Apple is in the midst of squeezing more money out of AppleCare+ warranties. In addition to discontinuing most paid upfront plans, Apple is also increasing the cost of AppleCare+ subscriptions for all iPhones.Starting now, the only way to purchase AppleCare+ with the traditional paid upfront plan is to purchase the device online from Apple.Products purchased in Apple retail stores no longer offer this option. Paid upfront plans are no longer available to purchase from the device itself.Meanwhile, Apple has also increased the monthly price for AppleCare+ subscriptions across all iPhone models.AppleCare+ now costs 50 more per month for iPhones in the United States, as MacRumors points out.The price increase affects both standard and Theft and Loss plans, but plans for other products are unaffected for now. In Apple economics, thats about half the price of 50GB of iCloud storage per month which costs 99 per month. Apple thanks you for your 50 and will now avoid going out of business for another year because of it.Thoughts on AppleCare+ cost increases for iPhone plans? Sound off in the comments.Top 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

Apple has just made some changes to its AppleCare+ program. As hinted over the weekend by Mark Gurman, Apple is discontinuing upfront payment options for AppleCare+ in stores and on devices, offering monthly or annual subscriptions only unless you buy online.AppleCare+ offers monthly and annual subscriptions only, unless you buy upfront with online purchaseMark Gurman writes at Bloomberg:the tech giant is changing how it sells AppleCare+ for iPhones, its protection program for the device. Now, users wont be able to pay upfront for an AppleCare+ Theft and Loss plan at retail stores or via the AppleCare menu on the iPhone itself. Instead, theyll need to pay monthly or annually.A monthly AppleCare+ plan for an iPhone 16 Pro costs $13.99 per month, while the previously available two-year, upfront plan was $269. AppleCare agents have been instructed to tell customers that the change is designed to lower upfront costs and prevent future gaps in coverage. The company is also prioritizing the pricier Theft and Loss plans, which allow customers to replace a lost device by paying a deductible.Starting today, AppleCare+ can primarily be purchased through recurring subscriptions with both monthly and annual options available.The annual option does seem to provide a slight discount for buyers. For example, Im able to buy AppleCare+ for my Vision Pro for either $24.99/month or $249/year.If youre interested in a one-time purchase option, you can still go that route but only in one circumstance: when making an online Apple Store purchase.The multi-year upfront payment option is currently still available when buying a product from Apples website. Youll need to choose that add-on during the configuration process.But if you want to purchase AppleCare+ in a physical Apple Store, or on your own via your devices Settings app, subscriptions are now the only option.What do you think of this AppleCare+ subscription change? 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

Shark AttackedGreat White Sharks Are Suddenly Washing Up Dead With Swollen BrainsbyFrank Landymore"I feel very strongly that there's something significant going on."Feb 4, 10:19 AM ESTGetty / Futurism"I feel very strongly that there's something significant going on."Sea-real KillerFew creatures are more formidable than the great white shark. But the mighty apex predators are suddenly turning up dead and scientists don't know why.As The New York Times reports, the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperator (CWHC), in its three decades of existence, had never had a single dead great white turn up on its doorstep. Then, in a span of several months starting in August 2023, it had five all found beached in eastern Canada.Some of the deceased sharks showed no signs of injury. But as the bodies and tissue samples piled up, a pattern began to emerge: many of them had swollen, enlarged brains. Caused by what, though, is the big, blue mystery."Three of these five seem to have the same potentially infectious disease affecting their brain," Megan Jones, a veterinary pathologist at CWHC, told the NYT. "We need to know more about what that is."Accounting for another four great white carcasses that turned up on US beaches, the grim death toll has risen to nine.Major HeadacheNecropsies revealed that most of the great white sharks were suffering from meningoencephalitis, a condition in which brain tissues become inflamed. In severe cases, the brain pushes against the skull, impacting a shark's ability to swim.On its own, it's not alarming to find sharks suffering from meningoencephalitis. But according to the NYT, the cause is usually obvious, like an infection, while in the case of the beachings, no underlying cause has presented itself so far. And because some of the specimens have been recovered with full bellies, other explanations, like starvation, are also looking unlikely.And not all of the sharks showed signs of meningoencephalitis during necropsies, despite in at least one case exhibiting the erratic behavior associated with brain swelling prior to their deaths."I feel very strongly that there's something significant going on," Alisa Newton, chief veterinarian for the shark research group OCEARCH, told theNYT.What to Mako It?Compared to other marine pursuits, shark science is underfunded, the NYT notes, making it difficult to track and recover sharks, especially across international boundaries. Thus, sharing samples let alone sending full-sized shark cadavers is a pretty tall order.Another challenge, Newton says, is that very little is known about the death rate of sharks on the Atlantic coast in the first place.It could also be normal for sharks to function with some degree of brain malady. "We know lots of animals that live with parasites or bacteria and they're good, they're fine, they always have sort of a natural load," Tonya Wimmer, executive director of the Marine Animal Response Society, told the NYT.If that's the case, then it's back to square one for the scientists. But in a promising lead, Newton said she's submitted brain tissue samples for genetic sequencing. If there's any nefarious little lifeforms swimming inside the shark cerebellum, that should unearth them.But maybe there's a cheerier explanation. All the dead sharks could actually be sign that the great whites are thriving, Wimmer suggested: with more of them around, we'd see more of their corpses, too. One can hope, at least.More on marine life: Scientists Baffled by Orcas Wearing Dead Salmon as HatsShare This Article

Image by Getty / FuturismDevelopmentsResearchers have found that the amount of microplastics in our brains is rising at an alarming rate.As The Guardian reports, scientists examined postmortem brain tissue from dozens of human bodies between 1997 and 2024. They found that the concentration of microplastics increased consistently over that time period, with a particularly dramatic surge over the last eight years.As detailed in a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, a team led by University of New Mexico toxicologist and professor of pharmaceutical sciences Matthew Campen concluded that the average brain now contains the equivalent of one plastic spoon, or seven grams, worth of plastic.And it's not just the brain. Scientists also found significant concentrations of microplastics in the liver and kidney.The research highlights how incredibly pervasive microplastics have become, invading almost every part of our bodies, from arteries andlungs to hearts and sperm.Scientists are also only beginning to understand the myriad of effects these particles could have on our health."These results highlight a critical need to better understand the routes of exposure, uptake and clearance pathways and potential health consequences of plastics in human tissues, particularly in the brain," the team wrote in their paper.Even more worryingly, the scientists concluded that the concentration of microplastics was roughly six times higher in brain samples taken from people who had dementia, indicating a possible link. However, the scientists stopped short of determining any causality."Its pretty alarming," Campen toldThe Guardian in August. "Theres much more plastic in our brains than I ever would have imagined or been comfortable with."The fragments of plastic themselves are pretty tiny, at less than 200 nanometers, or about 400 times smaller than the width of a human hair."That's roughly the size of two COVID viruses side by side," Campen told USA Today.Thanks to their minuscule size, these plastics can cross the blood-brain barrier, which usually allows the brain to protect itself against invasion by unwanted materials."For those of us who work in the brain, showing that the highest levels (of microplastic) were measured in that organ is profound and a bit concerning," University of Georgia physiology professor Jason Richardson, who was not involved in the study, told USA Today.Scientists are now trying to track down how these microplastics get inside our bodies. Campen suggests nanoparticles could be "hijacking their way in through lipids," as he told the broadcaster."We dont know that much about the health effects, but the fact is that they are there and they shouldnt be there, and maybe thats worrying enough," Utrecht University neurotoxicologist Emma Kasteel, who was not involved in the research, told National Geographic, adding that she was "quite shocked by the amount of microplastics they find.""Plastic is everywhere," Kasteel said. "Most people cannot imagine a world without plastic... even if we stop producing plastic right now, the world will still be full of microplastics."More on microplastics: Scientists Say Children Are Getting Sick and Dying in Huge Numbers Due to Chemicals and PlasticsShare This Article

Time zones: EST (UTC -5), MST (UTC -7), ART (UTC -3), UTC -4, UTC -4:30, UTC -3, UTC -2About Us:At Loop, we specialize in connecting businesses with exceptional customer care specialists. We believe in smart, kind-hearted professionals who love to learn and grow. If you have a passion for helping others and enjoy solving problems, we want to hear from you!Responsibilities:Manage incoming calls, engage leads, and convert them into customers. Handle sales tasks by understanding customer needs and recommending suitable solutions.Follow up with leads via phone, text, and email to sustain engagement.Provide clear and accurate information about products and services to help customers make informed choices.Accurately document interactions and follow-ups in the CRM.Show empathy and understanding in all customer interactions to enhance customer satisfaction.Qualifications:At least 2 years in hospitality, consumer sales (B2C), or customer service roles where youve handled difficult or nuanced situations. Experience in crisis hotlines or social work is a plus. (Required)Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish. (Required)Stable internet connection and a reliable computer setup. (Required)Ability to work independently in a distraction-free home office.A positive and professional attitude with a customer-first mindset.Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think on your feet.

Time zones: EST (UTC -5), CST (UTC -6), MST (UTC -7)We transform successful businesses by turning their proven processes into powerful software systems.Were looking for developers who take pride in crafting solutions that help these businesses grow.Do you...find satisfaction in designing systems that bring order to complex business operations?take pride in building robust architectures that scale reliably?excel at modeling complex business processes into elegant data structures?enjoy deeply understanding business problems before crafting solutions?Are yousomeone who enjoys mastering your tools and continuously improving?detail-oriented with an eye for systematic approaches?comfortable owning projects from start to finish?drawn to building solutions that create order from complexity?Heres what makes our work differentWere not just building software were creating systems that transform how businesses operate. Our clients trust us to understand their complex processes and turn them into elegant, efficient solutions.Join a team of other self-motivated individuals who excel at their craft. We take pride in the work we do and get excited about solving problems. We only hire self-motivated drivers and developers with lots of experience.Youll join a team that valuesTime to think through solutions properlyDeep understanding of business processesConsistent, high-quality executionProtected focus time for complex challengesLong-term reliability over quick fixesYour Day-to-DayDesign and build robust backends that power business transformationCreate sophisticated data models that reflect complex business rulesDevelop reliable integrations between modern and legacy systemsBuild powerful APIs that connect disparate business systemsImplement secure, scalable solutions for business-critical operationsExperience RequiredExpert-level Django development with deep understanding of the ORMStrong background in Python and API designExperience building and maintaining large-scale applicationsExcellence in database design and optimizationUnderstanding of complex data modeling and migrationsClear written communicator that prefers emails to meetingsPortfolio showing systematic, well-structured workBonus PointsExperience building AI-powered tools (RAG, LLM, etc.)Experience building ERP/CRM systemsReact/Next.js familiarityBusiness process automation experienceData integration and ETL knowledgeMad `/giphy` skills on Slack (or a desire to learn)The EnvironmentStable, focused work environmentProtected development timeRegular, predictable scheduleEmail > meetings

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. How the Rubin Observatory will help us understand dark matter and dark energy We can put a good figure on how much we know about the universe: 5%. Thats how much of whats floating about in the cosmos is ordinary matterplanets and stars and galaxies and the dust and gas between them. The other 95% is dark matter and dark energy, two mysterious entities aptly named for our inability to shed light on their true nature. Previous work has begun pulling apart these dueling forces, but dark matter and dark energy remain shrouded in a blanket of questionscritically, what exactly are they? Enter the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, one of our 10 breakthrough technologies for 2025. Boasting the largest digital camera ever created, Rubin is expected to study the cosmos in the highest resolution yet once it begins observations later this year. And with a better window on the cosmic battle between dark matter and dark energy, Rubin might narrow down existing theories on what they are made of. Heres a look at how.Jenna Ahart This story is part of MIT Technology Review Explains, our series untangling the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand whats coming next. You can read more from the series here. Anthropic has a new way to protect large language models against jailbreaks Whats new? AI firm Anthropic has developed a new line of defense against a common kind of attack called a jailbreak. A jailbreak tricks large language models (LLMs) into doing something they have been trained not to, such as help somebody create a weapon. And Anthropics new approach could be the strongest shield against the attacks yet. How they did it: Jailbreaks are a kind of adversarial attack: input passed to a model that makes it produce an unexpected output. Despite a decade of research there is still no way to build a model that isnt vulnerable. But, instead of trying to fix its models, Anthropic has developed a barrier that stops attempted jailbreaks from getting through and unwanted responses from the model getting out. Read the full story. Will Douglas Heaven Three things to know as the dust settles from DeepSeek The launch of a single new AI model does not normally cause much of a stir outside tech circles, nor does it typically spook investors enough to wipe out $1 trillion in the stock market. Now, a couple of weeks since DeepSeeks big moment, the dust has settled a bit. Within AI, though, what impact is DeepSeek likely to have in the longer term? Here are three seeds DeepSeek has planted that will grow even as the initial hype fades.James ODonnell This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. If youre interested in learning more about what DeepSeeks breakout success means for the future of AI, watch this conversation between our news editor Charlotte Jee, senior AI editor Will Douglas Heaven, and China reporter Caiwei Chen. It was held at noon ET yesterday as part of our subscriber-only Roundtables seriescheck it out! The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Elon Musk's government allies are weighing up using AI to cut costs As part of Musks plans to gut federal contracts across the board. (NYT $)+ A 25-year old engineer now has access to the USs top secret systems. (Wired $)+ Staffers for the US agency that sends aid to the worlds neediest have been locked out of their email accounts. (NY Mag $)+ Such measures would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago. (Vox)+ Palantir CEO Alex Karp is a fan of DOGE. (Insider $)2 China has announced its own tariffs on US importsSparking new fears of a full-blown trade war. (FT $) + The days of cheap Chinese shopping in the US could be coming to an end. (NY Mag $)+ Heres what Trumps tariffs mean for the likes of Temu and Shein. (The Information $)3 US senators blame Silicon Valley for DeepSeeks runaway success Big Techs lobbying for softer export controls created corporate loopholes, they claim. (WP $)+ The rise of DeepSeek doesnt mean the controls have failed, according to ASML. (WSJ $)+ How a top Chinese AI model overcame US sanctions. (MIT Technology Review)4 Meta says it wont release AI systems it deems too risky But how that risk is measured is up to Meta. (TechCrunch)+ A new public database lists all the ways AI could go wrong. (MIT Technology Review)5 Gender affirming care is under major threat in the US Advocates fear Trumps executive order will prevent many people from accessing lifesaving treatments. (Undark)+ Many hospitals are continuing to offer their services, though. (Axios)+ New Yorks Attorney General says pausing such care could violate state law. (The Hill)6 The App Store is now hosting its first porn appAnd Apple is not happy about it. (Reuters) + The company has an EU antitrust law to thank. (WP $)7 The Doomsday Clock has been given a makeover We are now 89 seconds away from the end of the world. (Fast Company $) 8 Meet the UKs AI grandmother wasting scammers timeFraudsters have been left frustrated by the bots dithering. (The Guardian) + The people using humour to troll their spam texts. (MIT Technology Review)9 We still dont know much about Mars moons But a new mission could change that. (New Scientist $)10 Mark Zuckerbergs famous hoodie is up for auction If youre so inclined to want to own a piece of nerd history. (Insider $)Quote of the day Itll scare people, itll make people think that the industry is a scam. Anthony Scaramucci, Donald Trumps former communications director, doesnt think much of his former bosss memecoin, he tells the Financial Times. The big story The open-source AI boom is built on Big Techs handouts. How long will it last? May 2023 In May 2023 a leaked memo reported to have been written by Luke Sernau, a senior engineer at Google, said out loud what many in Silicon Valley must have been whispering for weeks: an open-source free-for-all is threatening Big Techs grip on AI.New open-source large language modelsalternatives to Googles Bard or OpenAIs ChatGPT that researchers and app developers can study, build on, and modifyare dropping like candy from a piata. These are smaller, cheaper versions of the best-in-class AI models created by the big firms that (almost) match them in performanceand theyre shared for free.In many ways, thats a good thing. AI won't thrive if just a few mega-rich companies get to gatekeep this technology or decide how it is used. But this open-source boom is precarious, and if Big Tech decides to shut up shop, a boomtown could become a backwater. Read the full story.Will Douglas Heaven We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.)+ Today would have been the 112th birthday of Rosa Parks, the civil activist who changed the course of history.+ If youre planning a spring break, consider this well-timed inspiration.+ A Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is reportedly in the works.+ Rise up, daughters of grunge!

Liverpool-based Owen Ellis Architects and Mott Macdonald Engineers have designed the Liverpool Baltic Station for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, to increase footfall and economic growth and act as a catalyst for development in the Baltic area.The project was awarded a 96 million funding package by theLiverpool City Region Combined Authority in September, spearheaded by city region mayor Steve Rotheram.It is one of four planned stations the mayor hopes to deliver. The others are in Daresbury, Halton, Woodchurch on the Wirral and Carr Mill in St Helens.AdvertisementThe station is proposed for a compact site owned and managed by Network Rail, comprising a 12m-deep sandstone rockface cutting which houses an in-use Merseyrail railway line, and the disused St James Station along with its dilapidated platforms.The plot also includes an awkward surface-level triangle of land spanning 538m, housing a disused storage yard and incorporating a 1.9m level change. This was bought by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority last year. Source:Google Earth Site, outlined in red, and surrounding contextThe new station would serve Merseyrails Northern Line from Hunts Cross to Southport (between Liverpool Central and Brunswick stations), and consist of a single-storey building with lift towers projecting upwards to serve as beacons from the surrounding approaches, according to a design and access statement (D&A).While Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is the overall client, Network Rail is responsible for the project delivery and management of the railway, and Merseyrail will be the end user and train operating company. All three have been involved in the design development process.Network Rail chose multidisciplinary design consultant Mott MacDonald to complete the outline and technical design of the station, and Mott MacDonald in turn appointed Owen Ellis Architects to do the architectural design.AdvertisementExternally, the station building will be highly adorned with red terracotta moulding relief, according to the architects, drawing on the historic architectural style of the Baltic area, including the nearby Grade II-listed Cains Brewery building, completed in 1900.Internally, the concourse is designed to be an open plan, flexible and well-lit, airy space, fully accessible with an entrance halfway down Stanhope Street.Owen Ellis Architects wrote in the D&A: The architectural design vision is a contemporary take on the heritage of the diverse industrial Baltic location and heritage.The materials are industrial and robust and respect the local red brick and sandstone. The lift towers and monolith chimneys take influence from the Baltic chimneys and act as destination beacons and focal points, in both form and wayfinding. Source:Infinite 3DLiverpool City Council outlined the benefits of a new station at the Baltic site in its 2020 Strategic Regeneration Framework, stating that it would unlock new areas for future development, create employment and reduce reliance on cars.Around 2,000 apartments have been built in the area since 2012, and there are plans for at least 2,000 more to be built, according to the D&A.While there is no specific planning history for the station site itself, several recent planning applications have been submitted and approved in the immediate surrounding area according to a planning statement. These include a 13-storey mixed-use apartment and office block (approved), a seven-storey building with office space or creative uses and a car park (approved), and a 10-storey apartment block (awaiting decision).Pending planning approval and the go-ahead from the Department for Transport, construction on the Baltic station is scheduled to begin this year, and complete in 2027.

Liverpool Source:&nbsp Image by ShutterstockLiverpool City Council has chosen a team led by Levitt Bernstein to draw up a planning framework for the Pumpfields area to the north of the city The team, which also includes architectTurner Works, property consultant Montagu Evans, and engineer Arup, will draw up a visionary, ambitious and deliverable supplementary planning document for the 30ha area, which has been earmarked for major regeneration.Key aims of the planning framework include unlocking the delivery of new homes infrastructure and community facilities in the area, which has suffered from long-term neglect, dereliction and stalled development in recent years.The team will identify opportunities for development; set design guidelines; create a strong policy framework; reuse existing buildings; and improve public spaces, connections and infrastructure.AdvertisementThe plan for Pumpfields comes just a few weeks after Liverpool City Council submitted a bid to the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government to create a new town by expanding the northern fringe of the city into Bootle.The council has worked in collaboration with Sefton Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Homes England and the areas key landowners to set out a 10-year vision for the area.Liverpool City Council cabinet member for growth and development Nick Small said: The Pumpfields area is a vitally important part of our vision to expand out from the city centre into North Liverpool.Its a part of Liverpool thats been overlooked but its time has now come with the emergence of the new town plan. Pumpfields is ripe for the type of regeneration that will redraw and reshape its economic and housing landscape for the rest of this century.I welcome the appointment of this team of placemaking experts. This area deserves a plan that befits our ambitions to grow the city and to knit the Commercial District through to Ten Streets and Liverpool Waters. The vision is to build a place where people can live, work, and play. We want to create a community where everyone feels at home.AdvertisementLevitt Bernstein director Jo McCafferty said: We are absolutely delighted to have won this vital commission to work with Liverpool City Council and the Pumpfields and Lime Kilns community to develop a groundbreaking and deliverable vision for such a strategic neighbourhood in Liverpool North.A vision which reactivates this key quarter in Liverpool, to stitch it back into the wider area, reintroduces crucial connections to the city centre and supports site-specific, mixed-use development and reuses heritage buildings and structures, is absolutely at the heart of this project.The appointment comes almost four years after UNESCO stripped Liverpools nearby waterfront of its prized World Heritage Site status due to irreversible damage caused by new development.It also comes a year and half after the council announced the selection of Metropolitan Workshop and shedkm to draw up housing-led plans for its famous waterfront Festival Gardens. In October, the local authority announced a search for a development partner to transform the 11ha site, which is just 5km from the city centre.In 2023, Liverpool City Council launched a search for a consultant to draw up a new waterfront strategy. The local authority also held a recruitment for a consultant to draw up a residential design guide that promotes sustainable and inclusive high-quality design for all new residential development within Liverpool.Liverpool is expecting a population increase of more than 30,000 people in the next 10 years, which will require the delivery of more than 13,000 new homes. In June 2024, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority launched a search for consultants for feasibility and preliminary design work on a series of small missing link upgrades to its strategic cycling and walking network.2025-02-04Merlin Fulchercomment and share

Our Experts Written by Ry Crist Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNETs expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.Table of Contents Our Picks Best overall Cree 65W Replacement Floodlight LED bulb View details $18 at Amazon View details Excellent, flicker-free alternative Philips BR30 Floodlight LED with warm glow dimming View details $40 at Amazon View details Best budget pick GE Basic 65W Replacement Floodlight LED View details $29 at Amazon View details Best low-light choice for nondimmer switches Philips SceneSwitch Floodlight LED View details $32 at Amazon View details Best color quality upgrade GE Reveal BR30 Floodlight LED View details $12 at Walmart View details Table of Contents Having good lighting inside your home and outside is important, and you need the right bulbs to properly illuminate your space. LED floodlight bulbs can help brighten up dark outdoor areas to help improve visibility. Your porch, driveway, yard, garage and basement might benefit from one. LED floodlight bulbs provide better security outside your home, allowing you to see more clearly outside in the dark. Also, a bright light is sure to deter trespassers, especially when paired with a good security camera. You typically get a 10-year warranty with a new bulb, so you won't have to replace it for a long time.As with most lighting, however, there are many options on the market. Plenty of LED floodlight manufacturers are out there, and it can be difficult to tell which ones are good, apart from bog-standard bulbs that may lack brightness or the particular color temperature you need. If you have a smart home system and want to add a compatible LED bulb, youll want to make sure your new smart light is compatible with what you have installed.We've tested the top options on the market to find the best LED floodlight bulbs for your home. Whether youre after a budget bulb, security lighting or energy-saving models to keep down the electricity bill, we've found top picks to meet your needs.Read more:Best Smart Bulbs for Less Than $20: Wiz, Wyze, Cree, GE and More Best LED floodlight bulbs $18 at Amazon After countless hours spent testing floodlights in CNET's lighting lab, the Cree 65W Replacement Floodlight LED emerged as our Editors' Choice for the best LED floodlight. It's brighter than advertised (and super bright compared with most of the competition), it's energy-efficient enough to pay for itself in energy savings within a year and it'll work with a dimmer switch without flickering or buzzing. Best of all, Cree's LED bulb comes with a category-leading 10-year warranty to back up the 22.8-year life span. These light bulbs are seriously great for either an indoor floodlight or an outdoor space. $40 at Amazon The BR30 floodlight LEDs from Philips match Cree's outstanding and durable 10-year warranty. They're also super bright, a bit more efficient and a bit better at heat dissipation than Cree. They don't flicker or buzz on dimmer switches and they get warmer and more candle-like in tone as you dim them down, which some will appreciate. On top of all that, they're less expensive than Cree at about $4.50 per bulb.So why don't they get the top spot? It's honestly neck and neck, but to my eye, Cree offers a slight uptick in color quality, and if you want the full 10-year warranty, you'll have to register your bulbs -- otherwise, you only get five years of coverage. In addition, the Philips bulb's lumen output topped out at a too-low average of 92% of its actual brightness on the dimmer switches I tested it with. That undercuts the brightness and efficiency selling points to a small extent. But make no mistake, this bright light is still a terrific choice for almost everyone. $29 at Amazon If you need to replace a bunch of floodlights and you want to keep the cost as low as possible, then put the GE Basic floodlight LED at the top of your list. Available in a six- or 12-pack at Lowe's for around $4 per bulb, it's one of the lighting aisle's best values. Don't let the Basic branding fool you -- these bulbs are energy efficient, fully dimmable, durable and they manage heat surprisingly well.Their light output isn't quite as bright as Cree and they won't last as long, but those tradeoffs are fair at this price -- especially given that each energy-efficient GE Basic LED will pay for itself in energy savings in less than six months if you're upgrading your outdoor security lights or indoor LED floodlights from incandescent bulbs.