TrendForce has indicated that global shipments of LCD gaming monitor panels with a refresh rate greater than 144 Hz will likely see slower growth in 2025 than in prior years.The research group expects panels to ship at a rate of less than 5% in 2025, with approximately 34 million units moved. In comparison, global LCD gaming monitor panel shipments reached 32.42 million units in 2024, hitting a 12% year-over-year increase.Recommended VideosTrendForce noted there were several aspects taking place in the LCD gaming monitor market in prior years that likely wont be repeated in 2025. Chinese panel makers were especially focused on manufacturing and expanding the market. Anticipation over various video games and eSports tournaments encouraged panel makers demand, particularly in China. The game Black Myth: Wukong was released in mid-2024, while the Hangzhou Asian Games took place in mid-2023 which can be akin to an Olympic Games for eSports. These events propelled spending on gaming monitors in the prior timeframe. Panel makers that benefitted from these events included HKC, which saw 50% year-over-year shipment increases in 2024, CSOT which saw a 40% increase, and BOE, which saw a 20% increase. However, there isnt anything happening in the industry currently that would aid in driving the market for 2025.TrendForce also noted that LCD gaming monitor panels with a refresh rate of 165 Hz have become more mainstream and are seeing heavy price competition. This is leading panel makers to opt away from producing this form factor, hence the slowed growth.Meanwhile, the OLED gaming monitor panel industry remains robust and continues to grow at an expansive rate. Global shipments spiked 132% year-over-year in 2024 and is expected to grow a moderate 40% in 2025. This part of the industry has seen a trend of 27-inch and 31.5-inch OLED gaming monitors of varying resolutions and refresh rates. Samsung Display has the market and has set the prices of panels to its benefit, which increased shipment volumes.TrendForce indicated that while the OLED gaming monitor industry is still relatively new and developmental, new players could be seen investing in 2025. They will likely focus on the high-end options, meaning price reductions wont come any time soon.Editors Recommendations

Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni review: rolling in the right directionMSRP$1,300.00 Score Details The X8 Pro Omnis new roller mop makes it one of the best robots for cleaning hard floors.ProsRoller mop is a huge improvementEasy to use docking stationBrushes prevent tanglesFast and accurate mappingConsRobot is extremely largeCompetitors offer more suctionTable of ContentsTable of ContentsKeep rolling, rolling, rollingGives obstacles a wide berthNo humans necessaryVerdictEcovacs has created some innovative robot vacuums over the years, including a handful that come bundled with a cordless vacuum like last years T30S Combo. For 2025, the company is making an even more radical design change, employing a new roller mop thats completely different from the mopping plates and pads seen in the competition. The result? A robot vacuum and mop combo capable of handling all sorts of spills and stains on hard floors though it sacrifices size and suction numbers in the process.Recommended VideosThis beast of a robot is better as a robot mop than it is as a robot vacuum. Capable of producing 18,000Pa of suction and with an anti-tangle brush design, it wont have any trouble pulling up hair and debris. But the massive roller mop can only lift itself so high, meaning itll drag along the tips of plush carpets. Those suction numbers also fall behind products like the Roborock Saros 10. And because the roller mop is so large, the X8 Pro Omni is much taller than expected, so forget about cleaning under furniture.RelatedMinor gripes aside, the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni is a wonderful robot, and if your home consists solely of hard floors, its an easy recommendation.Jon Bitner / Digital TrendsThe main attraction of the X8 Pro Omni is its innovative roller mop. Officially known as the Ozmo Roller, its a fantastic piece of engineering that removes many of the pinch points found on other robot mops. As the robot glides across your floors, 16 clean water nozzles will continually wet the mop. At the same time, the mop is being cleaned by a built-in scraper that wrings out the dirty water and debris its picked up.This means its mop is always clean, and itll never smear dirt throughout your kitchen. Coupled with a motor to rotate the roller at speeds up to 200 RPM and create a downward pressure of 4,000Pa, few competitors can do it better.The innovations dont stop there, however, as Ecovacs designed the roller mop to slide outward and away from the robot to clean near baseboards. Its bizarre seeing this in action youre essentially watching a tube slip out a few inches from the robots side but theres no denying it works like a charm.EcovacsObstacle avoidance and navigation are important aspects of robot vacuums, with many robots getting tangled on cords or rolling over toys. Thats not the case with the Ecovacs X8 Pro Omni. In fact, its quite the opposite. During testing, it gave obstacles such a wide berth it missed a significant amount of floor space. For example, the X8 Pro Omni easily avoided a charging cable I threw on the floor, but it left several inches of uncleaned carpet around each side.It would have been nice if the robot traveled a bit closer to the cable for better overall coverage but if the alternative is sucking up a cable, then this is a fine compromise.As for mapping and general navigation, the system works as intended. The systems name is a mouthful (AIVI 3D 3.0 Omni-Approach Technology), but it quickly and accurately mapped my home and traveled to all corners without missing any spaces. It also reacted well to moving obstacles (like my two dogs) and quickly determined the next best path.Jon Bitner / Digital TrendsRobot vacuums should be autonomous. A device that requires little to no input from a human is closer to the dream of a robot vacuum than something requiring daily interventions. For the X8 Pro Omni, youll likely go weeks before needing to do any maintenance. So long as youre picking up clothes, shoes, and other obstacles before each cleaning (or leaving them if you dont mind missed spots), the robot does pretty much everything else.After a cleaning run, the robot will head back to its dock. Once there, itll rinse the mop with hot water and dry it with hot air to prevent the development of nasty odors. Itll also empty its dustbin into a larger bag, which can hold weeks (or months) of dirt depending on the size of your home and how often you run it.Its brushes dont get tangled either, thanks to a V-shaped brush design that guides hair off the rollers and into the dustbin. So once youve programmed in a weekly cleaning schedule, the only real ongoing task for you is monitoring the clean and dirty water tanks.With an inventive new mopping system, loads of suction, and an automated docking station, the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni is a workhorse. Homes with hard floors will find it to be one of the best robot vacuums, as few competitors clean as well as the Ozmo Roller. However, the X8 Pro Omni isnt perfect.During testing, the mop had a difficult time lifting high enough to avoid brushing up against plush carpet. This is typically a problem for most robot vacuums, though some now solve the problem by automatically leaving their mops in the docking station. Thats not possible on the X8 Pro Omni, so depending on the layout of your home, a wet mop could drag across your carpets.The robot itself is also shockingly large, likely due to the size of the roller mop. Homes with hard floors will find it to be a worthwhile compromise, however, as theres no doubt the system results in a fantastic mopping experience. But it also means the robot wont be sneaking under furniture to clean those hard-to-reach areas. Compared to the Roborock Saros 10R, its almost a full inch taller.Those are minor complaints about an otherwise wonderful device. And when you consider that the X8 Pro Omni is more affordable than the Saros 10R, it only becomes more enticing. The X8 Pro Omni is an easy recommendation for homes with hard floors, as few competitors mop with the same level of accuracy and efficiency. Its worth checking out other options if you have plush carpets or rugs, but for everyone else, the X8 Pro Omni is hard to beat.Editors Recommendations

Trump's way or the highway Trump order declares independent US agencies arent independent anymore Order says independent agencies can't contradict Trump's legal interpretations. Jon Brodkin Feb 19, 2025 2:09 pm | 269 US President Donald Trump's signature is seen on an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 14, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) US President Donald Trump's signature is seen on an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 14, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn morePresident Trump yesterday issued an executive order declaring sweeping power over agencies that were created to operate independently from the White House. The order declares that "officials who wield vast executive power must be supervised and controlled by the people's elected President," and that "it shall be the policy of the executive branch to ensure Presidential supervision and control of the entire executive branch."An accompanying fact sheet issued by the White House said the order applies to "so-called independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)." The Federal Election Commission is also expected to be affected by the order.The White House said it will require independent agencies to submit draft regulations for review, except for the monetary policy functions of the Federal Reserve. Independent agencies are also ordered to "consult with the White House on their priorities and strategic plans." The order claims more White House control over how agencies spend their budgets.The White House Office of Management and Budget will "adjust such agencies' apportionments by activity, function, project, or object, as necessary and appropriate, to advance the President's policies and priorities," the executive order said. These budget changes "may prohibit independent regulatory agencies from expending appropriations on particular activities, functions, projects, or objects, so long as such restrictions are consistent with law."The executive order is likely to be challenged in court. Separately, the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to reverse a judge's ruling that blocked Trump's attempt to fire the head of the Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that protects government whistleblowers.Order: Dont contradict the presidentEmployees of independent agencies would also be forbidden from issuing legal interpretations that contradict the president's legal interpretations. "No employee of the executive branch acting in their official capacity may advance an interpretation of the law as the position of the United States that contravenes the President or the Attorney General's opinion on a matter of law, including but not limited to the issuance of regulations, guidance, and positions advanced in litigation, unless authorized to do so by the President or in writing by the Attorney General," the Trump order said.The White House fact sheet said the goal of this provision is to ensure that the president and attorney general "interpret the law for the executive branch, instead of having separate agencies adopt conflicting interpretations."John Bergmayer, legal director of consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge, said Trump's order is based on a "unitary executive" theory that "has made its way from the fringes of academia to the halls of power.""In this latest Executive Order, the Trump regime purports to seize for itself the power Congress delegated to independent regulatory agencies, and as written, declares the White House's interpretation of the law as 'authoritative,' with no mention of the courts," Bergmayer said. "Of course, the president is not, and never has been, the final arbiter of what is lawful. Lawyers working for the government owe their allegiance to the American people, not to President Donald J. Trump."Trump's OMB director, Russell Vought, told Tucker Carlson in a recent interview that "there are no independent agencies. Congress may have viewed them as suchSEC or the FCC, CFPB, the whole alphabet soupbut that is not something that the Constitution understands. So there may be different strategies with each one of them about how you dismantle them, but as an administration, the whole notion of an independent agency should be thrown out."Extending Trumps gripAlthough the president nominates commissioners and appoints chairs at agencies like the FCC, independent agencies are supposed to make their own decisions. A 2023 report by the Congressional Research Service said an independent agency is "a freestanding executive branch organization that is not part of any department or other agency," and which has "greater autonomy from the President's leadership and insulation from partisan politics than is typical of executive branch agencies."Other independent agencies include the National Labor Relations Board and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the report said. Laws approved by Congress specify the authority of independent agencies along with the agencies' "goals, principles, missions, and mandates," the report said."Given Trump's insistence on complete loyalty to him on the part of all government employees, this move is designed to extend his grip on the government to areas that previously have been nonpartisan," NPR quoted UC Berkeley Law Professor Daniel Farber as saying.The FCC's independence was a major point of contention a decade ago when President Obama publicly urged the agency to impose net neutrality rules and regulate Internet service providers as common carriers. Republicans in Congress claimed Obama exerted improper influence over the process.The FCC chairman in Trump's first term, Ajit Pai, repeatedly claimed that the FCC imposed net neutrality rules in 2015 largely because Obama ordered it to do so. The FCC's independent Inspector General's office investigated and found "no evidence" of improper use of power by the White House. Obama's statements "were made known in the record, in full view of all," the inspector general's report said.Agencies must submit proposed rules for reviewTrump's order requires independent agencies to "submit for review all proposed and final significant regulatory actions to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Executive Office of the President before publication in the Federal Register." This means the White House will review potential regulations before an agency seeks comment from the public.The order further requires the head of each independent regulatory agency to establish a position of White House Liaison to handle communications with the White House.FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is already on board with Trump's regulatory priorities in multiple areas. Carr has consistently opposed regulation of the telecom providers that the FCC traditionally oversees and is launching investigations of news organizations accused of bias against Trump and conservatives.Previous FCC chairs from both major political parties rejected Trump's calls to revoke broadcast licenses based on the content of news programs, saying that the First Amendment forbids it. By contrast, Carr has threatened to revoke licenses and embraced Trump's view that broadcasters should be punished for supposed anti-conservative bias.Trump targeting the power of the SEC aligns with one of Elon Musk's pet peeves. Musk repeatedly clashed with the agency over his failure to disclose 2022 purchases of Twitter stock before a legal deadline. Musk also tried and failed to terminate his settlement with the SEC over his 2018 tweets claiming he had secured funding to take Tesla private.Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 269 Comments

put a pin in it Truly a middle finger: Humane bricking $700 AI Pins with limited refunds Humane's showing how not to treat early adopters. Scharon Harding Feb 19, 2025 1:48 pm | 78 Humane's AI Pin. Credit: Humane Humane's AI Pin. Credit: Humane Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAfter launching its AI Pin in April 2024 and reportedly seeking a buyout by May 2024, Humane is shutting down. Most of the people who bought an AI Pin will not get refunds for the devices, which debuted at $700, dropped to $500, and will be bricked on February 28 at noon PT.At that time, AI Pins, which are lapel pins with an integrated AI voice assistant, camera, speaker, and laser projector, will no longer connect to Humanes servers, and all customer data, including personal identifiable information... will be permanently deleted from Humanes servers, according to Humanes FAQ page. Humane also stopped selling AI pins as of yesterday and canceled any orders that had been made but not yet fulfilled. Humane said it is discontinuing the AI Pin because its moving onto new endeavors.Those new endeavors include selling off key assets, including the AI Pins CosmOS operating system and intellectual property, including over 300 patents and patent applications, to HP for $116 million, HP announced on Tuesday. HP expects the acquisition to close this month.Notably, Humane raised $241 million to make its pin and was reportedly valued at $1 billion before launch. Last year, Humane was seeking a sale price of $750 million to $1 billion, according to Bloomberg.But the real failure is in the company's treatment of its customers, who will only get a refund if they are still within the 90-day return window from their original shipment date, Humanes FAQ page says. All device shipments prior to November 15th, 2024, are not eligible for refunds. All refunds must be submitted by February 27th, 2025.AI Pins will no longer function as a cellular device or connect to Humanes servers. This means no calls, texts, or data usage will be possible, according to the startup, which noted that users cant port their phone number to another device or wireless carrier. Some offline features like battery level will still work, Humane said, but overall, the product will become $700 e-waste for most owners in nine days.Feel like weve been dupedThe shutdown leaves customers in the lurch, which has resulted in outrage among Humanes small but invested customer base.One Reddit user, for example, wrote on the Humane subreddit that they feel like weve been duped.The announcement has also made some apparent users cynical about the intentions of the San Francisco firm, which former Apple executives launched in 2018.It's truly a middle finger. Especially because there is no way around it due to the server reliance. I believe this was their plan all along. Sell and [get out], one Reddit user said.Similarly, another Reddit user said the lack of refunds and server access were a blow to early adopters, saying, Humane won by selling. HP won a new tech. All consumers got fucked...There will likely be an effort to jailbreak the AI Pin without Humanes approval so that the gadget can be open-sourced, allowing people to continue to use the pins they already paid for. This has happened with other gadgets that have recently seen functionality ripped away due to corporate failures, such as Spotifys Car Thing.Downward spiralA startup could be forgiven for trying a new product that doesnt take off. But Humanes reported failure to perform and respond to due diligence ahead of AI Pins launch complicates the picture, especially for those who believed in the AI-centric wearable.Humane, founded by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, reportedly pushed out its pin while ignoring negative feedback. A June report from The New York Times that included interviews of "23 current and former employees, advisers, and investors" pointed to Humane founders overlooking criticisms such as poor battery life and power consumption. The paper reported that a senior software engineer was dismissed after raising questions about the product. Bongiorno reportedly held a meeting about responding to criticism from post-release reviews, but this was after the device already garnered a reputation for being, as The Verge put it, thoroughly unfinished and so totally broken in so many unacceptable ways.Beyond general skepticism about the need for people to wear an AI device on their chest, Humane never proved its pitch of AI Pins replacing smartphones. The app-free device relied solely on voice command and cost a lot, including a $24 monthly fee for cell service. That made it extremely polarizing, even by emerging tech standards. Early reviews worsened the perception, with YouTuber Marques Brownlee dubbing it "The Worst Product Ive Ever Reviewed For Now."In August, The Verge reported that Humane saw over $1,000,000 in returned product and that AI Pin returns were outpacing Humane product sales, which reportedly totaled about $9,000,000 at the time. Humane's problems got worse in November when Humane recalled the AI Pins portable charging case due to a fire risk from an overheating lithium polymer battery. The AI Pin inside of the recalled Charging Case Accessory. Credit: Humane Even though Humane is managing to sell some parts of its business to HP, it seems the company is not even interested in the pin. HP's announcement primarily highlighted AI software and made no mention of Humane hardware. Tuan Tran, HPs president of technology and innovation, said in a statement that CosmOS and former Humane engineers will help make an intelligent ecosystem across all HP devices, from AI PCs to smart printers and connected conference rooms.Putting a pin in AI gadgetsHumane also continued to push the pins despite reportedly seeking a buyer since May, and it gave AI Pin owners just 10 days to reckon with their expensive devices being bricked. In addition, the limited refund window seems like a slap in the face to people who were willing to spend extra money to be early adopters.The AI Pin will also fuel a cloud of skepticism already encircling AI products. In fact, multiple startup founders are already second-guessing releasing AI gadgets in response to the AI Pins downfall, The Verge reported today.New AI gadgets will have to overcome a reputation of lost money, e-waste, unfulfilled promises, and misleading hype before reaching customers. But at least there are some lessons learned from the AI Pin. The first one is to fix critical problems before you start charging customers.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 78 Comments

Women lining up at a mobile tent for reproductive health services at a clinic in ZimbabweMSI Zimbabwe/Arete/Tendai MarimaThe day Donald Trump took office as president of the United States, he issued an order temporarily pausing foreign aid, including the funding that flows through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The funding freeze will have permanent consequences. It has already crippled global health programmes, including critical reproductive health services, placing millions of lives at risk particularly those serviced by providers in lower-income countries.Population Services Zimbabwe

An investment banker floated paying some of DOGE's savings back to taxpayers in the form of checks.Elon Musk said he'd "check with" Trump about it.Lawmakers on Capitol Hill would need to approve it, and it's facing some skepticism.What if some of the money saved by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency could be paid back to Americans as checks from the government?That idea, promoted by investment manager James Fishback, gained significant traction online on Tuesday after Musk said on X that he would "check with" President Donald Trump about it. "Obviously, the President is the Commander-in-Chief, so this is entirely up to him," Musk later added.After the initial publication of this story, Trump acknowledged the idea at an event in Florida, saying that a "new concept where we give 20% of the DOGE savings to American citizens" is now "under consideration.""I literally had a dream about this," Fishback told BI during a Wednesday phone interview about how he and a colleague at his firm came up with the idea. "Then we woke up and started working on it, and put it on paper over the course of about two and a half hours."Fishback told BI that he's meeting with a variety of House and Senate offices in Washington, DC this week, and that he's emailed the proposal to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.In any event, the idea still has a long way to go. It would take an act of Congress to enact the proposal, which is already encountering some early skepticism from lawmakers in both parties.Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina told BI that he believes "sending checks is not the smartest way to spend savings" and that he'd rather use the savings to "drive down the debt.""I have three grandchildren, all under the age of eight years old," Tillis said. "Their fractional share of the national debt is about $100,000. I think maybe it makes sense to help pay down that debt obligation."Responding to the proposal on X, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin wrote that he'd be "happy" to entertain the idea "once we balance the budget.""The first use of that money needs to actually be reducing spending, so we can have a balanced budget, so Americans can keep their hard earned dollars," Johnson told BI. "Not only from a standpoint of not having to pay taxes, but so we don't inflate them away."Fishback said he welcomes the conversation and agrees that paying down the debt should be a top priority. But he said that the checks would be a crucial way to generate public interest and buy-in to DOGE's goals and he suggested that public pressure could push potential critics to back his populist proposal."I don't see how you can go to a town hall meeting, when you go back to your district, and say you voted against President Trump's DOGE dividend," Fishback said. "You're going to have a lot of questions to answer from a lot of angry, aggrieved taxpayers."How the 'DOGE Dividend' would workUnder the rosiest version of Fishback's proposal, some Americans would receive a one-time $5,000 check in 2026, paid for the savings generated by DOGE.There are a couple of caveats.For one, Fishback's plan is based on an assumption of $2 trillion in savings, the goal that was originally set for DOGE. Musk and Trump have since halved that number, telling Sean Hannity in a Tuesday night interview on Fox News that "the overall goal is to try to get a trillion dollars out of the deficit."Additionally, the checks funded by 20% of DOGE's overall savings would only be sent to net payers of federal income tax, which Fishback estimates to be 79 million households.Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, who said he generally supports "the principle of taking that money and returning it to the people," said he wants to see those savings put toward a child tax credit."That's what I prefer to do," Hawley told BI, pointing to the costs borne by families with multiple children. "We ought to direct relief to them, and this would be a great way to fund it."Fishback countered that his proposal is "not an economic stimulus package" and is about paying "restitution" to taxpayers whose money has been misused."The only criterion that we care about is whether or not you have paid federal income tax. If you have, then you deserve restitution. If you haven't, then you haven't been aggrieved," Fishback said. "The people who get restitution are the people who paid, and did not feel like they got a good value out of it."Meanwhile, Democrats largely want nothing to do with DOGE, owing to the recent shuttering of federal agencies and mass firing of federal employees."It's just a con. It's not about saving money. It's about stealing from people," Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told BI, referring to DOGE broadly. "This is all a pretty simple effort to steal from regular people to enrich the very wealthy."This story has been updated to reflect Trump's acknowledgment of the idea later on Wednesday.

Sarah Lesselbaum joined the Financial Independence, Retire Early movement in 2018.Last year, she made over $70,000 by working part-time and owning a business.She said saving and investing gave her peace of mind to spend on the things and people she loves.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah Lesselbaum, a 44-year-old in Delray Beach, Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her financial and career history.I first heard about FIRE the Financial Independence, Retire Early movement when I went down a Reddit thread rabbit hole in 2018.I've always been a saver, and I had an emergency fund, but discovering FIRE helped me identify my next financial goals. Most importantly, I hated my job and how few days I had to myself. I wanted to quit as quickly as possible. I never thought it was possible before this and was convinced I would have to work into my sixties.I began tracking my net worth and spending. I also started investing more seriously. I had gotten poor investment advice from my bosses at work I was invested in a lot of different things and the expense was high. One of my first steps was putting my savings into broad index funds.I started my own businessMy parents were not the most financially responsible people. My father worked in real estate and his income was sporadic he never saved during the great months to handle things during slower times.I never considered freelancing or starting my own business because of the anxiety of not having a guaranteed paycheck every two weeks.But meeting people who had retired early and understanding the calculations behind early retirement gave me the confidence to start my own business as a mobile notary in Florida. When I told my workplace about wanting to quit in 2022, they asked me to stay on part time.Understanding the math helped me realize that retiring early is not just for people making six figures. I make five figures working both jobs-time job.I work my part time job two days a week, or about 16 hours, and spend three to four hours a week on my business.Last year was the first time I came close to earning as much as I did when I worked full time. Having half my income come from my own business gives me the freedom to take more days off and travel for longer.My retirement saving planSince exploring FIRE in 2018, I have accelerated my savings and investments.As a small-business owner, my income is sporadic, but I have put between 20% to 40% of my annual income into my retirement account. I only had $33,300 in my retirement account in 2018. Since 2020, I have put a total of $145,000 toward my retirement.I hit $300,000 in investments this year, and I celebrate each milestone in small ways. I have a paper tree I get to color in every time I get $10,000, and I text my friends when I get to color in the next section.In my bathroom, I have a piece of paper taped up that says I will retire with at least $1 million in savings by my 55th birthday. I still want to retire by 50, which I will hit in the next six years.delay retiring, which I am OK with.I'll be able to live on somewhere between $40,000 and $60,000 a year, which I extended from a strict $40,000 because I want to be more flexible.Any changes to the Affordable Care Act would also set my FIRE goals back, and I would have to return to a full time job. My medications cost $12,000, and I can't afford them without insurance.FIRE changed my mindset on spendingI'm always worried about not having enough money. I lost my job in 2013. After that, I became obsessed with saving.But having a savings and investment strategy helped me open up my purse strings for things I love. In November, I flew to Bali, Indonesia, for a five-day FIRE retreatIt also changed my mindset toward prioritizing comfort over frugality. I recently remodeled my whole kitchen and bought four new tires for my car on a whim instead of temporary fixes because of an upcoming road trip. I unexpectedly spent $1,200 on my car in the last few days without freaking out or crying. Having separate accounts, like one for emergency expenses, gave me a piece of mind I did not have before I got on the FIRE path.It's given me the ability to care for the people I love. I've been able to help my father plan his finances and have started investing for my special needs niece so she has a lump sum to get her started in the event that her single dad dies. Having savings means I'm able to take her kid brother to Disney World and other parks each year, an experience he would not get otherwise.I'm still frugal and make sacrifices to keep my savings rate high, like spending 45 minutes on Amazon comparing prices and skipping frequent pub visits with my friends. Instead, I have shifted to spending on what I really value.

The Logoff is a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.Welcome to The Logoff. Today Im focusing on the Trump administrations effort to exert control over independent regulators, a power grab with implications for the governments balance of power and for your daily life. Whats the latest? Donald Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday that would put a series of independent regulatory agencies (and their investigations and rulemaking processes) directly under White House control. How does that change the way things work now? The dozens of independent agencies in the federal government have the power to interpret federal law and launch investigations into alleged rulebreakers. The president appoints the leaders to the agencies boards. But many commissioners terms are longer than a single administrations, and the president cant fire them simply because he doesnt like their decisions. Under Trumps new rules, that autonomy would go away.What are these independent agencies? There are dozens of them, including:The Securities and Exchange Commission, which regulates the stock market;The Federal Trade Commission, which regulates businesses relationships with consumers;The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the airwaves and internet.Are they all included? The order specifically exempts the Federal Reserves work to set interest rates, but thats it!Whats next? The executive order will almost certainly face legal challenges, and the question over the reach of executive power could get kicked all the way up to the Supreme Court. These agencies independence is protected by law, but the Trump team argues those laws are unconstitutional.Whats the big picture? Trump is again attempting to expand the presidents power. Congress passed laws giving these agencies a measure of independence, and putting lawmakers in charge of their oversight. Trump is now claiming that power for himself, arguing their independence makes them unaccountable.But how does it affect me? These agencies regulate so many facets of daily life preventing everything from predatory business practices to nuclear reactor meltdowns.And with that, its time to log off ...How are you sleeping these days? If the answer is not well, I have a listen for you, courtesy of Voxs Explain It to Me podcast. This week, they interviewed a sleep psychologist to get answers to questions like: Why am I a night owl? How can I nap responsibly? And what should I do about my chronic struggle to stay asleep? I hope you enjoy it. And Ill see you back here tomorrow.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Season 2 Reloaded is almost here, and there's plenty to look forward to here's all we know about what's coming, including that all-important Ninja Turtles crossoverTech00:00, 20 Feb 2025I didn't think I'd live to see the day(Image: Activision)Call of Duty players are approaching the midway point Season 2 of this year's game, Black Ops 6, and that means it's time for a big update with Season 2 Reloaded.Activision's next big update is shared across both Black Ops 6 and Warzone, but if you picked up the former (or are playing on Xbox Game Pass) you'll be pleased to know you're getting much more than the battle royale fanbase is.While the developer aims to fix longstanding issues on that side of the fence, Black Ops 6 fans get a returning map, a new map, a fresh series of events, new skins (including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and fresh weapons including one that launches saw blades (yikes).Here's everything coming in the new update, including when it arrives.Content cannot be displayed without consentThe update arrives on Thursday, February 20, so we're just hours away.Expect it to go live around 5pm GMT/12pm EST/9am PST, depending on where you are in the world. As a reminder, the update is free to all players, but knowing Call of Duty, the patch is likely to be a big one.Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Season 2 Reloaded is stacked(Image: Activision)Let's get the obvious out of the way first yep, that's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.They're being added as part of a new event, with a paid pass and a free one. The free one includes Shredder, but you'll need to upgrade if you want Master Splinter.The TMNT Moshpit mode will give each character their own abilities and perks, and there's a Zombies mode for TMNT, too.Speaking of events, Clover Craze will celebrate St Patrick's Day across Black Ops 6 and Warzone.Will you be logging in?(Image: Activision)There's a surprising new weapon coming, too, with the D1.3 arriving as part of the TMNT free track. It fires saw blades, and can switch between explosive and ricochet rounds. There's also a skateboard melee weapon, as well as sais, nunchucks, a bo staff, and dual katanas.Article continues belowOne of the big draws, away from the heroes in a halfshell, is the arrival of two maps: Grind and Bullet. The first is a revamp of the Black Ops 2 original, while the second is a new one that takes place on a moving train.The Tomb will get a new Directed Mode to help players complete the Zombies map's main story, while all of the turtles will come as store purchases, too.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Activision is improving the foundations of Warzone, and the next step of that is Season 2 Reloaded here's everything included as the development team look to tackle performance and cheater issuesTech00:00, 20 Feb 2025Activision is working to improve Warzone for all(Image: Activision)Despite being one of the biggest games in the world, Call of Duty Warzone has seen better days.Between cheaters and performance issues, Activision has taken the commendable decision to focus Season 2 on fixing the fundamentals before adding new content next season potentially with a rumoured Verdansk return.That'll continue with Warzone Season 2 Reloaded, and while the mid-season update patch will add new maps, modes, and more to Black Ops 6, Warzone fans might feel as though they're getting the short end of the stick.Thankfully, there is still new stuff coming, so we've rounded up the full list below so you know what to expect.Content cannot be displayed without consentThe update arrives today, Thursday, February 20.We expect it to go live around 5pm GMT/12pm EST/9am PST, based on prior updates. As with any Call of Duty patch, expect it to be a chunky download.Still, it's a free update, but there will be new paid options in the store.Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Season 2 Reloaded is stacked(Image: Activision)The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover from Black Ops 6 can be found in Warzone via the store, and the Clover Craze event for St Patrick's Day will make an appearance after the TMNT event is over.Elsewhere, there's a new Perk called Low Profile."Move more quickly while crouched and prone. Enemies you kill will not have death markers for their allies. Move slightly faster when downed," the official description from Activision explains.Other than that, the focus is on "prioritizing gameplay tuning by addressing quality of life improvements, ongoing bugs, and more", Activision says, but we'll have to wait for the full patch notes before we know for certain what that involves.St Patrick's Day will see the Clover Craze event(Image: Activision)Call of Duty players have been left exasperated by ongoing issues with cheaters on PC, and Season 2 introduced the option to turn off crossplay but only in Ranked modes.Activision has claimed it bans players hourly, clearing the Warzone Ranked leaderboard regularly, but community sentiment (and trust in the RICHOCHET anti-cheat team) is lower than ever, so here's hoping Season 2 Reloaded pulling back on new features and focusing on the fundamentals will help.We reported earlier this month that one player was accidentally banned, and spent more than two years working to overturn it.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.