We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.If youve been holding off on a video doorbell because it usually costs too much, nows a good time to reconsider. The Ring Battery Doorbell, in satin nickel or Venetian bronze, is currently $59.99 (down from $99.99)the lowest its ever been, according to price trackers. Ring Battery Doorbell $59.99 at Amazon $99.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $59.99 at Amazon $99.99 Save $40.00 This model runs on an internal (rechargeable) battery, so you dont have to deal with wiringunless you want to, in which case it has terminals for existing doorbell wiring. When the battery runs low, you just need to pop the unit off the door and charge it via USB-C.As for the camera, it records in 1,440 x 1,440 resolution with a 150-degree field of view, which means youll get a full, head-to-toe view of whoever is at your door. It starts recording both when someone presses the button and when motion is detected, but youll need a Ring Home subscription ($4.99/month) to actually access those recordings. Without it, youll only get live views and notifications. On the bright side, notifications are fast, and if you cant answer right away, you can set the Quick Replies feature to let the doorbell respond for you. Additionally, its daytime video looks sharp and colorful, and black-and-white night vision is crisp, though its color night vision tends to look a little washed out, notes this PCMag review.It integrates well with Amazon Alexa and supports IFTTT, meaning you can connect it to other compatible smart home gadgets. However, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit arent supported, so if youre deep in those ecosystems, this might not be the best fit for you. You can manage and control the doorbell through the Ring app, where you can adjust motion settings, use the two-way audio, review saved videos, and access live view. You can also set up Quick Replies, switch between security modes, connect to other Ring devices, and more via the app.If you're considering alternatives, the Arlo Video Doorbell is worth checking out at $59.99 (originally $129.99).

The release date for arguably one of the most anticipated games around has emerged, albeit in low-key fashion. According to an apparent leak on the PlayStation Store perhaps about as official as you can get without a splashy announcement elsewhere Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is set to arrive on August 28. It's scheduled to hit PC and Xbox Series X/S as well as PS5.Sony had scrubbed the release date from the game's store page (which now only bears a release window of 2025) by the time of publication. A trailer for the remake of Hideo Kojimas Metal Gear Solid 3 was hosted on Sonys servers and also leaked. That featured the August 28 date too.Its not the first time that a game or its release date have come to light in exactly this way. We first received official word of The Last of Us Part 1, a remake of the first game in the series for PS5 and PC, in similar fashion a few years ago. The same thing happened with the remaster of the sequel.Its possible that Sony was preparing things behind the scenes ahead of a coordinated release date announcement for MGS Delta: Snake Eater. Given that a State of Play showcase is rumored to be taking place next week, it seems likely that the reveal was scheduled to take place then. But a release date that temporarily appeared on the PS Store which was backed up by a trailer is as clear an indicator as any that the remake will arrive this summer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/metal-gear-solid-delta-snake-eater-release-date-leaks-on-the-playstation-store-153046876.html?src=rss

When you click on an early access game on Steam, you might see a new note that could give an idea whether its developer has already abandoned the project. As SteamDB first reported, Steam has started adding notes on games' official pages if they haven't been updated in a while.Steam's early access program allows you to purchase work-in-progress titles to play on your PC. Each participating title has an information box, where developers answer questions, such as how long they expect the game to be in early access. That's where you can find the new warning, which tells you when a title was last updated. Not every game has a note that tells you when its last update was rolled out, though. Valve told PCGamer that it will only add the notice for an early access game if it hasn't been updated for a year.Specifically, the note will show up if it's been 12 months since a new build has been added to the game's default branch in Steamworks, or if it's been 12 months since the developer has notified players about an "update type event," which includes major updates, regular updates and patch notes. In the end, it's still up to you whether you want to download and play a game that hasn't had a recent update. But the warning could help you avoid projects that are pretty much dead if you don't want to waste your time and money on games that may never be fully released.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/steam-will-label-early-access-games-that-havent-been-updated-in-a-year-160018685.html?src=rss

Robot vacuums are making some huge technological leaps in 2025, but is that a good thing?

The Garmin outage, one week on join the debate in our comments section.

Roblox shares plunged more than 16% after falling short of Wall Street's bookings and daily active user estimates.

Gucci announced on Thursday that its creative director of under two years, Sabato De Sarno, has left the position just two and a half weeks before the next runway show, and that the new collection would be created by the design team.The abrupt announcement of De Sarnos departure comes as Gucci prepares to open Milan Fashion Week with a combined womenswear and menswear collection on February 25. His replacement will be announced in due time, the statement said.Guccis new CEO, Stefano Cantino, expressed gratitude for De Sarnos focus on Guccis craftsmanship and heritage, while Kering deputy CEO Francesca Bellettini said he had further strengthened Guccis fundamentals.De Sarno, 42, was named creative director of the storied Italian fashion house two years ago after the surprise departure of Alessandro Michele, who powered brand sales and owner Kerings earnings with gender-fluid, eclectic, and romantic collections that rewrote Guccis codes.De Sarnos tenure was marked by a return to more essential silhouettes and wardrobe basics that sought broader public appealbut ultimately had disappointing sales. Kering earnings have been slipping, with third quarter revenues down 15% to 3.8 billion euros as Gucci revenue plunged 26% to 1.6 billion euros. Kering announces its full-year earnings next week.Guccis heritage as a luggage and leathergoods maker founded more than 100 years ago in Florence has given successive creative directors the potential for great leeway to interpret the brands codes starting with Tom Fords sexy silhouettes of the 1990s.This is not the first time the Gucci has taken a dramatic late-season creative shift.The departure of Micheles predecessor, Frida Giannini, was announced in January 2015 only as the fashion crowd arrived for the menswear runway preview. The new collection, headed by Michele as part of the Gucci team, was put together in a scant five days, and featured the then-dramatic pussy bow blouse for men as the new eclectic vision for Gucci took focus.De Sarno arrived from Valentino, where he was fashion director overseeing both mens and womens collections. Michele is now putting his stamp on Rome-based Valentino as creative director.The announcement comes amid a series of creative moves at major fashion house, including the recent departure of Kim Jones as creative director of Diors menswear collections.Colleen Barry, AP Fashion Writer

Dairy cattle in Nevada have been infected with a new type of bird flu thats different from the version that has spread in U.S. herds since last year, Agriculture Department officials said Wednesday.The detection indicates that distinct forms of the virus known as Type A H5N1 have spilled over from wild birds into cattle at least twice. Experts said it raises new questions about wider spread and the difficulty of controlling infections in animals and the people who work closely with them.I always thought one bird-to-cow transmission was a very rare event. Seems that may not be the case, said Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.A version of the H5N1 bird flu virus known as B3.13 was confirmed in March after being introduced to cattle in late 2023, scientists said. It has infected more than 950 herds in 16 states. The new version, known as D1.1, was confirmed in Nevada cattle on Friday, according to USDA. It was detected in milk collected as part of a surveillance program launched in December.Now we know why its really important to test and continue testing, said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, who helped identify the first spillover.The D1.1 version of the virus was the type linked to the first U.S. death tied to bird flu and a severe illness in Canada. A person in Louisiana died in January after developing severe respiratory symptoms following contact with wild and backyard birds. In British Columbia, a teen girl was hospitalized for months with a virus traced to poultry.At least 67 people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu, mostly those who work closely with dairy or cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.USDA officials said they would post genetic sequences and other information about the new form of the virus to a public repository later this week. Scientists said that would be key to understanding whether the spillover was a recent event or whether the virus has been circulating, perhaps widely, for longer.If this turns out to have been something that crossed into cattle a couple months ago, a couple months is a long time not to detect it, said Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona who has studied the H5N1 virus in cattle.He added that its important for federal officials to share promptly information about a virus that has the potential to trigger a pandemic that could make COVID seem like a walk in the park.Its a vital part of national security, global security, the well-being of people, of animals, and of businesses in the U.S., Worobey added.The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.Jonel Aleccia, AP Health Writer

UK deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has told affected families that Grenfell Tower is to be demolished, prompting concerns that the government has "ignored the voices of bereaved".The decision follows years of debate over the future of the 24-storey block in west London after a devastating fire tore through it in June 2017, claiming the lives of 72 people.Rayner reportedly attended a meeting with survivors and families of victims earlier this week to inform them that the tower's burnt-out shell would be dismantled to ground level. The government is expected to make an official announcement tomorrow.A date for the demolition has not been revealed, but the bereaved families have previously been told there would be no changes to the structure before the eighth anniversary of the disaster, which is in June this year.While there have been calls for the tower to be replaced or partially dismantled, some survivors and bereaved relatives hoped that the tower could remain in place permanently as a reminder of the tragedy.Grenfell United labels decision "disgraceful and unforgivable"In a statement published on Instagram, the Grenfell United campaign group that represents some of the survivors, said that "no one" in attendance at the meeting with Rayner supported the decision."Today's meeting showed just how upset bereaved and survivors are about not having their views heard or considered in this decision," Grenfell United said."Ignoring the voices of bereaved on the future of our loved ones' gravesite is disgraceful and unforgivable."The UK government had previously expressed its intentions to demolish the tower in 2021 after it commissioned a safety report. However, the decision was not officially confirmed.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Grenfell United (@grenfell_united)Grenfell United believes the decision ignores "the voices of bereaved"Today, all that remains of Grenfell Tower is the shell that stood after the fire. It has since been wrapped in a covering emblazoned with a large green heart a symbol widely used to remember those affected by the tragedy.The fire was started by a malfunctioning fridge-freezer but rapidly spread across the 67-metre-high block via its flammable exterior cladding.Rayner's meeting with affected families this week followed the public inquiry into the fire, which concluded in September.The inquiry found that the disaster was the result of multiple failures by the government and the construction industry.Memorial to be built close to Grenfell TowerWithin the 1,700-page report, it was stated that London-based Studio E the architecture studio that refurbished Grenfell Tower "bears a very significant degree of responsibility for the disaster".The studio had specified zinc cladding for the project that was later swapped for a deadly aluminium composite material (ACM) product.Though this decision was made by the client, Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), to reduce costs, the inquiry concluded that it was the architect's responsibility to check that the material complied with building regulations.In an opinion piece for Dezeen, expert witness Paul Hyett said the findings should serve as a stark warning to architects to ensure they fully understand their contractual responsibilities.Read: Grenfell Tower Inquiry concludes that architect "bears a very significant degree of responsibility"Separate to the inquiry, the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has been developing plans for a permanent memorial close to the tower.Last month, a shortlist of five potential architecture studios was revealed, including Freehaus and Office Sian. The winner is due to be revealed later this year by the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission and the Royal Institute of British Architects."We have given our word, from the outset, that the voices of the entire Grenfell community must take priority in the memorial decision-making process, both now and in the future," said co-chairs of the commission Thelma Stober and Paul Boateng."We hope that bereaved families, survivors and those living close to Grenfell Tower will feel able to participate in the selection of a design team and, later on, contribute to the co-design of the memorial, in whichever way feels appropriate and meaningful for them."The post Grenfell Tower to be demolished in west London appeared first on Dezeen.

Since its completion in 2023, Brooklyn's first supertall skyscraper has had an uplifting effect on the borough, writes Cara Greenberg.Nobody plans a skyline the way Haussmann planned the boulevards of Paris. Skylines evolve, building by building sometimes, as in Downtown Brooklyn at a dizzy pace.Since 2004, when rezoning allowed high-rise construction along a mile-long stretch of Flatbush Avenue formerly occupied by gas stations and tire shops, 10 buildings over 50 stories tall have sprung up, with nearly two dozen others at 30-plus.Some liken its moody menace to the Tower of Sauron from Lord of the RingsBut until quite recently the Downtown Brooklyn skyline remained stubbornly unimpressive, a gap-toothed collection of rectilinear boxes.I'm as jaded as only a native New Yorker can be. Downtown Brooklyn's medium-sized skyline was about as thrilling to my eye as a midwest state capital. The other day, though, strolling along a brownstone-lined street in Fort Greene, I turned a corner and caught sight of the borough's first supertall, the 93-story Brooklyn Tower, etched against the clouds.At that moment, I wholeheartedly joined its ranks of admirers (including Dezeen's readership, which voted it world's best new skyscraper in 2023), and silently thanked it for finally bringing some heft to Brooklyn's skyscape.Read: Ten recently completed skyscrapers in New York CityThe 1,066-foot tower, designed by SHoP Architects, is exalted enough to compete with those of its high-and-mighty neighbor across the river. Its textured facade and crenelated crown of blackened steel and copper-anodized aluminum, inspired by the landmark Dime Savings Bank preserved at its base, recall the art deco majesties of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings.Some liken its moody menace, admiringly or pejoratively, to the Tower of Sauron from Lord of the Rings. At the least, its sheer size befits a borough that would be the nation's fourth largest city in its own right if it wasn't part of the largest.If solvency was the aim, the Brooklyn Tower has yet to achieve it. Last summer, Silverstein Capital Properties took over the tower's rental, retail, and unsold condo units in a $672 million deal, after JDS, the original developer, defaulted on a $240 million mezzanine loan.For Brooklynites, this tower is a big dealAt that point, only 18 of the 150 high-floor condos had closed, and it's been slowish going, too, for the approximately 300 market-rate rentals (there are about 150 units designated affordable), at prices resembling midtown Manhattan's. Among the justifications: apartments with 10-foot ceilings and luxe bronze-and-stone finishes by Gachot Studios; a 66th floor loggia with a basketball court, playground and dog run; and a 75-foot lap pool (yet to be constructed) next to the immense dome of the historic bank downstairs.But who cares about the troubles of financiers? The tower will be fully occupied eventually. Meanwhile, those who can afford it have stratospheric views, and the rest of us, pottering around on ground level, an uplifting beacon that reads "wow"from every angle."We knew it was going to be this icon or symbol, and we wanted to make a building that was legible, almost like a lighthouse, from 360 degrees," architect Greg Pasquarelli, founding principal of SHoP, told Architectural Record's Design:ED podcast.Read: "Great cities need tall buildings to help them thrive"For Brooklynites, this tower is a big deal. In the post-September 11 rush to build, the political will to replace New York City's lost office space was there, but architectural imagination was not. Frank Gehry might have set things on a different course in 2006 if his proposed Miss Brooklyn, an aluminum-clad 62-story building conceived as a bride in a flowing gown, had gone forward and served as a creative spark.But only the more recent buildings, including the Brooklyn Tower; Studio Gang's 54-story 11 Hoyt, with its origami-like facade; The Brook, a handsome 51-story structure by Beyer Blinder Belle, nearing completion; the all-electric 44-story 505 State by Alloy, a gleaming blue-glass wedge anchoring a major intersection; and a second, as-yet-unbuilt Alloy tower on the same block, 19 stories taller, seen in renderings with a distinctive checkerboard facade, have the design-forward assertiveness earlier edifices lacked.None are office buildings, however. In lieu of the workspace envisioned by planners two decades ago, new construction has added more than 22,000 residential units and 2.4 million square feet of retail to Downtown Brooklyn since 2004.Brooklyn labored under a stubborn inferiority complex"The original intention was to grow the office sector, but in the 2000s, places like Hudson Yards in Manhattan were rezoned for commercial use, and competition for office space was citywide," says Regina Myer, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, a development non-profit that recently published an interactive map of the transformational building spree. "People realized Downtown Brooklyn had great connectivity to existing neighborhoods and to transit, and with new schools, parks, green spaces, and development of the cultural district ithas become a walkable, engaging place to live."Still, what is a downtown without a skyline? Brooklyn may be well known for its stock of 19th century row houses and lauded as a hotbed of literary and culinary creativity, but its architecture had been lacking a suitably attitudinal 21st-century expression.Read: "Mid-century modern is classic, it's never going away" says Cara GreenbergBrooklyn needed the Brooklyn Tower. A large part of New York City's image as the self-described greatest city in the world stems from Manhattan's defining skyline, wondrous even to jaded natives, while Brooklyn labored under a stubborn inferiority complex.From here on, though, the Brooklyn Tower seems to say, 'it's all systems go'. We are not Topeka. We're big, we're bold, we're badass, and we're nobody's kid brother.Cara Greenberg is a design and travel writer. Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, Architectural Record, Art & Antiques, Art & Auction, Brownstoner and Introspective. She has also authored several books about interior and furniture design, most notably Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s.The photo is by Pavel Bendov.Dezeen In DepthIf you enjoy reading Dezeen's interviews, opinions and features,subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.The post "Brooklyn needed the Brooklyn Tower" appeared first on Dezeen.