Its no secret that Apple sometimes waits a little longer than its competitors when it comes to releasing new tech in its products, but that approach often makes the delay worthwhile. Just look at the M4 iPad Pro: rival tablets have had OLED displays for years, but when Apple entered the fray in 2024, its tandem OLED panel blew everyone else out of the water.Ive been hoping for a long time that the company will pull a similar move with its best MacBooks, bringing OLED screens to its popular laptops that are far above what anyone else can offer. And now, it looks like theres some good news and some bad news on that front, and it all depends on whether youre a fan of the MacBook Pro or the MacBook Air.Recommended VideosYou see, Korean news outlet The Elec has just released a report (with a machine-translated version) explaining Apples plans to bring OLED tech to its laptops. And theres plenty of welcome reading for MacBook Pro users contained within. According to the report, Apple is working on outfitting future MacBook Pro models with the same sort of hybrid OLED panel that found its way into the iPad Pro. That means better brightness, contrast, and power efficiency compared to the current MacBook Pro, which comes with a mini-LED screen. And considering how good that display already is, the step up could be all the more significant.Chris Hagan / Digital TrendsAnd thats not all. If you read between the lines, there could be another significant upgrade on the way for the MacBook Pro: a thinner chassis.Thats because Apples tandem OLED method enabled the company to improve its screens output while also slimming down their proportions. If Apple brings the same tech to the MacBook Pro, we could see similar improvements.That said, its not nailed on. The MacBook Pro has components that might be tough to slim down completely, with space required for things like the cooling system that arent included in the iPad Pro. Still, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has claimed that Apple is planning a true overhaul for its OLED MacBook Pro, which could launch as soon as 2026. That includes making it noticeably thinner.Im still chugging along on a 2021 MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip, and for the most part it does a good job for me. But with a major overhaul on the way, including a stunning display and thinner design, 2026 could be the year I say goodbye to my current model and pull the trigger on a new one. By the sound of it, it should be a massive upgrade.AppleUnfortunately, things arent looking quite so rosy over in MacBook Air land. The same report from The Elec touched on Apples thinnest and lightest laptop, and its a mixed bag for Apple fans here.The Elec reiterates its own previous claim that Apple has delayed the OLED MacBook Air, pushing it back from 2027 to the much more distant 2029. While that element isnt new, its still disappointing to see it repeated.What is new is The Elecs claim that Apple will instead launch a MacBook Air with an improved display in 2027. This seems to be something of a stopgap move to fill the space vacated by the now-delayed OLED MacBook Air.So, what can we expected from this tuned-up LCD panel? Essentially, the new screens could be a significant step up, bringing improved performance and power efficiency compared to the MacBook Airs existing offering. That could give you better image quality, longer battery life, and a smoother all-round experience with less motion blur and more consistent brightness.AppleDont get me wrong, that all sounds great, and Id much rather have a MacBook Air with an improved LCD display than one that keeps the same tech Apple is currently using for many more years to come.But I cant help feeling disappointed, mainly because the report from The Elec seems to confirm that Apple really is pushing back its OLED MacBook Air for another four years. Thats a long time to wait, especially when many of Apples rivals already have some of the best thin laptops with OLED screens.If anyone can use this delay to bring out a class-leading OLED laptop, its Apple. But that will be small comfort to MacBook Air fans who have been clamoring for the tech to come to their favorite computer. While Im excited to see what happens to the MacBook Pro next year, its going to be a long wait for Apples lightest laptop.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsChoose your Leader with a planExpand with purposeManage your resources and tradeUse your Influence wiselyFocus on your objectivesThe Civilization series has been a fan favorite for decades. This 4X series allows you to take a civilization from early history and build it up all the way through the ages as long as you survive that long, that is. Civilization 7Lets make sure your Civilization 7 experience starts off on the right foot with these essential tips and tricks.Recommended Videos2k GamesLike previous games in the series, Civilization 7 allows you to win in multiple ways. This time, you can win through Cultural, Military, Economic, or Scientific goals. Each path has different objectives you need to hit across each age before giving you one final victory condition in the Modern Age. You dont need to only invest in one of these categories, and wouldnt make it far if you did, but starting the game with a focus in mind is essential for guiding your civilization.RelatedThat begins with picking your leader. Civilization 7 has dozens of leaders to choose from and each one has two focuses, such as economic and militaristic, plus a unique ability and agenda that further diversifies them. Knowing which victory type youre going for will make this list far more manageable, and then you can just compare the unique skills of each leader to make a final decision. While the Leaders main attributes are important, you also shouldnt spend too long stressing over the other details unless youre playing on the highest difficulty or in PvP.Be aware that during each of the three age transitions you will select a new civ from a few options to replace your previous one. When this happens, you will have a second opportunity to pick a civ with the same or different attributes. While you can pivot here if you wish, it is highly recommended that you continue focusing on your initial victory condition.This is also where Legacy Points come into play. These points are earned by reaching specific milestones in each of the four corresponding Legacy Paths. We will talk more about those later, but it is another small opportunity to either reinforce your goal or help redistribute your bonuses if youve been lacking in other areas.If youre new to the entire 4X genre and have no idea where to start, choosing random to start is a fantastic way to begin. Dont be tempted to simply choose militaristic. While that might sound the most fun, it is one of the more challenging ways to play before you understand all the other systems and resources you need to pay attention to besides your army.2K GamesWhen you first land on a map, you will want to expand in three major ways: uncovering the map with a scout, building out your capital city, and setting up additional towns.Scouts will be the first unit you can produce, so make one right away and send them off into the deep unknown. Knowing whats around you in terms of resources, oceans, independent powers, and other proper civilizations will guide your entire strategy. A good rule of thumb is to navigate your account between tiles with the VII logo on them since they indicate some point of interest. Also, remember to take advantage of a scouts ability to take a turn to expand their sight range so you dont waste turns moving towards a dead end or ocean and then have to backtrack.When it comes to your capital, the tiles you can expand to each have different resources they offer once you claim them, but that shouldnt be your only concern. You want to balance getting enough of the necessary resources especially gold while also working towards bonus tiles on the map that give you additional resources. There are also times when you dont want to expand but either add a structure onto an existing tile for bonuses. Pay attention to what youre building and what benefits it can get or give to adjacent areas. If you need to, you can build over areas youve already settled but that shouldnt be done until after the first Age if it can be avoided.Finally, founding new settlements is a big priority in the early game. You can do this with your own settler units, or by building your relations to an Independant Power long enough to incorporate them into your civ. However, be aware that there is a limit on how many new Towns you can settle in each Age so try and pick ones with plenty of resources nearby to expand to. Also, dont upgrade all your Towns into Cities. This costs more and more gold to do, and there are positives and negatives to each settlement type. It is best to keep an equal balance of Towns to Cities.2K GamesThe main resources you will be juggling in Civilization 7 are gold, happiness, influence, food, production, science, and culture. These each serve a purpose, but nearly every building will cost you one resource in order to provide more of another. Once you start making new settlements, you should focus each one on producing a couple of those to all balance out in the end. While you shouldnt let anything get critically low in a city, the most important thing is that your total from all sources on each resource is in the positive.Map resources are also too many and spread out to get the benefits of each type. As soon as you can make merchants and have a positive enough relationship with your neighboring Leaders, get trade routes going to add more resource buffs than you could get staying isolated.2K GamesInfluence is a brand new mechanic in Civilization 7 that is spent on all diplomatic interactions. This includes improving relations with other Leaders, accepting their proposals for temporary buffs, giving you advantages when war is declared, incorporating Independant Powers, and more. You will have an Influence income each turn much like gold that you need to pay attention to and grow. You dont want to get caught without enough when theres a proposal you want to take advantage of (or deny to spite that Leader) and bigger actions cost hundreds of Influence.2K / 2KCivilization 7 still offers the same four primary victory conditions we spoke about earlier but is much more guided in helping you know exactly how to achieve that end goal one step at a time. Your objectives are always listed on the top left of your screen which will push you forward on your target Legacy Path. Whichever path youre taking, make sure youre always working towards that next objective. After the first few, however, the next step wont be something you can directly work towards, such as asking you to research a technology that isnt yet an option. This is when you want to open your tech or culture skill tree and check out the paths available during that Age.Like any skill tree, you will need to progress through the right set of earlier skills to unlock the option to research the one you need, and the path isnt always obvious. In fact, you need to pay close attention even when studying the tree since the lines connecting each skill dont always move forward linearly like it looks a first. Quite often a skill at the top will curve down and connect to one near the bottom or vice versa. It pays to double-check which skill actually leads you to the next objective so you dont spend 10 or more turns researching something that doesnt connect to what you need it to.Editors Recommendations

There is substance to the hype cycle if you know where to look, according to investors at the WSJ CIO Network Summit.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the AI Action Summit in Paris that the bloc wants to supercharge its ability to compete with the U.S. and China in AI.

Truck money for a a side-by-side The Ranger XP Kinetic is the ultimate electric UTVat a high price This mega utility vehicle is a big ask on multiple fronts. Tim Stevens Feb 11, 2025 7:00 am | 0 Credit: Tim Stevens Credit: Tim Stevens Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreUtility terrain vehicles, also known as side-by-sides, are multi-seat off-road vehicles used for work or play, and their use is exploding around the globe. The market was once entirely composed of glorified golf carts, but we're now seeing plenty of wild-looking off-road monsters with the kind of extreme performance that puts many full-size off-roaders to shame.Whatever it's used for, the average UTV lined up outside your local powersports dealer today is a serious machineand it's usually sold with a serious sticker price to match. That's certainly the case with the one we're looking at today, the Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic Ultimate.As that lengthy nomenclature suggests, this is a powerful, capable, well-rounded UTV. It also happens to be electric, offering 80 miles (129 km) of range from a 29.8-kWh battery, which powers an electric motor sourced from Zero Motorcycles, with 110 hp (82 kW) and a healthy 140 lb-ft (190 Nm) of torque.Those are impressive numbers given its 1,700 lb (771 kg) weight, but can it possibly be worth the $37,499 asking price?I had serious doubts about that when I first started looking down the pricing sheet of the Ranger XP Kinetic. Sure, you can get a Premium model for $29,999 with a smaller battery and 45 miles (72 km) of range, but whether you go for that or upgrade to the Ultimate for $7,500 more, you're getting a side-by-side that's remarkably barren of features. If you want protection from the elements, you'll need to open your wallet. Credit: Tim Stevens You don't even get a roof, for example. It's a minimum of $450 more for that. A windscreen is another $480, or $900 if you want one made of glass. Door panels, lights, trims, speakersthey're all extra, and that plow setup that came with my test rig adds thousands more. The well-equipped Ranger you see here would cost well over $40,000.But when the thing showed up in my driveway, I was at least convinced that customers would get their money's worth from a sheer volume standpoint. It looks like any other UTV in pictures, but in person, the Ranger is massive. Capable of seating three adults comfortably, it's more of a side-by-side-by-side than much of the rest of the competition.It's so tall that I only had a few inches of clearance when I pulled it into my garage, and it fills an entire bay on its own.Because it's nearly as big as a car, I couldn't help but wonder why anyone would buy this thing instead of spending the same money on a real truck. You could get a Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, or Ford Ranger for less money. This is not a small UTV. Credit: Tim Stevens Of course, none of those are particularly well suited for plowing, and that was my first test for the Ranger XP Kinetic. We got a few inches of the white stuff just a few days after delivery, so I got to work.Polaris offers a few different plow options, including a trick hydraulic unit. My review unit came with the simpler setup, which relies on the front-mounted, 4,500-lb (2,041 kg) winch to raise and lower. It's a bit clunky and requires climbing out of the cab to angle the small blade left or right, but it takes less than a minute to install or remove, and given its size, I was impressed by how well it worked.The winch is hardly precise, so I struggled to get the plow at the right height to push the snow without digging into the ground, but that was my only complaint. It made quick work of the snow I moved, and despite the lack of chains, the UTV's 4X4 setup and aggressive tires meant grip wasn't a problem.Turning was, though. The Ranger XP Kinetic makes its power from a single electric motor, which is then sent to the rear wheels and optionally to the fronts through a central transfer case and locking differentials at either end. Chunky physical switches are the order of the day. Credit: Tim Stevens With everything open, you effectively have one-wheel drive, and if you get overeager on the accelerator, you're greeted with nothing but wheelspin. Be a little more moderate, though, and the XP Kinetic accelerates cleanly. With the differentials open, it's happy to turn.Locking the front and rear differentials gives you a proper 4X4 machine, with maximum grip afforded by turning all four wheels at the same speed.This is when the Ranger XP Kinetic is reluctant to turn, though. That left me disabling differentials whenever I needed to reposition or make a tight turn, a task that's thankfully easy to do with a chunky toggle switch on the dashboard.I don't think this thing would be well-suited for deep, heavy snow or for moving snowbanks around after a long season, but it works surprisingly well for light- to medium-duty plowing. Credit: Tim Stevens What it doesn't do is keep you warm. The lack of windscreen quickly left me frozen to the core, even at limited speeds with the plow down. I took a few higher-speed runs up and down the driveway, and even with my thickest, warmest coveralls, boots, and thermal mittens, I was numb in no time.A heating kit is available, but it should come as no surprise that it's a pricey add-on$1,550, to be exact. A simple heated seat and steering wheel would go a long way, which thankfully wouldn't be difficult to DIY for a lot less money.The other big chore I wanted to tackle was cleaning up some of the many storm-damaged trees that have come down on my property over the past year. I'd already processed much of the wood, leaving it stacked in difficult-to-reach places.The Ranger XP Kinetic was the perfect tool for harvesting all that wood. The bed on the back is short, measuring 36.75 inches (933 mm) deep and 54.25 inches (1,378 mm) wide, but those dimensions proved just about perfect for stacking cross-cut rounds of wood. I was surprised by how much I could fit in there for each load, easily an eighth of a cord. Credit: Tim Stevens Again, a proper truck could carry much more, but the UTV has some real advantages here. It's the perfect height for one thing: making it easy to load the wood. The short depth also made for easy unloading; there was no need to climb in to get everything out.And if I'd been in more of a hurry, the bed is a dumper. Pull a lever on either side and it will tilt down. There's a damper in there so your load won't go flying, but I'd still recommend making sure your hands and feet are clear before you tilt that bed.It's rated for a maximum of 1,250 lbs (570 kg), and while I didn't threaten that figure in my hauling, the gentleman who delivered the Ranger told me that local fire departments haul heavy water tanks on the back of these without issue.There's a two-inch receiver on the back, too, and it's rated for 2,500 lbs (1,134 kg) towing. I didn't get into that, but I did use the hitch for skidding some logs that were in even more challenging locations. Credit: Tim Stevens The 4,500-lb winch on the front ($720) made it easy to safely pull downed trees out from tricky spots. I kept expecting the Ranger to go skidding away instead of the tree coming to me, but it stayed put, likely helped by the mass of its battery.This is another task ill-suited for a proper truck, as these downed trees were all in tricky spots. Instead of having to park and walk, I simply drove right to where the wood was. The bed had plenty of room for even my large chainsaw with a 24-inch bar, plus all the tools, spares, and safety equipment I take along when I'm processing trees.But what about actually driving the thing? To start with, the controls are a bit strange. As you'd expect, there's a steering wheel and pedals for gas and brake, but the dash-mounted shifter is all wrong. For one thing, it's extremely long, requiring a full upper-body effort to go from park to drive.The big issue, though, is that Drive is at the top. After decades of PRNDL, this took some getting used to; it's an odd layout made even more curious by both forward and reverse being in the same shift position. Credit: Tim Stevens You flip a little switch on top of the shifter to go from one to the other. The good news is that you won't have to muscle that big shifter up and down constantly when you're plowing, just toggle the switch back and forth.The bad news is that it's easy to forget whether you're in F or R. Throw the shifter up and step on the gas without checking and you might get a surprise. Thankfully, the rearview camera (whose video is displayed on a 7-inch screen) provides a pretty good clue of which way this thing will go.Off-road, the XP Kinetic is a blast. Despite its generous dimensions, I could wind my way between trees on my property without too much issue, but I'd need to clear out some low-hanging branches if I wanted to make a habit of it. It has plenty of suspension travel and ground clearance, plus a generous brush guard up front and a full-length skid plate below.On the road, the XP Kinetic is just as capable. It's rated for a top speed of 55 mph (89 km/h), but the lack of a windscreen and the resulting threat of frostbite kept me from that speed. Still, even at over 40 mph (60 km/h), it was extremely smooth and easy to drive. Tim Stevens Tim Stevens Tim Stevens Tim Stevens Tim Stevens Tim Stevens It's no rocket ship, but it does pull strongly off the line, and it accelerates quickly. Throttle response is good, as you'd expect, and while there's no one-pedal driving as such, brake regeneration does ensure you at least capture some of your momentum as electricity when it's time to slow down.So yes, the Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic is fast. It's also powerful and hugean extremely capable package that's just a little too much for my purposes.Likewise, that 80 miles of range is more than a typical landowner reasonably needs. Through weeks of chore duty, plowing, and some runs down to the neighbors, I didn't have to charge this thing once.Speaking of charging, a J1772 port is situated on the left behind the driver's seat, which will fill the 29.8 kWh battery in five hours on a standard level 2 EV charger. Charge over a standard outlet and you're looking at something more like 20 hours. Given that these things won't see daily use for most people, that's probably fine. Credit: Tim Stevens Level 2 charging times with the Premium trim and its smaller 14.9 kWh battery are roughly the same thanks to a slower onboard charger (3 kW vs. 6 on the Ultimate). The range on this model drops to an estimated 45 miles. For the $7,500 savings, that seems like the way to go.There are other savings to factor in. Polaris estimates that people spend $200 on gasoline annually for their UTVs. Electricity isn't exactly free, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper. You can also generate charge locally with something like a solar system, which you certainly can't do with gasoline.The biggest savings, though, are in maintenance. There's little to do besides replacing the tires and occasionally flushing the transmission fluid. As anyone who maintains property and has a fleet of vehicles to do so will tell you, the last thing they want is another engine that needs oil changes, another carburetor that needs cleaning, or another fuel tank that needs stabilizing. There's none of that here.Still, I couldn't help but wish that Polaris would sell a model that's two-thirds the size of this one, with half the power and half the range at half the cost. Polaris formerly made an electric version of its smaller Ranger, but it used dated lead-acid batteries and was put out to pasture in 2022.As much as I loved having the Ranger around, I simply can't justify the cost. I'd need a lot more property to get my money's worth. While it was genuinely more useful and capable around the property than a proper pickup, a Frontier or Tacoma has the added benefit of being able to run into town to pick up lumber or mulch, something New York State won't let me do in one of these. Credit: Tim Stevens So I won't be adding a Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic to my personal fleet (at least not a new one), but I certainly see the appeal for those with more trails to cover and more budget to utilize. It will make short work of your longest, hardest chore days, and it makes for a pretty great toy, too. 0 Comments

Once confined to narrow applications, artificial intelligence is now mainstream. Its driving innovations that are reshaping industries, transforming workflows, and challenging long-standing norms.In 2024, generative AI tools became regular fixtures in workplaces, doubling their adoption rates compared to the previous year, according to McKinsey.This surge in adoption highlights AIs transformative potential. At the same time, it underscores the urgency for businesses to fully grasp the opportunities and significant responsibilities that accompany this shift.AIs applications are astonishingly broad, from personalized healthcare diagnostics and real-time financial forecasting to bolstering cybersecurity defenses and driving workforce automation. These advancements promise substantial efficiency gains and insight, yet they also come with profound risks. For enterprise IT managers, who often spearhead these initiatives, the stakes have never been more significant or more complex.The years ahead likely will be defined by how adeptly businesses can navigate this duality. The immense promise of transformative AI innovation is counterbalanced by the equally critical need to mitigate risks through robust data validation, human-in-the-loop systems, and proactive ethical safeguards. As we head into 2025, these three themes will drive the future of AI.Related:Human-Machine Interaction Will GrowThe promise of AI lies not in replacing human oversight but in enhancing it. The increased adoption of AI means it increasingly will integrate into workflows where human judgment remains essential, particularly in high-stakes sectors such as healthcare and finance.In healthcare, AI is revolutionizing diagnostics and treatment planning. Systems can process vast amounts of medical data, highlighting potential issues and providing insights that save lives. Yet, the final decision often rests with clinicians, whose expertise is essential to interpreting and acting on AI-generated recommendations. This collaborative approach safeguards against over-reliance on technology and ensures ethical considerations remain central.Similarly, in financial services, AI aids in risk assessment and fraud detection. While these tools offer unparalleled efficiency, they require human oversight to account for nuances and contextual factors that algorithms may miss. This balance between automation and human input is critical to building trust and achieving sustainable outcomes.Deploying AI responsibly requires enterprise IT managers to prioritize systems that maintain this collaborative framework. Setting the stage for responsible use requires implementing mechanisms for continuous oversight, designing workflows that incorporate checks and balances, and ensuring transparency in how AI tools arrive at their outputs.Related:AI Accuracy Is Even More ImportantAccurate AI systems are critical in fields where errors can have far-reaching consequences. For example, a health misdiagnosis resulting from faulty AI predictions could endanger patients. In finance, an erroneous risk assessment could cost organizations millions. One key challenge is ensuring that the data feeding these systems is reliable and relevant. AI models, no matter how advanced, are only as good as the data they are trained on. Inaccurate or biased data can lead to flawed predictions, misaligned recommendations and even ethical lapses. For instance, financial models trained on outdated or incomplete datasets may expose organizations to unforeseen risks, while medical AI could misinterpret diagnostic data.But capitalizing on what AI has to offer requires more than just accurate, clean data.The selection of the right model for a given task plays a crucial role in maintaining accuracy. Over-reliance on generic or poorly matched models can undermine trust and effectiveness. Enterprises should tailor AI tools to specific datasets and applications, integrating domain-specific expertise to ensure optimal performance.Related:Enterprise IT managers must adopt proactive measures like rigorous data validation protocols, routinely auditing AI systems for biases, and incorporating human review as a safeguard against errors. With these best practices, organizations can elevate the accuracy and reliability of their AI deployments, paving the way for more informed and ethical decision-making.Regulatory Focus Will Be NarrowAs AI continues to evolve, its growing influence has prompted an urgent need for thoughtful regulation and governance. With the incoming administration prioritizing a smaller government impact, regulatory frameworks will likely focus only on high-stakes applications where AI poses significant risks to safety, privacy and economic stability, such as autonomous vehicles or financial fraud detection. Regulative attention could intensify in sectors like healthcare and finance as governments and industries strive to mitigate potential harm. Failures in these areas could endanger lives and livelihoods and erode trust in the technology itself.Cybersecurity is another area where governance will take center stage. The Department of Homeland Security recently unveiled guidance for how to use AI in critical infrastructure, which has become a target for exploitation. Regulatory measures may require organizations to demonstrate robust safeguards against vulnerabilities, including adversarial attacks and data breaches.However, regulation alone is not enough. Enterprises must also foster a culture of accountability and ethical responsibility. This involves setting internal standards that go beyond compliance, such as prioritizing fairness, reducing bias, and ensuring that AI systems are designed with end-users in mind.Enterprise IT managers hold the keys to striking this balance by implementing transparent practices and fostering trust. By acting thoughtfully now, organizations can harness AI to drive innovation while addressing its inherent risks, ensuring it becomes a cornerstone of progress for years to come.

Netflix is exploring licensing video podcasts as it looks to its next phase of growth.YouTube's success with video podcasts has shown they're not just for listening.Podcasts could offer Netflix cheap content and potential ad revenue growth.Netflix has spent the past two decades upending the TV business. Could video podcasts be next?Netflix has been exploring potential deals with podcasters, four industry insiders familiar with Netflix's strategy told Business Insider. The effort comes as YouTube's rise as a living-room fixture and podcasting powerhouse has stoked interest from Netflix in creator content.Last year, Netflix looked into doing a deal with Alex Cooper of "Call Her Daddy" fame, two people familiar with the talks told BI. Cooper ended up striking a deal with SiriusXM reportedly worth up to $125 million.Netflix declined to comment.A top talent agent said that in conversations in recent months, Netflix insiders had warmed to the idea of tapping podcasting talent to host a talk-based video show, after previously expressing skepticism that the format could work on the platform."More recently they are exploring: Is this doable? Which one would make sense for us? They ask about specific names," the agent said. "It's a way to get an amazing volume of content at a fraction of what they pay for scripted and unscripted budgets." This person, along with some other industry insiders, spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect business relationships; their identities are known to BI. Netflix looked into doing a deal with Alex Cooper of "Call Her Daddy" fame, two people familiar with the talks told BI. Antony Jones/Getty Images for Spotify Netflix's past forays into talk-style shows have generally revolved around comedians and have often been short-lived. The streamer has not completely abandoned that approach. Last month, Netflix announced that it had signed John Mulaney to a 12-week-long show "Everybody's Live with John Mulaney." This follows the six-week "John Mulaney's Everybody's in LA" and other projects Mulaney has had with the streamer.The effort to sign podcasters, however, is an indication of Netflix's general warming to the idea of working with creators, industry insiders told BI. In recent months, Netflix has welcomed YouTube-born creators, including entertainers The Sidemen and kids' educator Ms. Rachel, to its platform.Video podcasts could be a natural extension of that effort."I could see a world in which audio-only and vodcasts are streamed on Netflix so that they can offer an all-in-one place to keep users on their platform for everything," said Jessica Cordova Kramer, the cofounder of Lemonada Media, which works with Julia Louis Dreyfuss and Meghan Markle on their podcasts.Video podcasts can appeal to Netflix and other streamers because they are cheaper than traditional TV shows, their regular release schedules can build a habit, and they can help boost ad revenue by adding additional inventory."We have spoken with multiple streamers looking to partner with us for licensed content," Cordova Kramer said.Podcasts are increasingly being watchedNetflix is no doubt seeing how YouTube has become the top platform for podcasts. It beat out Spotify and Apple as of the fourth quarter of 2024, according to Edison Research. Creators like Tana Mongeau and Logan Paul, in turn, arechasing the podcast boomby creating their own shows, helping expand their business through touring, merch, and more.Many podcasts, especially those of the talk variety, also now have video components. Edison found that 89% of weekly Gen-Z podcast listeners watched (or listened to) podcasts with video as of the end of 2024. YouTube said people watched 400 million hours of podcasts on televisions in 2024 via its platform.This trend has drawn the format closer to the daytime and late-night talk shows that have been on TV for decades, said Vox Media's SVP and general manager for audio and digital video Ray Chao.Chao said that TV companies other than Netflix had already sought out talk shows that began in the digital realm. He pointed to Pat McAfee at ESPN and "Hot Ones" at Hulu. Chao declined to comment on Vox Media's active business opportunities in the space. The SmartLess podcast hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes spawned a tour docuseries on Max. Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM Industry insiders say more streamers entering the fray could be a boon for the podcast industry."Podcasting has sort of been through a lot the last 18 months," said PAVE Studios founder Max Cutler, citing Apple's iOS 17 update, which changed podcast downloads and impacted ads. "Having someone like Netflix come in will really help grow the overall pie of listenership and viewership."What does Netflix want?Industry insiders said they see potential Netflix deals going a few ways. Netflix could license existing podcasts and forego exclusivity, as it did with "The Amazing Digital Circus," a popular YouTube show that came to Netflix in October.Netflix may also want to have something unique, three people familiar with its efforts said. In the case of Cooper, Netflix expressed interest in creating original shows around the star, one of the people familiar with the talks said. A model could be something like Max's "Smartless: On The Road," a show based on Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes' popular podcast.Netflix could even want shows all to itself or at least exclusively for a certain time period before they're available on YouTube. It could also offer subscribers an ad-free version as an advantage over the YouTube version, or seek out ancillary content from hosts beyond the core podcast property.None of the insiders who spoke with BI thought Netflix was on the verge of challenging YouTube anytime soon. But some saw a day when Netflix might offer a creator-led section or free version of its service, which could eat into YouTube's dominance.One challenge in the short term: Netflix will likely want to enter the podcast business with the biggest creators, and there aren't many available.Notables like Cooper, the Smartless guys, and Dax Shepard have already been snapped up for eye-popping deals. One potential candidate is Kylie Kelce, wife of Jason Kelce, who just passed Joe Rogan as the most popular on Apple and Spotify. Or Netflix might look to those who could build on its comedy vertical, like Tony Hinchcliffe, who hosted Netflix's "Netflix is a Joke" comedy festival.Still, industry insiders generally said they felt it was only a matter of time before more of these deals got done."If the first round of huge podcast expansion and acquisitions came from the Spotifys, the Siriuses, the Amazons of the world, the next round is probably going to come from the streamers," Cutler said.

2025-02-11T12:08:02Z Read in app I make all sorts of easy recipes in my air fryer, like roasted potatoes. Cavan-Images/Shutterstock This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? I love my air fryer and use it pretty much every day for easy meals and snacks.One of my favorite simple air-fryer meals is andouille sausage, onions, and peppers.Crispy chickpeas are a great snack, and air-fried pears make a nice dessert.Before I started using my air fryer a few years ago, I didn't realize its full potential. I thought of it as a quick-cooking method for frozen food or a backup plan when I needed something heated up super quickly.Now, I use my air fryer at least once a day and depend on it to cook meals, snacks, and desserts.Here are six of my favorite easy air-fryer recipes. Crispy chickpeas make for a flavorful snack.I like to make my chickpeas extra crispy. Kristen Kwiatkowski When I crave a quick snack, crispy chickpeas are at the top of my list. The legumes cook up quickly in the air fryer with very few ingredients.I give one can of chickpeas a good rinse and then toss them in olive oil, salt, and paprika.With my air fryer set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I cook the beans for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure everything cooks evenly.It's a convenient snack to enjoy at home or on the go. Plus, chickpeas have fiber and protein, so they keep me full.Air-fried tofu goes nicely with broccoli.I like the texture of air-fried tofu. Kristen Kwiatkowski Air-fried tofu and broccoli is one of my favorite vegetarian meals to make.I cut the tofu up in small cubes, toss it in a mixture of soy sauce and brown sugar, and pop it in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Again, I shake the basket a few times during the cooking process.While the tofu is cooking, I usually chop some broccoli into florets and add the vegetable to the air fryer midway through. I also like to add sliced green onions near the end of the cooking time so the flavors infuse into the finished product.Mild shishito peppers and crusty bread make a great appetizer.Shishito peppers feel fancy, but they're super simple to make. Kristen Kwiatkowski Shishito peppers pack a lot of flavor without being too spicy.I start by washing the peppers, placing them in the air-fryer basket, and drizzling some extra-virgin olive oil on top. Add a few shakes of salt and cook the peppers at 400 degrees for six to eight minutes or until they have a slight char on the outside.Once the peppers are done, I brush olive oil onto slices of French baguette (or whatever bread I have on hand) and pop them in the hot basket.The blistered peppers pair so nicely with the warm, crispy bread.Sausage, peppers, and onions are all I need for a complete air-fryer meal.I throw the sausage and veggies in the air fryer together. Kristen Kwiatkowski If you're looking for a quick and easy dinner, combine slices of andouille sausage, peppers, and onions in an air fryer.Add a tablespoon of oil and some salt, and shake lightly to coat all of the ingredients evenly. Then, cook everything for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees until the ingredients have slightly crisp edges.It's such a simple yet delicious weeknight meal.I combine potatoes and shallots for a hearty side dish.Nothing beats a crispy side of potatoes. Kristen Kwiatkowski With just a few ingredients, I can create a flavorful potato side dish to accompany my favorite main courses.Start by rinsing and chopping six to 10 red potatoes into halves or quarters and peeling and slicing one shallot. Then, combine the vegetables in the air-fryer basket, toss with olive oil and salt, and cook everything at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.You'll know it's done when the potatoes are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.Air-fried pears are a light but satisfying dessert.When I want something sweet, I air-fry some pear slices. Kristen Kwiatkowski When I'm craving dessert but want something lighter, air-fried pears are my go-to. Just core two pears and slice them into about six or eight wedge-shaped pieces.Toss the slices with 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Then, air-fry at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until the pears are slightly soft.

Donald Trump announced Monday that the US will impose a 25 percent tariff on all imports of steel and aluminum.The president has a habit of declaring radical changes to trade policy, only to swiftly walk them back. Last week, Trump postponed his long-promised 25 percent tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada, after reaching agreements with both countries over border security. But theres a reason to think that Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs will stick: He implemented a nearly identical policy during his first term.In 2018, Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum, exempting only a small number of countries. A little over a year later, Trump granted extended exemptions to two of Americas top steel providers, Canada and Mexico.Trumps commitment to re-running his experiment with large steel and aluminum tariffs is curious, since his first try yielded terrible results. It goes without saying that tariffs harm domestic consumers: Putting a tax on imported goods tends to make them more expensive. Sophisticated proponents of tariffs tend to acknowledge this, while insisting that the harm to consumers is outweighed by the policys benefits to domestic manufacturing and/or national security.This might be true of certain tariffs. But the data suggest Trumps steel and aluminum duties harmed Americas consumers and manufacturers alike, while providing no obvious benefit to national security.According to one estimate from the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Trumps metal tariffs which were lifted by the Biden administration were on track to cost American consumers and businesses roughly $11.5 billion per year. It is not entirely clear that this great sum bought the US significantly more steel jobs: Between January 2018 and October 2022, employment in Americas steel sector actually fell by 4.2 percent.Its possible that job losses in steel would have been even higher, had the tariffs not been in place. The Alliance for American Manufacturing a group that supported the tariffs claimed in 2019 that they had saved or created roughly 12,700 jobs. And yet, if one takes that figure (as well as Petersons cost estimate) as gospel, Americans may have paid about $900,000 per steel job, far more than it would have cost to directly pay the salaries of each affected steelworker. RelatedIs Trumps trade war with Mexico and Canada over?The bigger problem with metal tariffs, though, is that far more American companies manufacture things out of steel than produce steel itself. According to one estimate, the number of Americans who work in steel-using industries outstrip those who work in steel production by an 80-to-1 margin. For steel users, Trumps metal tariffs were all harm and no benefit: By increasing the cost of a key input and inspiring retaliatory tariffs against American goods Trumps policy reduced US manufacturing employment, according to a 2019 study from the Federal Reserve. The study implies that Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs cost the US about 75,000 manufacturing jobs. All this had little discernible benefit on national security. It is true that steel is a key input for military hardware and that China a US adversary produces more steel than we do. Yet the US imports about 80 percent of its steel from allied nations. And retaining the goodwill of such allies is likely more important (and realistic) than trying to domestically replicate the collective steel producing capacity of Canada, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, and the European Union combined.In sum, if Trump is serious about his metal tariffs and he certainly seems to be Americans should steel themselves for rising prices and falling manufacturing employment. See More:

Donald Trump and Elon Musks efforts to transform federal spending and the federal workforce is crashing up against judges whove temporarily blocked several of their policies.Judges have frozen Trumps spending freeze orders, the Musk teams effort to access government payment systems, Musks fork in the road offer for federal employees to resign, and an attempt to put most of USAIDs staff on administrative leave.Which has raised the question: Will the administration comply with these judges orders, or try to defy them?Vice President JD Vance seemed to hint at the possibility of open defiance in an X post on Sunday. If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal, Vance wrote. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, thats also illegal. Judges arent allowed to control the executives legitimate power.But traditionally, in the American system, what counts as the executives legitimate power has been determined by the judiciary. Blatantly defying a court order would be a monumental step, one that even many conservatives would find alarming. Yet there are elements in right-wing circles Vance included who have previously advocated doing just that. And if they win out, well be embroiled in a very serious constitutional crisis.Despite Vances rhetoric, the Trump administration has not yet openly rejected any judicial order so far. In court filings, theyve claimed to be complying with all of them.But there are questions about whether they actually are. One judge ruled Monday that the administration had failed to comply with his order unfreezing the spending freeze. And USAID employees are claiming in a court filing that they havent been reinstated in their jobs.In the near term, slipperiness like this rather than explicit, unambiguous defiance of court authority may be the way the Trump administration will try to circumvent court orders they dislike. That way, they can claim theyre complying with the letter of a ruling, while not exactly following the spirit of it. Then, if the judge complains, they could try something similar again or try to go above the judges head with an appeal, eventually to a Supreme Court that may be friendlier.Courts are the most important remaining guardrail against untrammeled presidential powerThe American Enterprise Institutes Yuval Levin is the epitome of the reasonable, thoughtful conservative. Hes a recurring guest on the Ezra Klein Show, and when he appeared last week, his takes on the Trump administration so far were characteristically calm and measured, viewing it mainly as politics as usual rather than something to panic about. So Klein asked Levin: What would have to happen to make him worry that Trump truly was headed in a dangerous and unprecedented direction? What would really frighten you?My biggest fear is the administration deciding not to abide by court orders, Levin said. If the administration openly defies a court order, then I think we are in a different situation.A willing, voluntary respect for the rule of law holds the constitutional system together.Indeed, with congressional Republicans ill-inclined to criticize or counter Trump, the courts may be the most important check on presidential power remaining. So long as the courts rule on whether the Trump administrations policies are illegal and so long as the administration respects their rulings, even negative ones the rule of law still exists.So if you dont like a judges ruling, what you should do is appeal. And if you appeal all the way up to the Supreme Court, and you dont like their ruling either, well, youve got to accept it anyway.Many traditional conservatives share this point of view not least because the current Supreme Court majority is quite conservative and will likely be able to restrain Democratic presidents for many years to come.But some thinkers on whats known as the New Right have in recent years argued that major changes to the American system of government are necessary and that, if the courts get in the way, they should be ignored.The vice president of the United States has, in the past, voiced agreement with such views. In 2021, then-US Senate candidate Vance said that Trump, if restored to office, should fire every single midlevel bureaucrat and civil servant and when the courts stop you, stand before the country like Andrew Jackson did, and say, The chief justice has made his ruling. Now let him enforce it.We are in a late Republican period, Vance elaborated (referring to the Roman Republic). Were going to have to get pretty wild, and pretty far out there, and go in directions that a lot of conservatives right now are uncomfortable with.Ultimately, this amounts to a belief that the president should seize more power and ignore legal and procedural obstacles in his way, including judicial rulings. Its a dangerous road to go down, because as Vances apocryphal Jackson quote indicates judges dont actually have power to force the administration into compliance. A willing, voluntary respect for the rule of law holds the constitutional system together.So does the Trump administration actually intend to make good on Vances redpilled fantasies?The newest judicial rulings against the Trump administration and how theyve respondedIn the second Trump administrations first three weeks, officials have accepted several adverse court rulings such as one blocking Trumps attempt to roll back birthright citizenship in the ordinary fashion. That is, theyve said theyre abiding by the ruling, even though they disagree with it, and promising to appeal.But one particular judicial order made them irate. This was a Saturday morning decision by New York District Judge Paul Engelmayer, dealing with the Musk teams newfound control of the Treasury Department systems that disperse government salaries, payments, and grants. Per Engelmayers order, only properly cleared civil servants were permitted to have access to these payment systems Musks DOGE team had to stay out.Now, this order was only set to be in effect for a few days; this lawsuit was being handed off to another judge, who will hold a hearing on Friday. The hold was a temporary measure to let this next judge hear the case and decide what to do going forward.But many on the right reacted to it with fury, calling it overbroad. Musk called the judge corrupt and demanded his impeachment. And on Sunday, Vance posted his assertion that judges arent allowed to control the executives legitimate power.Given Vances past comment that Trump should defy judicial orders, many interpreted this as a signal that the constitutional crisis had arrived that the Trump administration was gearing up to defy a court order.Later that night, however, the administrations lawyers sounded a more measured tone in a court filing. While criticizing Engelmayers ruling and asking it to be revoked or modified, they stressed that they are in compliance with it as they have in other suits where their policies have been frozen by judges too.But in some of those cases, questions have arisen about just how compliant the Trump team has been. Chief Judge John McConnell, of the US District Court in Rhode Island, has been weighing a challenge to Trumps spending freeze, and issued a temporary halt on that policy. However, in a ruling Monday, McConnell wrote that the administration had continued to improperly freeze federal funds and refused to resume disbursement of appropriated funds. He ordered them to immediately restore frozen funding and end any federal funding pause.Soon, we will see how the Trump administration responds to that order.But so far, the administration has not gone so far as blatantly and unambiguously defying a court order. They have not told a judge: We simply refuse to do what you say. They are still at least acting like theyre playing by the courts rules. Well see how long that keeps up.See More: Politics