra Colour, the new Kobo Clara Colour the successor to the Kobo Clara 2E is worth a look. At $149.99, the ad-free e-reader costs more than the Kobo Clara 2E, but I think its worth the extra $10. It continues to offer the same six-inch display and IPX8 waterproof design, but the e-reader now offers color. Plus, its noticeably faster something I was happy to see, considering the occasional lag on the Clara 2E sometimes got on my nerves. You dont get the Clara Colours physical buttons or stylus support, but thats a fair tradeoff at this price point.BooxPalma 2Despite all the advantages of E Ink display technology, your smartphone is probably still a more convenient device for reading given how pocket-friendly it is. TheBooxPalma 2 is a smartphone-sized E Ink device thats just as easy to slip into a pocket, but with more capabilities than ane-reader. Its 6.3-inch E Ink display is great for reading books, but the $279.99 Palma 2 also runs Android 13 so you can install productivity apps like email and messaging assuming youve got access to Wi-Fi, of course, because the compacte-readerlacks cellular connectivity. If you already have the original Palma, the sequel isnt worth the upgrade. But if youre looking for a smaller alternative to Kindles and Kobos, the Palma 2 could be worth the splurge. - Andrew Liszewski, Senior ReporterBoox Go 10.3The $379 Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is another ad-free ebook reader you can use to take notes. Its excellent as a note-taking device, and it offers an impressively wide range of writing tools and more prebuilt notebook templates than Kobos Elipsa 2E. Jotting down notes using the built-in notebook felt more akin to writing on paper as well, and its slim design makes the device feel more like a traditional notebook. Like all Boox devices, it also provides quick access to the Google Play Store, so you can download multiple reading apps including both Kindle and Kobo apps. The slates crisp 300ppi display is sharper than that of the Kobo Elipsa 2E, too, which is a plus.However, in comparison to the easy-to-use Elipsa 2E, the Go 10.3 lacks a front light and comes with a steeper learning curve. Notes you take on a Kindle or Kobo device wont transfer over (and vice versa), and you cant annotate books in either app using the Boox. I also felt like access to Google Play can be a double-edged sword as it grants easy access to distracting apps, including games, streaming services, and TikTok. Its too slow to use the latter, but its fast and comfortable enough that I found myself playing around with the Word Search app far too often. For me personally, I need my e-reader to be devoid of such distractions its one of the biggest things that distinguishes it from a tablet, after all. But if youve got more self-control than I do, the Go 10.3 could be worth a look.Nook Glowlight 4 PlusIn 2023, Barnes and Noble released the new Nook Glowlight 4 Plus. If you own a lot of digital books from Barnes and Noble, this could be a good Kindle alternative. Otherwise, Id still recommend the Kobo Libra Colour to everybody else. The $199.99 Nook Glowlight 4 Plus is a good e-reader with a lot to offer, including a lovely 300ppi screen, waterproofing, physical page-turning buttons, and even a headphone jack. However, its just not as snappy, which makes setting it up, buying books from the device itself, and navigating the interface a slow ordeal. It didnt help that the screen sometimes froze, too, which meant I had to restart the device while in the middle of a book.Update, January 25th: Added the new Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite as picks, mentioned the new Kindle Scribe and Kindle Colorsoft, and updated pricing and availability.Andrew Liszewski contributed to this post.

As the adoption of generative AI continues to expand, developers face mounting challenges in building and deploying robust applications. The complexity of managing diverse infrastructure, ensuring compliance and safety, and maintaining flexibility in provider choices has created a pressing need for unified solutions. Traditional approaches often involve tight coupling with specific platforms, significant rework during deployment transitions, and a lack of standardized tools for key capabilities like retrieval, safety, and monitoring.The launch of Llama Stack 0.1.0, the platforms first stable release, designed to simplify the complexities of building and deploying AI solutions, introduces a unified framework with features like streamlined upgrades and automated provider verification. These capabilities empower developers to seamlessly transition from development to production, ensuring reliability and scalability at every stage. At the center of Llama Stacks design is its commitment to providing a consistent and versatile developer experience. The platform offers a one-stop solution for building production-grade applications, supporting APIs covering inference, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), agents, safety, and telemetry. Its ability to operate uniformly across local, cloud, and edge environments makes it a standout in AI development.Key Features of Llama Stack 0.1.0The stable release introduces several features that simplify AI application development:Backward-Compatible Upgrades: Developers can integrate future API versions without modifying their existing implementations, preserving functionality and reducing the risk of disruptions.Automated Provider Verification: Llama Stack eliminates the guesswork in onboarding new services by automating compatibility checks for supported providers, enabling faster and error-free integration.These features and the platforms modular architecture set the stage for creating scalable and production-ready applications.Building Production-Grade ApplicationsOne of Llama Stacks core strengths is its ability to simplify the transition from development to production. The platform offers prepackaged distributions that allow developers to deploy applications in diverse and complex environments, such as local systems, GPU-accelerated cloud setups, or edge devices. This versatility ensures that applications can be scaled up or down based on specific needs. Llama Stack provides essential tools like safety guardrails, telemetry, monitoring systems, and robust evaluation capabilities in production environments. These features enable developers to maintain high performance and security standards while delivering reliable AI solutions.Addressing Industry ChallengesThe platform was designed to overcome three major hurdles in AI application development:Infrastructure Complexity: Managing large-scale models across different environments can be challenging. Llama Stacks uniform APIs abstract infrastructure details, allowing developers to focus on their application logic.Essential Capabilities: Beyond inference, modern AI applications require multi-step workflows, safety features, and evaluation tools. Llama Stack integrates these capabilities seamlessly, ensuring that applications are robust and compliant.Flexibility and Choice: By decoupling applications from specific providers, Llama Stack enables developers to mix and match tools like NVIDIA NIM, AWS Bedrock, FAISS, and Weaviate without vendor lock-in.A Developer-Centric EcosystemLlama Stack offers SDKs for Python, Node.js, Swift, and Kotlin to support developers, catering to various programming preferences. These SDKs have tools and templates to streamline the integration process, reducing development time. The platforms Playground is an experimental environment where developers can interactively explore Llama Stacks capabilities. With features like:Interactive Demos: End-to-end application workflows to guide development.Evaluation Tools: Predefined scoring configurations to benchmark model performance.The Playground ensures that developers of all levels can quickly get up to speed with Llama Stacks features.ConclusionThe stable release of Llama Stack 0.1.0 delivers a robust framework for creating, deploying, and managing generative AI applications. By addressing critical challenges like infrastructure complexity, safety, and vendor independence, the platform empowers developers to focus on innovation. With its user-friendly tools, comprehensive ecosystem, and vision for future enhancements, Llama Stack is poised to become an essential ally for developers navigating the generative AI landscape. Also, Llama Stack is set to expand its API offerings in upcoming releases. Planned enhancements include batch processing for inference and agents, synthetic data generation, and post-training tools.Check out the GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our70k+ ML SubReddit. Sana Hassan+ postsSana Hassan, a consulting intern at Marktechpost and dual-degree student at IIT Madras, is passionate about applying technology and AI to address real-world challenges. With a keen interest in solving practical problems, he brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of AI and real-life solutions. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

Warning: contains spoilers forThe Night Agentseason 2.Theres a briefly gorgeous moment in the penultimate episode ofThe Night Agentseason two. A stolen military laboratory in a warehouse filled with murderous terrorists and a creeping cloud of knockout gas is not a romantic setting, but its where Rose Larkins love for Peter Sutherland is made clear. Wearing a gasmask and hiding from would-be killers with an injured civilian, Rose spots Peter through a glass door and tells the woman shes with: Its going to be okay.Rose doesnt just say it because shes good at telling people what they need to hear, but because to her, Peters presence means that itisgoing to be okay. He makes her feel safe counterintuitively, seeing as ever since she met him, her life has gone from sipping Boba tea and playing Pickleball at a Californian tech campus, to stabbing rogue marines and masterminding black ops missions using only a cell phone and a Wi-Fi dongle.Not that any of that is Peters fault. Though she didnt know it until 10 months ago, Rose was born into a life of covert operations and danger. Before their murder kicked off this whole adventure, the aunt and uncle who were her safe haven in a chaotic childhood were revealed to have been undercover spies working for the elite Night Action programme. This stuffs in Roses blood, which might be why shes so damn good at it.In season one (read our recap here), Rose was put under FBI agent Peters protection. As a witness in her aunt and uncles murders, higher-ups in a White House conspiracy wanted her dead. Peter successfully kept Rose alive, and a couple of times she did the same for him. Despite being told to run for her life or stay in the car (Get out of here, Rose is Peters catchphrase when a situation goes south), Rose came through for Peter on several occasions. She dealt some handy driftwood blows to the head of hired killer Dale, and pushed Dales sniper accomplice Ellen to her death before she could shoot the whole gang during the rescue of the VPs daughter.Though she doesnt shy from a fight, tech is Roses specialism. Shes a coder who, by restoring comms to Camp David, proved instrumental in averting season ones attempt on the presidents life. Not only can she hack, but in season two, she adapted the ad software shed coded to turn it into a powerful tracking system and used it to find Peter when even Night Action couldnt.Rose has also proved her undercover skills on several occasions, posing as fictional IDs, manipulating people to access information and thinking fast on her feet. In season two, she not only charmed a file out of an official and infiltrated a UN mission party, but also convinced Viktor Balas goons that she was a post-doc chemistry student so well that they forced her to help produce a shipment of chemical weapons that could take out midtown Manhattan. She easily gained the trust of Iranian asset Noor, lying to her convincingly enough that she handed over her intel, but then staying friends with her afterwards. Shes great with people, is the point clever, quick, resourceful and naturally trustworthy but with a core of steel when she needs one.All of which is to say that Rose would make anexcellentNight Agent, and thats surely where this whole show is heading. No, shes not FBI or CIA-trained, but theres room in the programme for the niece of Gazelle and Sidewinder.Night Action veteran Catherine Weaver clearly thinks so. In season two, Weaver told Rose that she had a lot of her aunt in her, and pressed for her help in the mission to stop the Foxglove attack. Since Alice was killed in action in Bangkok, Weaver is an agent down, remember, and with the right training, as a young American woman, Rose could slot in easily to her undercover work.But heres the crux: will she want to?Between all the explosions, shoot-outs and car chases,The Night Agentseason two made a point of showing how isolating and traumatic it was to be a part of Night Action. The story of Alices ashes being returned by her family because her work had alienated her from them to the extent that they no longer wanted or knew her, was devastating.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Rose was in therapy for anxiety attacks and night terrors following everything that happened to her in season one. Would she really choose to dive into more life-or-death situations? Despite clearly being in love, she and Peter were forced to separate again at the end of season two while he faced his next mission and she tried to recover from his last one. As Alice warned Peter in Bangkok, Night Action and personal relationships dont mixunless they do, but only if both halves of a couple are Night Agents. After all, Alices aunt and uncle managed to have several decades of happy marriage while working for Night Action. You see it all the time with teachers or doctors or soldiers, or any industry where only people whodothe job properly understand its demands. You both need to be in the job for the relationship to work, and if Rose and Peter ultimately want to be together, that could be their only option.Thats why, forThe Night Agents love story to keep going, Rose has to join Night Action in the already-commissioned season three. Shes already helped to foil two major terrorist incidents, and now that history has repeated itself and Peters been forced into becoming a double agent like his dad, Rose lending her skills to Night Action is the only way those two can keep each other safe, and stay together.Remember Rose asking Peter at the start of season two whether she was safer with him or alone? With him, surely, because when hes there, she knows that things are going to be okay. And though Peters love for Rose is a vulnerability, season two proves that they make such a useful team that hes also safer with her than alone.In fact, has anybody considered the possibility that Roses recruitment has already happened? When Rose had that cosy lunch with Noor in the closing moments of season two, whos to say she wasnt there as a friend but as a Night Agent handling an asset? Coding for a Silicon Valley tech company must seem pretty dull after all that Foxglove action. As Matthew Quirks The Night Agent novel only covered the action of season one, theres no way to know until season three arrives.The Night Agent season two is out now on Netflix.

Apple initially introduced the HomePod mini in 2020 alongside the iPhone 12 lineup, and since then, the product has remained mostly untouched. Apple added some new color options in 2021, including blue, orange, and yellow. The company also replaced Space Gray with Midnight this year, which looks the same except its now 100% recycled mesh fabric.However, for the first time in half a decade, Apple will finally be updating the HomePod mini, with a couple of enhancements.New networking chipOne of the only rumored upgrades with the upcoming HomePod mini is that Apple will be introducing its own in-house networking chip, codenamed Proxima, in the product. HomePod mini will be one of the first products to gain this networking chip, and will introduce Wi-Fi 6E to HomePod mini.Additionally, Bloombergs Mark Gurman has mentioned the fact that Apples networking chip has the capability to serve as a wireless access point, potentially allowing the HomePod mini to be far more than just a smart speaker. Its unclear whether or not Apple intends to utilize this capability, though. If they did, it could allow for the HomePod mini to serve as part of a Wi-Fi mesh network, similar to the long-discontinued AirPort Express.Apple IntelligenceUnfortunately, despite the HomePod being such a great place for Apple Intelligence features, especially when it comes to Siri, it isnt currently rumored that HomePod nor HomePod mini will be gaining support for Apple Intelligence features. Apples upcoming smart home display, which some refer to as HomePad, is expected to gain Apple Intelligence, however.Apple would need to introduce an A17 Pro or A18 chipset in the HomePod mini for Apple Intelligence features, which would likely increase costs to a high degree. Apple currently uses Apple Watch chipsets inside of the HomePod, with the mini equipping the S5 chipset from the Apple Watch Series 5 and 1st generation Apple Watch SE.At the very least, Apple could hopefully introduce features like ChatGPT integration, or rely on Private Cloud Compute for Apple Intelligence Siri requests from HomePod. Neither of these would require a ton of on-board compute, but it would obviously have a server cost to Apple. Maybe theyd just eat the cost for the sake of Siri actually being good, or theyd require users to be paying for a certain iCloud+ tier. Only time will tell.Release dateIf it has a Wireless Access Point I will buy for like every room in the house, not joking. I love The HomePod Mini. We got a Vizio TV but the speakers didnt reach the couch which was about 6-10 feet away. The HomePod Mini which is under the TV was easily able to reach us and give good sound. Made me think of getting the bigger one. View all commentsAccording to Bloombergs Mark Gurman, HomePod mini 2 will debut later this year:Apples less consequential products will get refreshed as well. A newAirTag with better range code-named B589 is already nearing production. And there are new HomePod mini and Apple TV set-top box models planned for release toward the end of the year. The latter two products will be built with Apples new smart home ecosystem in mind.Are you looking forward to the upcoming HomePod mini? What other upgrades would you like to see in the product? Let us know in the comments.My favorite iPhone accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Earlier this month, some sources begun to claim that the next generation iPhone SE, which is expected to debut this spring, wont actually be called iPhone SE at all. Were now starting to hear that itll be called iPhone 16E instead. This may be a weird rumor, but I think it actually makes a lot of sense, given what we know so far about the iPhone SE 4.iPhone SE 4 rumorsTo quickly recap, heres everything were expecting with iPhone SE 4:iPhone 14 design: featuring a notch with Face ID, and a 6.1-inch OLED displayA18 chip with support for Apple IntelligenceUSB-C portSingle rear camera: 48MP sensor from iPhone 15Apples in-house 5G modem, the first of its kindItd definitely be the biggest upgrade in the history of iPhone SE. Apple hasnt done a form factor upgrade with iPhone SE since the 2nd generation model in 2020. When the iPhone SE 3 was released in 2022, it retained the same form factor, just with an A15 Bionic chip and support for 5G. The iPhone SE 4 will be the first major iPhone SE refresh in 5 years.iPhone SE 4 CAD render / source: 91mobilesToo good to be true?While I have no skepticism over the actual rumors of iPhone SE 4, Ive always been skeptical about the price. A lot of people have thrown around $499 as a potential price tag for iPhone SE 4, but thats never made a ton of sense in my head. Apple currently sells the iPhone 14 for $599, and the iPhone 15 for $699.Yet somehow, a newer phone with components from both of these (plus an even newer chipset) is apparently supposed to cost substantially less?There are two things that could lower Apples costs for the iPhone SE 4:The new in-house modems, allowing them to ditch Qualcomms pricier modemsNot using Samsung OLEDs, and instead relying on BOE and LG display for more affordable panelsThese two components are some of the most expensive components in the iPhone. Its very possible that Apple could sell the iPhone SE 4 for $499 and still have decent margins. However, the bigger question is: would they?iPhone 16E in the iPhone lineupIf the iPhone SE 4 were $499, itd be $300 less than the iPhone 16 at $799. Between those two phones, youd be paying a $300 price premium for Dynamic Island, the Action Button, and an ultra wide camera. I dont know about you, but to me, it sounds like the iPhone SE 4 would be way too good of a deal compared to iPhone 16.Thats why the iPhone 16E naming makes sense to me. If they ditch the SE branding, they could sell the phone for $599 without a ton of backlash. On top of that, the iPhone 15 will likely still be sold after the iPhone SE 4/16E releases. With the upcoming SE being called 16E instead, itd be a great way to highlight that the iPhone 15 is an older phone without support for Apple Intelligence, despite carrying a higher price. iPhone SE has also historically been known as the smaller phone, and with a 6.1-inch display, its hard to call it small. iPhone 16E would also be a cleaner name for consumers, signifying that the phone is part of the current lineup. This would probably help sales to some degree. With the current SE branding, you cant really get a great sense of its age, unless you do your research. However, Apple could mitigate that by switching to years instead of generation numbers.Wrap upIphone 16E only makes sense if they plan to keep up new versions every year. Otherwise it will sound like an old phone after September 2025. Imagine if they wait years to update it again. View all commentsPersonally, I just like the iPhone 16E branding. iPhone SE always carried a bit of a cheaper stigma that I think turned some people away from it. With the first iPhone SE redesign in five years, it could be a great time to reshape how people view the product.What do you think about the iPhone 16E rumor? Let us know in the comments.My favorite iPhone accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

It's a $500 billion bet.Rent SeekingAs Trump hits the asphalt with a bevy of executive orders, it's becoming clearer what he and his tech bro buddies imagine for the future of US labor: AI doing jobs instead of people, which could be very bad for US workers.News of Trump's $500 billion AI infrastructure project Stargate has spawned a swarm of questions from friends and critics alike.His chief frenemyElon Musk, for example, is questioning where the money will come from, whileNew Scientist tech analyst Jeremy Hsu has questions about the venture's energy consumption.But the question that's probably most important for the American people is: how will this impact employment?The official line is that the unprecedented AI program will create "hundreds of thousands of American jobs," as declared by Trumpwell before the project is even funded.While carving out the Central Park-sized data center may create some temporary construction jobs, though, the entire venture is a bet on the opposite that AI will become so ubiquitous that it will take over economically meaningful amounts of work from humans, especially knowledge workers.As senior writer Kelsey Piper pines inVox, the "only plausible way for investors to get their money back on this project is if, as the company has been betting, OpenAI will soon develop AI systems that can do most work humans can do on a computer.""[That] wewill replace all office work with AI," quips Piper, "which is fairly widely understood to be OpenAIs business model is an absurd plan to spin as a jobs program."Gamblin' ManAt the cost of $500 billion, the task of recouping Stargate's investment via profit will demand nothing short of flooding our productive sectors with AI.Though a massive amount of digital ink has been spilled imagining the theoretical threats AI poses to the job market, it's important to remember that this gamble likely won't pay off.AI is nowhere near ready to assume the responsibility of office workers whose labor more or less moves the largest economy in the world. Of the total US work force, office workers made up 12.2percent the largest occupational group as of May, 2023.Imagine over 18 million people out of the job in a span of a few years,which is basically Stargate's bet. Ifthe program recoups its costs, and that's a big if, the US will still face a crisis in retraining and rehiring millions of workers into new sectors while AI and robots chew into them as well, of course.That's why some urge caution. Dartmouth academic Nathan Zorzi believes that one key to preserving worker's rights is an automation tax, in order to assist those displaced by AI."The proceeds of the tax could be used to finance retraining," says Zorzi, "or compensate displaced workers through federal programs similar to the Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance."Though that isn't likely under the new regime, we can dream of a world where common sense policy like Zorzi's prevails; or maybe we could just burn the whole thing down.More on AI and labor: Ordinary People Are Absolutely Repulsed by AI-Powered Customer ServiceShare This Article

Image by Curtis Means / Pool / Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty / Nintendo / FuturismUnitedHealthcare has just promoted one of its C-Suiters to CEO and the dark humor is already pouring in.Six weeks after Brian Thompson was gunned down in the streets of Manhattan, UHC announced that it was naming Tim Noel, who formerly ran the insurance company's Medicare and retirement department, to the chief executive role. Almost as soon as that news dropped, social media lit up with gallows humor about the position's deadly history."Imagine getting that promotion?" wrote one X-formerly-Twitter user wrote. "I'm thinking Tim Noel may just be the bravest CEO in all of America."Others were far more pointed in their welcomes to the longtime UHC executive."I don't think it's THAT interesting that Tim Noel, new CEO for UnitedHealth, lives in Minneapolis," a Bluesky user quipped. "Minneapolis is where the UnitedHealth headquarters are located, so it just makes sense that he, and other CEOs, would live there, in Minneapolis, which as everyone on earth knows, is in Minnesota!"On the Eat the Rich subreddit, meanwhile, the vibe was nothing short of feral."Looks scrawny," wrote a user whose display imagefeatures suspected Thompson assassin Luigi Mangione dressed like a saint. "Needs fattening up like the last one. Then itll be good eating!"Obviously, nobody isactually calling for any harm to Noel, who has worked at UHC since 2007. As with Thompson's murder, these jokes instead highlight the rampant frustration Americans have with the gatekeepers of their healthcare a bitter resentment that burst to the forefront of the national conversation after Thompson's assassination last month.That anger was on full display in other posts and comments accusing Noel of being a "serial killer." Given that he likely ran UHC's Medicare department during at least part of the period when the company nearly tripled its post-acute services denial rate from 8.7 to 22.7 percent for Medicare patients, they might not be that far off the money, at least technically speaking.Share This Article

Stress is a normal part of life. While everyone feels stressed at times, it shouldn't affect your day-to-day functioning. If you experiencechronic stressand exhaustion that's affecting your daily life, it may be a sign that something deeper is going on, such as cortisol imbalance.Both high and lowlevels of cortisol-- also known as the "stress hormone" -- can leave you dealing with symptoms that make you feel "off" and unlike yourself. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to check in on your body and better manage your stress levels. If you believe you have a cortisol imbalance or are generally concerned about your health, be sure to consult a doctor before making any drastic changes.What is cortisol? Over- or under-functioning adrenal glands lead to symptoms of burnout. Wenjin Chen/Getty Images Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone, says Melissa Groves Azzaro, a registered dietitian and author of A Balanced Approach to PCOS. The hormone is produced in the adrenal glands in response to internal or external stressors.Most people know cortisol for its role in the "fight-or-flight" response, which is important, but cortisol actually plays many other roles in the body.In addition to curbing any body functions that are nonessential in a fight-or-flight scenario, cortisol also:Helps control blood sugar levels and blood pressureActs as an anti-inflammatoryAssists with memory formationRegulates metabolismThe majority of your body's cells contain cortisol receptors, so it's animportant hormone, but like any hormone, too much or too little of it can be detrimental to your body and health.Signs of a cortisol imbalanceEveryone's experience with cortisol imbalance will differ, particularly when differentiating between high and low cortisol.Symptoms of high cortisol include:Weight gain, especially in the abdominal areaAnxiety and irritabilityTrouble falling asleep and staying asleepNervousnessShakinessHigh heart rateBlood sugar and blood pressure instabilitySymptoms of low cortisol include:All-day low energyFeeling "wired but tired"Severe fatigue and lack of focusSugar and salt cravingsApathyLow libidoMemory problemsWhat causes a cortisol imbalance? Prolonged stress is the main cause of cortisol imbalance. ER Productions Limited/Getty Images"Generally, a cortisol imbalance can come about due to extremely high stress or prolonged stress," Azzarro says. "While there are clinical diagnoses of high (Cushing syndrome) and low (Addison's disease), which require medical treatment, there is a large spectrum of 'out of range' cortisol levels or inappropriate cortisol patterns that can affect our day-to-day lives."Importantly, cortisol imbalances aren't always a simple matter of high or low. Having a cortisol imbalance can also mean your cortisol is too high at certain times of day or too low at other times, rather than a constant surplus or shortage.Regardless, there are some common culprits behind cortisol imbalances of every type.StressExcessive and prolonged stress is the primary cause of cortisol imbalance, whether high or low."High cortisol happens when the body perceives a stressor," says Dr. Tara Scott, a functional medicine doctor. "Your brain doesn't know if you are running from a bear or have a deadline at work."Excess cortisol increases your heart rate, makes you more alert by increasing norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter that can also make you feel anxious) and increases your blood sugar, Scott explains."Low cortisol occurs after prolonged stress, when your body sends a negative feedback signal to the brain saying, 'We have plenty of cortisol down here, don't stimulate more production!'" Scott says. So, your brain decreases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, the hormone that stimulates the production of cortisol), and periods of low cortisol occur. Levels may fluctuate during the day or can be low all day long, Scott says.Exercise Too much exercise can throw off cortisol levels. PeopleImages/Getty ImagesExercise is considered eustress, or good stress, Azzaro says -- up to a point. "While there is an immediate rise in cortisol with exercise, the overall impact is to improve mood and lower stress. But if we overexercise, the stress becomes detrimental," she says.Azzaro recommends considering your overall life stress when planning an exercise regimen. If you aren't getting enough sleep and you're battling high stress at work, it may not be the best time for you to incorporate high-intensity exercise, Azzaro explains."If you are finding yourself getting sick more often or feeling depleted after a workout, rather than energized, you are probably working out too hard for your current cortisol levels," she says.NutritionThe foods we eat can help reduce cortisol or spike it, says Lauren Minchen, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant for Freshbit. "Processed foods that are rich in carbs and sugar may immediately help lower cortisol at first, but the blood sugar spike caused by these foods can actually, over time, increase stress, inflammation and cortisol levels in the body," Minchen says."Sugar is known for being one of the biggest cortisol triggers, and white refined flour foods produce a similar blood sugar spike and cortisol effect, so eating foods high in these ingredients regularly can lead to elevated cortisol over time."Alcohol and caffeine also impact your cortisol levels, and consuming too much of either or both over time impacts your cortisol levels. Alcohol increases inflammation, which places stress on the body, triggering cortisol production. Withdrawal from intoxication also stimulates more cortisol in the bloodstream, Minchen says."Depending on how much coffee one regularly drinks and how high their cortisol levels are day to day, increasing caffeine intake may have little to no effect on raising cortisol even more," Minchen says. "This effect may lead to actually feeling more tired with more caffeine, due to adrenal gland burnout. The adrenals can only work so hard before they are no longer able to keep increasing cortisol production."On the flip side, eating healthy whole-food carbs, such whole grains, fresh fruit, legumes and potatoes, can provide help with cortisol management. Also, consuming a balanced amount of protein, carbs and fats helps your body receive the energy it needs to keep blood sugar available and stable, which ultimately helps keep cortisol under control, Minchen says.How to fix high or low cortisol levels Resting is the best way to correct high or low cortisol. Adam Kuylenstierna/EyeEm/Getty Images"It's not super sexy," Azzaro says, "but your body is telling you to rest. The dirty work of correcting a cortisol imbalance is to identify what the root cause of the imbalance is and then correct that to bring cortisol back into balance."We discussed general causes of cortisol imbalance above, but dig deeper. Go past "diet" or "exercise" and ask yourself if your hormone levels are wacky because of:Your jobRelationship stress (significant other or family)Hustle culture/doing too muchLack of sleepToo much of one type of exercise (probably HIIT)Alcohol or caffeine consumptionLack of mindfulness or stress-management practicesAlso, it's important to identify your specific imbalance, says Inna Melamed, a pharmacist and functional medicine doctor. Ask your primary care provider if they run hormone tests or if they can get you a referral to an endocrine specialist. Or order an online cortisol test to take at home and send to a lab.This step is crucial because what works to correct a high cortisol level may not work to correct a low cortisol level. To really get to the root cause, "Testing ideally should be for both cortisol, DHEA, sex hormones and even melatonin just to see a better picture of one's adrenal health," Melamed says. Your symptoms might be the product of multiple hormone imbalances.Fixing a cortisol imbalance will take a lot of work and patience. First and foremost, get some rest. When you do feel rested, try making a list of all possible stressors in your life -- and be honest.Then, write down how you could go about reducing each stressor. Maybe you reduce your weekly workout routine from five sessions to four; maybe you have a serious talk with your partner about stress levels and home responsibilities; maybe you ask your boss to lighten your load at work for a while (or even better, take some time off completely).High or low cortisol levels can make life much harder than it should be. Battling constant stress, anxiety and fatigue is not easy, and as always, if you need mental health support, use the resources available to you.

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