On Wednesday night, I enjoyed my evening by playing a few rounds of Helldivers 2 with friends. The Major Order was to defend against eleven attacks from the Illuminate, and with nine successes, I figured it was safe to let the night crew clean things up. I slept soundly with the knowledge that I had done my part in protecting humanity, but awoke to find a horrifying revelation on my Super Destroyers console: we failed the mission so bad that the Illuminate destroyed a whole planet, and now theyre aiming for Super Earth.In order to understand the tragic fate of Angels Venture, you have to understand Meridia. The Meridia worm hole has been like a cosmic Chekhovs Gun, just waiting ominously in Terminid space. Meridia was once a planet, but it developed into a Terminid Supercolony. In order to stop an endless swarm of mutated Terminids, Helldivers had to pump the planet full of mysterious Dark Fluid until it collapsed upon itself. Was it kind of our fault that Meridia became a Supercolony? Technically, thats one way to look at it if you hate liberty.When the Illuminate first showed up, fans speculated that they would be linked to the Meridia worm hole, and sure enough, some weird stuff started happening on the cosmic map. While we dutifully chased down robots wearing jetpacks, the Illuminate were gathering their own Dark Fluid. Upon logging in on Thursday afternoon, I was greeted with the following message:Angels Venture has been torn apart by the gravitational pull of the Meridia Singularity.This is an incalculable loss.The land cultivated by generation. The lives of the Super Earth citizens whose evacuation could not be prioritized. The proud pines shading the Democratic Youth Scouts campground. All gone forever, ripped to shreds by savage cosmic forces.Finally the Illuminate, hiding behind their mask of intelligence and sophistication, have revealed what they truly want: carnage.The President of Super Earth has announced a Galaxy-wide mourning period of 24 hours.Needless to say, I immediately fell to my knees and cried out: No! Those God damned Illuminate!! But before I could process any further, I couldnt help but notice a little something. The Singularity has a predicted path, and its going to gobble up every planet in said path until it hits Super Earth. Im shaking, Im crying, and Im absolutely terrified to see what happens next.I have no doubt Super Earth scientists are working overtime to figure out a solution, but Angels Venture will never recover from such a tragedy. Its the evolving galaxy of Helldivers 2 that makes me like the game so dang much while new players may never understand the tragedy at hand, every time I gaze at the scattered rocks that remain, I shed a single, solemn tear. Now, players just have to wait to see what the plan is, and whether we can rally to save Super Earth.

It sucks finding brown leaf-tips on your little plant babies: You know its your fault, but youre not sure what youve done wrong, and its not like your plant can tell you. It will take some botanical detective work to get to the root of the matter and find out why your plant looks like it has seen better days, but once you do, its often an easy-to-solve problem. Here are some potential problems (and their solutions).You're watering it too much (or too little)Brown leaf-tips can indicate you aren't watering your plant enough, or you're watering it too much, or you're not watering it at the right time. Study up, and get to know your plants needs. Theres no one-size-fits all approachsome plants like it extra dry, some extra wetbut for most plants, it's somewhere in the middle. You can tell whether a plant needs water by checking the soil. Bone dry soil means add water. Damp soil means youre good.But too much water is bad too: Brown leaves and leaf-tips can also be caused by overwatering. You can quickly diagnose whether youre giving your plant too much or too little water by noting the overall condition of its leaves. Overwatered plants tend to have limp leaves, while under-watered ones feel dry or crispy. Even if youre watering just the right amount, brown-tipped leaves can be caused by the kind of water youre using. If youre using softened water, add a little salt every time you break out the watering can, or try switching to distilled or filtered water. It's too dry in your houseDried-out tips on your houseplants leaves can also be caused by too little humidity in your home. Maybe the air in your house is dry due to how youre heating it, or the area where you live may be experiencing a dry spell. Either way, you gotta add a little moisture to your plants environment. One way to do this is to group it together with other plants, so as one plant is exhaling moisture, the others are taking it in. Another solution is to put your plant on a tray, plate, or saucer filled with pebbles and some water. As the water evaporates, it will provide a little localized moisture pocket for your plant to thrive in.You're using the fertilizer wrongIf your plants leaf-tips look burned, dark green, or reddish purple, they might not be getting enough phosphorus. Yellow or brown along the edges of older leaves, yellowing between veins, spotting, and curling leaves can all indicate a potassium deficiency. Either means you have a fertilizer problem. Adding a slow-release fertilizer when youre potting is a good solution, but you might need to add a little fertilizer boost occasionally. Before you just throw in a bunch of fertilizer and hope for the best, know that brown, burned, or discolored leaf-tips can also be caused by too much fertilizer (make up your mind, plant!). Some kinds of fertilizers add salt that builds up in the soil over time, resulting in tip-burn. If you notice a white crust on the soil, saucers, or on the side of your pot, it could be salt build-up. Flush the soil by putting the pot in the sink and watering it until the soil is fully soaked and the water runs through (repeat this a few times). Or you could hit the reset button and repot with fresh soil, which you should be doing every 12 to 18 months for most plants anyway.It's OK to cut off the brown leavesOnce youve diagnosed the cause of your plants discolored leaves, its time to put this unpleasantness behind you and cut away the brown parts. Using sharp scissors, cut along the leafs natural shape, leaving a thin brown area around the cut. Once the new healthy leaves grow, it should look as if it was never brown to begin with. Or just grow something elseIf you simply cant fix your plants leaf problems, maybe your reach has exceeded your grasp with this species, and you should grow something easier. Consider one of these unkillable plants as you level-up your home-gardening kills.

Amazon is apparently not happy being the face of e-commerce, so its planning to start wearing other companies hats, too. It's currently beta testing a feature in the Amazon app that will show you products Amazon doesn't actually sell; when you click on them while shopping, you'll be invited to leave the app to shop directly from the brand itself.Were now testing a new shopping experience in beta where well show select products in our search results even if we dont sell them in our store, Amazon wrote in a blog. A gif demonstrating the feature suggests these products will be bunched together under a Shop brand sites directly banner, and will show an image and a price point. Clicking on one of them will trigger a warning that youre leaving Amazon; clicking "continue" will take you directly to the website for the brand that makes the product, so you can finish your shopping there instead.While on that other brands website, Amazon Prime members may still be able to take advantage of their delivery and returns benefits, provided the store is part of the Buy with Prime program.Its unclear exactly why Amazon is making a point of sending people to shop from what is ostensibly its competition, although a spokesperson for the company said over email that the move is simply an experiment and that Amazon does not receive affiliate revenue from it. My guess is that this is an attempt to compete with Google Shopping. Currently, Google offers users dozens of buy links across different stores, each with different deals and sometimes with reviews attached, just for typing a product name into the search engine. Savvy shoppers can use Google to avoid Amazon entirely, while possibly getting a better idea of their buying options. In introducing links to alternate stores to Amazon, the company can evolve from simply an e-commerce giant into a general shopping search engine in its own right. Theoretically, this will incentivize buyers to stay in the Amazon ecosystem, or at least interact with it at some point in their shopping journey. Think of it like eating at a McDonalds in a theme parkthe park owners might have to split some revenue, but they get to keep you on property rather than having you leave to get lunch elsewhere.Reasoning aside, the change is no doubt likely to confuse some users as to where exactly theyre buying their items, even if there are warnings when they're leaving the Amazon site embedded into the experience. Currently, it seems as if Amazon is rolling out this feature somewhat arbitrarily, as there doesnt appear to be a way to sign up for it or get rid of it if you have it. Instead, the company notes that its currently live for a subset of U.S. customers in the Amazon Shopping app on both iOS and Android, with more U.S. users set to be added shortly. If youd rather avoid the update, it does seem to currently be limited to Amazon's mobile apps, so you can continue to shop in your browser without encountering it.Update 2/13: Updated this post with comment from Amazon.

The OnePlus Open was a surprisingly good device, especially considering that it was the company's first attempt at making a foldable phone. Unfortunately, in a community note published today, OnePlus announced that a proper follow-up to the Open won't be arriving in 2025.In the post, OnePlus Open product manager Vale G. said that the company has "carefully considered the timing and our next steps in foldable devices, and we have made the decision not to release a foldable this year." That's definitely a bummer, particularly for fans of devices with flexible displays in the US, who aren't able to easily buy handsets from Chinese brands like Huawei, Xiaomi and OnePlus' parent company Oppo. It's also a bit of a shock considering that the Open hit the shelves more than a year and a half ago in late 2023, so it was due for an update.The one positive takeaway from this is that while the OnePlus Open 2 isn't happening this year, the company isn't giving up on foldables forever, saying "This is not a step back, its a recalibration. Our commitment to innovation is stronger than ever, and were excited to bring you fresh, unique experiences that truly Never Settle." For owners of the Open, OnePlus also noted that the phone will continue to receive regular software and security updates as scheduled.Unfortunately, this means that for the US market, there are only two main manufacturers still making big foldable phones: Samsung and Google, who we expect to announce refreshed models sometime later this summer. What's worse is that when it comes to the Galaxy Z Fold line, the recent lack of competition feels like it has allowed Samsung to slack off, with the Z Fold 6 only offering middling improvements over previous generations. So here's hoping OnePlus can rejoin the fray soon to help spur competition between the handful of phone makers still trying to innovate with a small but slowly growing niche.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-oneplus-open-2-isnt-happening-this-year-184514367.html?src=rss

The UKs shockingly intrusive order for Apple to create a backdoor into users encrypted iCloud data doesnt only affect Brits; it could be used to access the private data of any Apple account holder in the world, including Americans. Less than a week after security experts sounded the alarm on the report, US Congress is trying to do something about it.The Washington Post reported on Thursday that, in a rare show of modern Capitol Hill bipartisanship, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) wrote to the new National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, asking her to take measures to thwart the UKs surveillance order including limiting cooperation and intelligence sharing if the country refuses to comply.If Apple is forced to build a backdoor in its products, that backdoor will end up in Americans phones, tablets and computers, undermining the security of Americans data, as well as of the countless federal, state and local government agencies that entrust sensitive data to Apple products, Biggs and Wyden reportedly wrote. The US government must not permit what is effectively a foreign cyberattack waged through political means.The pair told Gabbard that if the UK doesnt retract its order, she should reevaluate US-UK cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as US intelligence sharing with the UK. Wyden sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Biggs is on the House Judiciary Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance.Wyden reportedly began circulating a draft bill that, if passed, could at least make the process harder for UK authorities. The proposed modification to the 2018 CLOUD Act would make information requests to US-based companies by foreign entities more onerous by requiring them to first obtain a judges order in their home country. In addition, it would forbid other countries (like, oh, say... the UK) from demanding changes in encryption protocols to the products or services of companies in the US. Request challenges would also be given jurisdiction in US rather than foreign courts.AppleThe UK order, first reported by The Washington Post, requires Apple to create a backdoor into its Advanced Data Protection, a feature introduced in iOS 16.2 in 2022. Advanced Data Protection applies end-to-end encryption to many types of iCloud data, including device backups, Messages content, notes and photos, making them inaccessible even to Apple. The order demands a blanket ability to access a users fully encrypted data whenever and wherever the target is located.The order was issued under the UKs Investigatory Powers Act 2016, known (not so affectionately) as the Snooper's Charter, which expanded the electronic surveillance powers of British intelligence agencies and law enforcement. It would be a criminal offense for Apple to publicly confirm receiving the order, so the company hasnt commented on the matter. Security experts warn that implementing this backdoor would needlessly expose anyone with an Apple Account to foreign spying, hackers and adversarial countries.Apple reportedly received a draft of the order last year when UK officials debated the changes. In a written submission protesting them, the company said the planned order could be used to force a company like Apple, that would never build a back door into its products, to publicly withdraw critical security features from the UK market. The company can appeal the notice but cant use the appeal to delay compliance.Most experts in the democratic world agree that what the UK is proposing would weaken digital security for everyone, not just in the UK but worldwide, Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of the UKs National Cyber Security Center, told The Washington Post.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/us-lawmakers-respond-to-the-uks-apple-encryption-backdoor-request-182423656.html?src=rss

The latest firmware brings AI Summary and handwriting recognition to old and new Kindle Scribes in three more countries.

A huge dataset belonging to IoT firm Mars Hydro has been discovered unsecured online.

Road congestion is a persistent thorn in the side of our car-centric society. Its loud, stressful, dangerous, and worsens air quality. Its been linked to all kinds of adverse health effects, including lower birth weights, memory and attention problems in school kids, higher mortality in elderly adults, and even crime. But traffic might also affect our eating habitsand not in a good way.A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, published in the Journal of Urban Economics, examined weekday traffic data from Los Angeles County highways between 2017 and 2019 and compared it with cellphone GPS data tracking customer visits to fast food restaurants in the same county during the same years. They found that when traffic was worse due to unexpected slowdowns, visits to fast food restaurants went up. This effect was especially strong if the traffic delays occurred around evening mealtimes, when drivers were leaving work and probably starting to feel some predinner hunger pangs.The results showed that for every 30-second increase in traffic delay per mile traveled, there was a 1% increase in visits to fast food restaurants. While that may not seem like a lot, the researchers estimate that over a year, it amounts to about 1.2 million more fast food meals in Los Angeles. Weve been saying that our results are modest but meaningful, says Becca Taylor, assistant professor in the universitys Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, and coauthor on the study.Indeed, this relationship has implications for health and wellness. Fast food tends to be high in ultra-processed ingredients, saturated or trans fats, sugar, and sodium, all of which can increase ones risk of developing a number of diseases and ailments, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and even depression. Some researchers go so far as to say processed foods and fast foods are responsible for more premature deaths than cigarettes. Meals prepared at home are by far the healthier option. People who eat home-cooked meals more often have a better mix of fruits and vegetables in their diets, and are exposed to fewer harmful chemicals, including so-called forever chemicals. We also are more likely to overeat at restaurants than we would at home. So its troubling that gridlock may be nudging hungry people toward McDonalds for dinner when they might have otherwise eaten a more balanced meal at home.Los Angeles is a city infamous for its snarled highways, but the authors say these findings can be applied elsewhere. There are other cities in the U.S. that are equally congested and have these big swings in traffic congestion, Taylor says, listing off New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. She hopes the research can help make the case for prioritizing traffic solutions, like better public transportation or congestion charges, such as the one recently introduced in New York. We see this as another thing policymakers could have in their arsenal for why its important for them to spend political capital working on congestion, Taylor says.While this study might seem on the surface to be just about traffic, look a bit deeper and youll realize its really about time, or lack of it. We have a limited number of waking hours during which we can get things done, and most of them are consumed by work. Ideally we can spend what little time we have leftover doing things we find nourishing and fulfilling like, say, sitting down for a meal with our family. But we dont have a lot of wiggle room, and any delay, including an unexpected traffic slowdown, can force us to make an unhealthy trade-off.This is all quite troubling when you consider that the American workday is getting longer, traffic in the U.S. is getting worse, and fast food restaurants keep multiplying. Its a bad combination. While infrastructure improvements are important, maybe it would be easier to just give Americans more free time. Taylor and her colleagues say allowing people to work from home, or reducing the number of days theyre required to be in the office, might be able to help here. Time scarcity is one of the strongest correlates of fast food consumption, the authors write. Policies aimed at loosening time constraints would help battle unhealthy eating habits.

Igloo is recalling more than one million of its coolers sold across the U.S., Mexico and Canada due to a handle hazard that has resulted in a handful of fingertip injuries, including some amputations.The now-recalled Igloo 90 Qt. Flip & Tow Rolling Coolers have a tow handle can pinch users fingertips against the product posing potential amputation and other crushing risks, according to a Thursdayrecall noticefrom the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.Igloo has received 12 injury reports in the U.S., the CPSC notes, which include fingertip amputations, bone fractures, and lacerations. There are no known injuries in Canada or Mexico.Consumers in possession of the coolers are urged to stop using them immediately and contact Igloo for a free replacement handle.The now-recalled coolers were sold at major retailers like Costco, Target, Dicks and Amazon between 2019 and January 2025 for between $80 and $140. About 1.06 million were purchased in the U.S., in addition to 47,000 in Canada and another 23,000 in Mexico.The affected products can be identifiedby model numberand description. They were sold in multiple colors with the word IGLOO printed on the side and manufactured in the U.S. prior to January 2024.Consumers canregister for the recall onlineor contact Katy, Texas-based Igloo at 888-943-5182 origloo90qt@sedgwick.comto request a handle replacement.In a statement, Igloo said that it was recalling these rolling coolers and providing free replacement handles with consumer safety as our top priority. The company added that, through rigorous testing and proactive steps, we are constantly improving our products to meet the highest safety standards.Additional information can be found on the websites forthe CPSC,Health Canadaand theOECDs global recall portal.

The future of mobile storage has arrived in a surprisingly compact package. Planck, the worlds smallest phone-first SSD, packs an impressive punch with transfer speeds reaching 1050 MB/s and a storage capacity of up to 2TB. This tiny powerhouse fits perfectly in your palm while delivering professional-grade performance that content creators and mobile filmmakers have been dreaming about.The drives minimalist design serves a practical purpose beyond aesthetics. Its compact form factor allows it to integrate seamlessly with your existing setup, virtually disappearing into your workflow. This thoughtful approach to size and functionality makes Planck an ideal companion for creators who value both performance and portability. You never have to give up precious space in your kit just to carry fast and reliable data storage, space you could use for other equally important tools for your craft.Designer: PlanckClick Here to Buy Now: $125 $189 (34% off). Hurry, only 5/252 left! Raised over $142,000.The drives NVMe chip maintains consistent performance during extended recording sessions, while advanced heat dissipation features, including thermal pads and a strategic heat sink, ensure smooth operation even during demanding tasks. Combining speed and reliability, Plancks impressive transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps ensure you can quickly move large files between devices, while its robust construction provides peace of mind during active shoots. Frame drops and accidents are no longer a cause for worry with Plancks careful attention to these details.For users of the iPhone 15 Pro and above, Planck unlocks a game-changing capability: recording stunning Apple ProRes footage in 4K at 60/120fps directly to the drive. This breakthrough feature transforms your smartphone into a professional-grade recording device, enabling you to capture cinema-quality content without the bulk of traditional equipment. The seamless integration makes high-end mobile filmmaking accessible and practical.Content creators will appreciate Plancks generous storage options. With up to 2TB capacity, you can store countless hours of 4K footage and thousands of high-resolution photos. This abundant space gives you the freedom to capture everything without constantly worrying about running out of storage during crucial moments. With its USB-C connection, it seamlessly integrates with smartphones, cameras, and computers, requiring no additional software or complex setup procedures. Spend less time managing technical details and more time creating compelling content.Just because its tiny doesnt mean its fragile. Crafted from premium aluminum and shockproof plastic, Planck laughs in the face of adventure. Whether youre scaling mountains, navigating rapids, or capturing footage at a packed festival, this water-resistant drive can handle drops up to 3 meters while keeping your precious content safe and secure. This combination of performance and durability makes it an invaluable tool for professionals who cant afford equipment failure during critical moments.For creators seeking even more flexibility, the PlanckBank Hub opens up new possibilities. This clever accessory allows you to pair two Planck SSDs while maintaining connectivity with other essential gear. Connect your microphone, external monitor, and other accessories while keeping your devices charged perfect for complex shooting setups or extended creative sessions.Mobile content creation demands tools that can keep pace with spontaneous creativity. Planck answers this call by combining professional-grade storage capabilities with unmatched portability. Its ability to handle everything from casual photo shoots to intensive 4K video recording sessions makes it an essential addition to any creators toolkit.Click Here to Buy Now: $125 $189 (34% off). Hurry, only 5/252 left! Raised over $142,000.The post This Tiny High-Capacity SSD is Revolutionizing Mobile Content Creation first appeared on Yanko Design.