benedek//Getty ImagesDeciding where to live affects all aspects of your life. From job opportunities to the cost of living, its not a choice to be made lightly. Luckily, real estate experts, like those at Zillow, analyze markets across the country, looking at housing demand, growth, and quality of life indicators. Every year the outlet releases its predictions for the hottest housing markets of the year, and for the first time ever, theres a repeat. Buffalo, New York, is the first place ever to retain the title two years in a row. Thanks to a thriving job market, happy citizens, and plenty of new construction, the northeastern city has become as popular as its fan-favorite NFL team. Construction that keeps pace with an areas growth remains a crucial piece of keeping homes available and accessible. In chilly Buffalo, competition among buyers will remain hot, with employment growing far faster than builders are adding homes, Skylar Olsen, Zillow's chief economist, says. Shoppers nationwide should see more options for sale than in recent years, along with slow and steady price growth. Thats the good news, but Olsen warns that mortgage rates will remain unpredictable for the foreseeable future. Whether youre looking for a lower cost of living, a fresh career, or a balance between city living and suburban quiet, Zillows hottest markets have it all. Read on for the top five on their list, including the reigning champ: Buffalo, New York.Related Stories5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniajoe daniel price//Getty ImagesA nearby alternative to New York City, Philadelphia is seeing a boost in both demand and home value as we enter 2025. The fifth hottest market of the year, Zillow predicts Philadelphia will continue to see growth with a 4.6 percent year-over-year home value increase. The areas Zillow Home Value Index (the typical home value in a particular part of the country) is relatively affordable for the Northeast at $362,744.4. Hartford, ConnecticutSeanPavonePhoto//Getty ImagesLeading Zillows hottest markets with the highest expected home value growth of 4.2 percent, Hartford is a budding area for younger families and retirees alike. The capital city of Connecticut, Hartford has seen a sharp decrease in housing inventory, 68 percent, which indicates crazy buyer demand for properties. 3. Providence, Rhode IslandDenisTangneyJr//Getty ImagesA quaint capital city with abundant history and art and a big student population, Providence is on the rise in terms of buyer demand and home value. Zillow considers this city a welcome alternative to more expensive New York and Boston, which has led to its increase in popularity. The typical home price here is $484,019, and the city has a 3.7 percent forecasted growth rate.2. Indianapolis, IndianaNicholas Klein//Getty ImagesThe one outlier in this years Northeast-heavy list, Indianapolis is forecasted to be the second hottest market of 2025. Indianas capital city is known for its basketball, its automobile racing, and its robust museums. According to Zillow, only Indianapolis has a rising outlook for home value appreciation, increasing from 2.8 percent annual appreciation in 2024 to 3.4 percent in 2025.1. Buffalo, New Yorkbenedek//Getty ImagesKnown for its overly passionate sports fans (aka the Bills Mafia), Buffalo is a surprisingly trendy metro area. Lower-than-average home costs and rent prices are drawing in younger generations as residents. According to Zillow, Buffalo also has the most new jobs per new home permitted (built), a major measure of demand for the area. Zillow forecasted the area to be the hottest market of 2024, and it is holding onto that title as we enter 2025. Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

Sabrina Carpenter is headed home with two Grammys following the 67th awards show on Sunday. But where, exactly, is home for the pop singer? The Pennsylvania-born artistwhose Short n' Sweet World Tour set is full of design inspiration, including a heart-shaped toiletowns property in California. Specifically, shes chosen to settle down in and around Los Angeles. Luckily, the former Disney stars homes havent been affected by the devastating fires in the region unlike many other celebrities and residents. Find everything we know about where the 25-year-old has put down roots and her preferred interior design style below.Related Stories2018: Carpenter Buys a $1.7 Million Home in Los Angeles SuburbMitch Haaseth//Getty ImagesSabrina Carpenter on the set of Girl Meets World.Carpenter first skyrocketed to fame as a star on the Disney Channel show Girl Meets World, which premiered in 2014 and ran for three seasons until 2017. According to Robb Report, records reveal the actress made her first big real estate move the following year when she scooped up a mansion in the Los Angeles suburb of Northridge for a cool $1.7 million circa 2018. Not many details about the house are widely known, but she reportedly still owns it. 2023: Carpenter Secures a $4.4 Million Spanish Colonial in Hollywood HillsCindy Ord/VF24//Getty ImagesAfter building up a hearty discography, Carpenter began opening for Taylor Swift on her record-breaking Eras Tour in 2023. That same year, she bought a 1930s Spanish Colonial in Los Angeless Hollywood Hills neighborhood for about $4.4 million, per Robb Report. The four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence was sold by the development firm House of Rolison. Led by managing partners Amanda Leigh and Taylor Hahn, the team of builders and designers gave the property a major upgrade marked by wide plank oak flooring, vaulted oak ceilings, bespoke Italian fixtures, and vintage lightingbut thats not all. The cozy kitchen makeover with black marble counters and custom oak cabinetry exudes endless warmth. In the dining room, floor-to-ceiling wood paneling painted in a dark mossy green envelopes the space. Arched windows with city views, wrought iron staircase railings, and an elegant wet bar complete the homes enviable interior details.If youre eager to peek at the home before Carpenter moved in, you can browse a few photos on the firms website here. With a fairly neutral color palette, the place is calm and groundinga stark contrast to Carpenter's current affinity for vivid color in her concert sets and costumes.Situated on a half-acre of land, the propertys exterior also got a serious improvement. House of Rolison reportedly fashioned a terraced garden accented by native plants and olive trees. There are also spacious patios surrounding the home for admiring immaculate views. For good measure, a massive fountain provides idyllic white noise.Amy Sussman//Getty ImagesSabrina Carpenter performing at the 67th Grammy Awards.In 2024, Carpenter had a jam-packed year of major milestones: playing at Coachella, attending the Met Gala, being a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, releasing her widely popular Short n Sweet album, going on tour, and performing and winning at the Grammys. After such a big season of exciting firsts, we can only imagine how shell elevate and/or expand her real estate portfolio in the future. Its certainly looking bright!Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

Microsoft is updating Outlook for Mac to include one of the best new features Apple has added to Mail in recent years. The update also brings Outlook for Mac up to speed with the Windows and web version when it comes to this capability.The Microsoft feature is called Recall no, not that Microsoft Recall and it works like Mails Undo Send feature. Apple added Undo Send to Mail in 2022.The idea is the same. You realize you made a typo or said something spicy that you regret to the wrong person. If only you could prevent that email from being read by the other person.Apples solution is rather low tech. It simply provides a buffer period of several seconds before actually sending the email.Microsoft Recall is more robust in some ways, but more limited in others. Heres how it works:Message recall is available after you selectSendand is available only if both you and the recipient have a Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange email accountin the same organization. Messages sent to or from a Hotmail, Gmail, or live.com account cant be recalled.That means its possible to unsend a message beyond the minute or so of the send buffer, but it only works between Microsoft accounts in the same company. Thats probably fine for internal professional communication.Recall for Outlook for Mac is available in beta currently and will reach all users in the future.Should Apples Undo Send work more like Recall? Share your thoughts below.Add 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

Apple Notes gained a variety of great features in iOS 18 last fall, like collapsible sections, color highlighting, audio recording with transcripts, and more. But I recently discovered one more change that answers one of my long-time feature requests, and could satisfy a lot of power users.Switching between notes now has a shortcut in iOS 18Currently, I have over 2,500 notes saved inside Apple Notes. Im a heavy user of the app and have been for years.But one pain point Ive long had is switching between notes.Most of the time, manually navigating between different notes isnt a huge deal. But there have been many times when Im bouncing between two or three in quick succession, and the Notes app feels sluggish.Because I have so many notes, my Notes app includes a deep folder structure that can make switching between notes especially slow. When two notes live in entirely different folders and sub-folders, it can take several swipes and taps to jump back and forth.Fortunately, I recently discovered that iOS 18 introduced a solution for Notes power users like myself.Inside the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the app, theres now a Recent Notes sub-menu.Opening this menu shows the last 10 notes you viewed on your device, and you can tap each note to quickly switch to it.Thanks to this new Recent Notes menu, I now have a simple, reliable way to speed up the process of switching back and forth between notes.To be honest, Id love for Apple to speed up the process even more by requiring just one fewer tap if possible. But iOS 18s change is a great start.Did you know about the Recent Notes feature in Apple Notes? Do you expect to use it yourself? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 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

Is that good?Meme TeamPresident Donald Trump's dubious meme coin just keeps sliding.Trump's "official" crypto venture has lost about thirty percent of its value over the last seven days, and is down well over 50 percent since it was coined days before the inauguration.The latest dip seems at least in part due to Trump's tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, which kicked off a trade war and spooked investors into ditching volatile assets (the tariffs aimed at Mexico have since been delayed by a month).Whether its continuous demise matters at this point is unclear. As Reuters reports, Trump's meme coin extracted an estimated $100 million in trading fees alone from his supporters, which ended up in the pocket of an entity Trump owns called CIC Digital.But it's not just Trump's personal cash grab that's sliding. Other popular meme coins, including billionaire Elon Musk's favorite dogecoin, are also posting major losses."Every coin that recently rallied through January, including memes like [dogecoin], have essentially handed back most of their gains," trading platform Crypto Valley Exchange CEO James Davies told CNBC.The downward trend highlights a glaring discrepancy between Trump's isolationist saber rattling and the ethos behind cryptocurrencies and the free flow of digital assets."Crypto is fundamentally about freedom to make and conduct trades, which runs counter to the global political narrative of the last week," Davies told CNBC. "As a community, we are pro free-trade... when that is being restricted, many investors are risk-off in terms of their holdings."Biggest LoserWhether Trump even understands the highly volatile asset is a bit of a mystery. The president's previous comments suggest an extremely limited degree of knowledge."I don't know much about it other than I launched it," Trump told reporters last week. "I heard it was very successful, I haven't checked it."Apart from extracting value from his supporters and inspiring plenty of imitators, Trump's meme coin also greatly irked cryptocurrency execs, who argued that the scheme undermined the tech's reputation just when they were poised for success.Trump's and his wife Melania's meme coins "cost the US, the presidency and his family a lot of credibility," investment provider VanEck director of digital-asset strategy Gabor Gurbacs toldBloomberg at the time.Meanwhile, major cryptocurrency Bitcoin also dropped below $100,000 for the first time in roughly two weeks over the weekend, though it's since recovered.Trump's son Eric,meanwhile, told Reuters that his father's meme coin is "currently the hottest digital meme on Earth.""We are just getting started," he added.More on the meme coin: Trumps Meme Coin Is Down 64 Percent From Its HighShare This Article

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek embarrassed OpenAI last week, demonstrating that its cutting-edge AI chatbots can be recreated at a tiny fraction of the cost by using clever workarounds.The app's emergence sent ripples across Silicon Valley, punching a $1 trillion hole through the tech market.It also reignited a debate surrounding the role of open-source code in the AI industry. Despite its name and open-source roots, the Altman-led company has doubled down on working on its proprietary software behind doors while maximizing profits.Meanwhile, OpenAI's competitors, most notably DeepSeek and Meta, have broadly speaking open-sourced their AI models, allowing experts to examine how they work under the hood.And now it sounds like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is having some regrets about the company's closed-source approach."I personally think we have been on the wrong side of history here and need to figure out a different open source strategy," he wrote in a Reddit AMA last week, first spotted by TechCrunch. "Not everyone at OpenAI shares this view, and it's also not our current highest priority."Instead of focusing on open-source AI models, OpenAI is currently looking to raise tens of billions of dollarsto "fund its money-losing business operations," as the Wall Street Journal reported last week.Altman has also actively cozied up to president Donald Trump, signing on to an extremely ambitious $500 billion AI infrastructure project dubbed Stargate.In short, open source initiatives aren't even close to the company's top priority. On the contrary, OpenAI has accused DeepSeek of training its AI on the output of models like ChatGPT a glaring double standard, considering the company has trained its own models by indiscriminately lifting data from the web without permission.Instead, it sounds like users intrigued by open-source OpenAI models will have to make do with the table scraps.When one Reddit user asked if OpenAI would "ever consider open-sourcing your older models that aren't [state-of-the-art] anymore," CPO Kevin Weil suggested that "we'll definitely think about doing more of this."Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, whose company has made its Llama series of AI models open source, sees DeepSeek's meteoric rise as a wakeup call."This is a huge geopolitical competition, and Chinas running at it super hard," he told Joe Rogan in an interview earlier this year. "If there should be an open source model that everyone uses, we should want it to be an American model."Following the market turmoil last week, Zuckerberg reiterated that Meta is still committed to its major $60 billion AI investment, playing down concerns that models may need far less compute to achieve the same results.While it's unlikely we'll see OpenAI open-sourcing any of its models any time soon, the effects of DeepSeek's major disruption have made themselves apparent in other ways.For one, DeepSeek's AI app made a big splash in part because it was free to use. In response, OpenAI has announced that it will make its o3-mini "reasoning" model free as well.Share This Article

After years of insisting she never wanted to play Buffy again, it looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar is getting back into the slaying business after all.PerDeadline, Hulu is nearing an order for a pilot of aBuffy the VampireSlayerrevival, with Gellar expected to star. They report that Chloe Zhao, director ofNomadland and MarvelsEternals will direct the pilot for the new show. They also claim that Hulu has high expectations for the project going to series and that appearances from otherBuffy stars of the past is considered likely.They also claimBuffyfranchise creator Joss Whedon is not involved in the new show, following various allegations of misconduct a few years ago.The cast of Buffy The Vampire SlayerNBCloading...READ MORE: The Worst TV Revivals EverWhedon originallywroteBuffy as a feature film, with Kristy Swanson in the title role. Although the film was not a massive success, Whedon was able to turn the concept into a TV show which became one of the mediums defining cult hits of the late 90s and early 2000s. TheBuffy TV series, now with Gellar in the lead, aired seven seasons on The WB Network and UPN; a spinoff series for Buffys doomed vampire love interest Angel lasted for five seasons on The WB, ending in 2004.AfterAngel went off the air, Whedon and a variety of other characters have built out the Buffyverse with a variety of novels and comic books. But there hasnt been a properBuffy show in 20 years.Gellar has long maintained shes not interested in doing moreBuffy.As recently, uh, two weeks ago, shequipped shed need a lot of plastic surgery to play the part again, while adding that she washappy with how we ended things with Buffy.Notthathappy, it seems, because now Gellar is poised to pick up her stake for the first time in two decades.Get our free mobile appClassic TV Shows With 24/7 Streaming ChannelsWant to watch vintage television series for free? All of these shows are streaming on their own 24/7 channels on Pluto TV.

Apple's MagSafe for phones has evolved quite a bit since its debut on the 2020 iPhone 12 line, bringing magnetic wireless charging from the iPhone to the AirPods. Since Apple's MagSafe is compatible with the Qi2 wireless charging standard and has proven popular, we're starting to see Samsung, Google and OnePlus provide support for similar magnetic accessories.Even better, these wireless charging accessories are cheaper now than they were when MagSafe debuted, with companies such as Anker and Belkin making Qi2 magnetic charging pads and stands that support 15-watt speeds without needing Apple's certification and approval. But if you get a new iPhone 16 and use it with one of Apple's MagSafe chargersand a 30-watt power adapter, you can now get even faster 25-watt charging speeds.Read more: iPhone 16: What We Know About the Release Date, Leaks and MoreBut it's not just about charging. Apple's MagSafe for iPhone allows for all sorts of magnetic cases, wallets, stands, grips and other accessories that can be quickly attached to the back of an iPhone using built-in magnets. This has led to an assortment of accessories -- some officially licensed by Apple and others that are simply magnetic -- that take advantage of the feature to provide plenty of customizable options.So as MagSafe grows, and hopefully starts coming to non-iPhone devices as the Qi2 standard, let's decipher what Apple's MagSafe for iPhone exactly is and how to tell the difference between that, non-magnetic Qi2 chargers and accessories that simply magnetically attach to your phone. David Carnoy/CNET Watch this: iPhone Features You Need to Try On Your Next Trip 07:29 What is MagSafe for iPhone?Apple's MagSafe for iPhone standard refers to both a series of magnets that have been installed in most new iPhone models since 2020 -- outside of the iPhone SE -- and a wireless charging standard that can recharge an iPhone faster than the original Qi standard.Apple's MagSafe allows for accessories that can be attached to an iPhone using magnets. These include MagSafe phone cases, wallets, mounts, grips, chargers, stands and many other options.Before the launch of the Qi2 standard, Apple's MagSafe wireless charger was also the only way to get faster 15-watt wireless charging to work on an iPhone, with Apple citing that the magnets allowed a secure fit to help hit those speeds. Now, Qi2 chargers provide the same 15-watt speeds for earlier iPhone models, while the iPhone 16 series can hit 25 watts over Apple's MagSafe chargers when used with a 30-watt adapter. When using a standard Qi charger, the iPhone caps the rate at half that speed, offering 7.5-watt wireless charging. The Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Qi2 charger David Carnoy/CNETWhat is Qi2 charging, and how is it different from MagSafe?Qi2 is an open standardand iterates on top of the prior Qi wireless charging standard while incorporating elements of Apple's MagSafe standard. This includes both magnetic compatibility and a 15-watt wireless charging speed, meaning that any phone that supports Qi2 could potentially support magnetic accessories along with faster wireless charging.As of right now, however, the only Android phone that natively supports Qi2 is the HMD Skyline, but there are already several companies making Qi2 accessories that work across both the Skyline and Apple's iPhone. For its new Galaxy S25 phones, Samsung is now selling first-party cases that are "Qi2 Ready" -- meaning that the cases include the magnets needed to support magnetic accessories. OnePlus is selling a similar magnetic case for its OnePlus 13, and Google's so far announced that it will provide support for the Qi2 standard by contributing toward its development.Apple has also updated all of its MagSafe-compatible iPhones to support Qi2, meaning that if you buy a Qi2 wireless charger it should support faster 15-watt wireless charging. Plus, Qi2 phones that include magnets should support the plethora of magnetic accessories that were first released with MagSafe in mind, likely bringing compatibility to docks, mounts, grips and wallet accessories. Some of these Qi2 accessories are also slightly cheaper than MagSafe-certified accessories, which require a certification by Apple in order to get the MagSafe branding. Belkin's iPhone mount attaches with MagSafe. David Carnoy/CNETWhich MagSafe accessories can I use?With the launch of Qi2, there are now several different types of magnetic accessories that could work with your phone. This can get a bit confusing, but if you buy a magnetic phone accessory and your phone supports either MagSafe or Qi2, it should attach and function to varying degrees.If you buy a MagSafe or Qi2-certified wireless charger, you should be able to use it to get the maximum 15-watt wireless charging speed when you've attached it to your phone. This includes charging docks and stands which also include MagSafe or Qi2 branding. If you have an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro, you can get faster 25-watt charging using a MagSafe charger that's connected to a 30-watt or faster power adapter.If you buy a magnetic wireless charger that does not specify whether it's MagSafe or Qi2-certified, that likely means that while the charger will attach to your phone, it will probably charge at the original Qi standard that is limited to a 7.5-watt speed when using it with an iPhone. Results could vary when using one with an Android phone, since some phones do support 15-watt wireless charging over the prior Qi standard.And if you are buying a non-charging magnetic accessory -- like a wallet or a dock for using your phone as a webcam -- that accessory will likely work with any MagSafe compatible phone regardless of its branding. These accessories are created with the magnets inside the phone in mind and will largely attach regardless of their certification. However, I have noticed -- in my own personal experience -- that the strength of the magnets can vary between accessory makers. For instance, if you are buying a magnetic grip, test it out a bit after buying to make sure it fits your needs like you would a pair of shoes, and don't destroy the box in case you decide to return it. Patrick Holland/CNETWhich iPhones are compatible with MagSafe?Every iPhone that's been released since 2020 -- barring the iPhone SE line -- is compatible with MagSafe and the Qi2 standard. This includes the iPhone 12 line and later. The iPhone 11 is not compatible with MagSafe, but it does work with the original Qi wireless standard for charging. It just won't be as fast nor involve magnets. The HMD Skyline is one of the first Android phones with Qi2 support, including the ability to use magnetic attachments. HMD/Viva Tung/CNETWhich Android phones are compatible with MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging?The HMD Skyline is the first Android phone to support the Qi2 wireless standard, with integrated magnets for attaching magnetic accessories. Outside of that device though, you can often add a "MagSafe-like" experience to an Android phone using magnetic cases that some accessory-makers create. As mentioned earlier, Samsung and OnePlus are starting to provide first-party support with magnetic cases, but there are often third-party options for adding magnets to phones that support wireless charging.Your success may vary greatly with these options though, since you would be using MagSafe or Qi2 accessories with phones that don't officially support it. As mentioned earlier, you should treat it like a pair of shoes and be prepared to return the accessory if you discover it doesn't work for you. The AirPods 3 feature wireless charging with MagSafe. AppleCan I charge my Apple Watch or AirPods over MagSafe charging?The Apple Watch does not support MagSafe charging: it uses a different type of magnetic wireless charger to refill its battery. However Apple's AirPods are much more flexible, as depending on the model you might be able to recharge with both an Apple Watch charger or using a MagSafe compatible wireless charger.All AirPods Pro cases support Qi wireless charging using a MagSafe charger or a standard Qi wireless charger. This also extends to the second- and third-generation standard AirPods cases. The new AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation and the AirPods Pro 2 both include Qi/MagSafe wireless charging and can use an Apple Watch charger. The standard AirPods 4 however lack wireless charging and instead only use wired USB-C charging. Dan Ackerman/CNETWhat about MagSafe on Apple's MacBook laptops?MagSafe on Apple's MacBook is separate from the line of MagSafe accessories for the iPhone. These proprietary laptop chargers -- which briefly went into retirement when the MacBook line adopted USB-C charging -- attach quickly to compatible MacBook laptops using a magnet and can easily detach in the event the cord is accidentally pulled from the laptop. This is particularly suitable for anyone that has a tendency to trip over a power cord.Should your MacBook include both a MagSafe port and USB-C ports, you can choose either method for recharging your laptop. Just don't try to slap an iPhone's MagSafe charger against the computer, as that will do nothing. Apple's iPhone 16, 16 Plus Show Off Bolder Colors and Buttons See all photos

Apple Watchowners: You might be owed some money. Thanks to a class-action lawsuit related to battery swelling issues,Apple has agreed to a $20 million settlement to resolve claims that some Apple Watch batteries swelled over time, potentially damaging other key components, such as the display.Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit alleged that the batteries in first-generation, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 models could expand within their tight compartments, causing malfunctions. Apple has denied any wrongdoing, but nevertheless chose to settle the case.Read more: Make Your Apple Watch So Much Better by Tweaking These SettingsIn a statement sent to CNET, Apple pushed back on the claims, stating the Apple Watch is "designed to be safe and reliable.""This settlement applies to purchasers of Original Apple Watch, Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3, which are no longer available for purchase," the company said in a statement. "While we strongly disagree with the claims made against these early generation Apple Watch models, we agreed to settle to avoid further litigation."Who qualifies for the Apple Watch payout?To qualify for compensation, users must have owned an affected Apple Watch model in the US and reported issues related to battery swelling, such as filing a complaint with customer service, between April 24, 2015, and Feb. 6, 2024.How much money could Apple Watch owners get?Users will find that they receive differing amounts according to a variety of factors. Compensation will range from $20 to $50, depending on the number of claims submitted. Some eligible users will receive a notice via email or postcard informing them of their eligibility for a class payment, according toWatchSettlement.com.How can Apple Watch owners file a claim?Users seeking a payout must submit their request by April 10, 2025, through the settlement website.After visiting the settlement website, users must find the QR code and scan it with an app or built-in camera option. Users can then elect how they'd prefer to receive their payment: physical check, electronic check, ACH transfer, or virtual prepaid Visa or MasterCard.For users that did not receive a notice but still believe they're eliible, a claim may be filed via email.By accepting the settlement payment, Apple customers waive their rights to pursue further legal action against Apple regarding the battery issue.

February 3, 20253 min readBonobos Can Tell When a Human Doesn't Know SomethingAn experiment shows that bonobos can understand when a human lacks knowledge and point them in the right directionBy Jack Tamisiea edited by Gary StixFemale bonobo. Anup Shah/Getty ImagesA few captive bonobos recently faced a seemingly simple task: locate a tasty snack hidden under one of three cups. Because bonobos are brainiacs, pinpointing the cup with the treat should have been no sweat.But there was a wrinkle: the apes were relying on a human, not another member of their own species, to flip over the correct cup. Whats worse, this person sometimes did not see where the food was placed. So the bonobos took it upon themselves to point out the correct cup to their human partner.The bonobos knew when their partner was ignorant, and they communicated proactively to make sure that their ignorant partner still made the correct choice, says Christopher Krupenye, an evolutionary cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University, who helped run the experiment.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Krupenye and his graduate student Luke Townrow described the bonobos behavior in a paper published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. Their findings provide compelling evidence that the apes can infer someones ignorance and also act to help clear up the confusion.The ability to infer the mental states of others is often referred to as theory of mind. Humans utilize theory of mind to successfully communicate and coordinate with one another. For example, intuiting when someone lacks certain information helps us determine when and how to share knowledge.Researchers have proposed that humans closest evolutionary cousins, chimpanzees and bonobos, may also possess theory of mind. But few have examined this idea in controlled experimental environments, according to the authors.Krupenye and Townrow worked with three male bonobos living at Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, a research center in Des Moines, Iowa. During the experiment, one of the male bonobos would sit across from Townrow as a treat, like a grape or a peanut, was placed under one of three cups on the table between them. If Townrow flipped over the correct cup, the bonobo would receive the reward.In some trials, Townrow could see the treat being placed under the cup. In others, his view was blocked by cardboard. Once the treat was stashed, he would wait 10 seconds before flipping over a cup.The bonobos appeared to know when Townrow had his eye on the treat. In the trials where he had observed the placement of the treat, the apes patiently waited for him to flip over the correct cup. In the trials where Townrows view was blocked, however, the bonobos pointed toward the correct cup in an effort to fill him in on what he had missed. They got the task immediately and knew where to point, Townrow says.The oldest of the bonobos, a male named Kanzi, was particularly demonstrative in his gestures to get Townrow to wise up. The now 44-year-old ape is always on the lookout for a tasty snack, and during the study, he repeatedly pointed and tapped to get Townrows attention and secure his treat.According to Michael Tomasello, a comparative psychologist at Duke University, who was not involved in the new study, chimpanzees are also able to discern ignorance and modify their communication as a result. A 2012 paper found that wild chimpanzees produced vocalizations to warn group mates who appeared to be unaware of a nearby snake. Similar capabilities have even been observed in human infants. They point out things that others are unfamiliar with while they are still in diapers, Tomasello says.This suggests that the ability to infer and act upon others ignorance may date back to the last common ancestor of humans and bonobos, which lived between eight million and six million years ago. It also illustrates that this level of understanding is possible without language, according to Laura Lewis, a biological anthropologist at the University of California, Berkeley. I think this finding points to the idea that our great ape cousins can represent both knowledge and ignorance states in others and use these attributions to guide their communicative behaviors without the need for complex language, says Lewis, who was not involved in the new study.Yet it remains unclear whether the apes are simply pointing to secure a treat or if there is a greater motivation at play. Are the bonobos aware that communicating is changing someones mental state, or is that [knowledge] something that evolved later in human evolution? Krupenye says.The team aspires to tease this question out with future work on bonobos. But these great apes, which are native to the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, are endangered because of habitat loss and hunting. Krupenye hopes this work will highlight how similar these apes are to us. Bonobos play an important role in helping us understand our place in the natural world, he says.