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A sprawling Minnesota refinery wants to make low-carbon aviation fuel mainstreambut without government support experts believe the project could be dead in the water.

The company pledged the multibillion-dollar investment over the next four years and said it would create 20,000 jobs. The Texas facility is set to open in 2026.

MacworldAt a glanceExpert's RatingPros10x 100W USB-C portsPriority chargingConsNo USB-A (if you need it)Maximum 100W total powerOur Verdict The Plugable PS-10CC can neatly and efficiently charge up to 10 hungry devices at the same time and at an optimum power distribution without you having to resort to multiple chargers and a desk full of indistinguishable snaking cables.Price When ReviewedThis value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefinedBest Pricing TodayUp till now the most USB-C ports weve seen on a charger is six, courtesy of the Satechi 200W 6-Port Charging Station. Six charging ports ought to be enough for most people, we thought, but on a busy bank of desks or back at home in a device-full abode those charging ports can get filled very quickly.A further complication is that most multi-port chargers reserve specific maximum power output to each port, known as rules-based chargingso when using all its ports the Satechi Charging Station powers devices at 65W on the top port, 45W on the second and then 20W each on the next four. If you are the last to use a port you might get stuck with just 20W to play with even when the other connected devices higher up are fully charged.If you want to charge your laptop at the fastest possible speed you need to bag that top port before anyone else uses it to charge their AirPods and gets mean over sharing.Priority charging takes overThe 10-portyes, tenPlugable PS-10CC is the first USB-C charging station to use intelligent software-based priority charging that distributes power across all connected devicesprioritized in the order you choose from left to right. As devices reach full charge, the now greater available power is reallocated down the line. Plugable calls its smart power-allocation technology PriorityShare.Theres a maximum 100W of power available across the 10 charging ports.The charger employs real-time current sensing technology to prioritize the devices that are connected to the leftmost ports. Plug the device you most want charged to fulllikely your laptop or smartphoneinto the first port on the left and it will receive the power it needs before lesser devices down the line.As the first devices attain full battery status, the PS-10CC automatically shifts the excess power to the next set of connected devices, which should ensure that all receive the required power in the shortest possible time.it works by sensing both how much power is requested from connected devices and what is available from the attached charger, and allocating power based on priority order in which the devices are connected. PlugableIf we imagine you need to charge multiple laptops, the PS-10CC will provide the maximum requested power to the laptop connected with the highest priorityhighest priority is the leftmost port, then the port to the right of that, and so onthen cascading the remaining available power to the next device in line. Depending on factors such as the device model and battery charge level at the time of connection, that first laptop might request 100W, but commonly it will be far less, often ranging from 30-65W and multiple laptops will typically charge at the same time in this scenario.Most laptops, phones, and tablets are designed to charge at their maximum rate between 0-50% battery levels, and at a lower rate thereafter for optimal long term battery health. So the PS-10CC regularly listens to what the device is requesting and adjusts throughout the charging process to ensure the highest priority devices are getting charged as quickly as theyre capable of, while efficiently cascading remaining available power and ultimately ensuring everything ends up charged.This should also mean more efficient energy usage and prevent potential overheating.Dominik Tomaszewski / FoundrySpecs1x USB-C port (100W) connection to power10x USB-C (100W) to devicesNote that the PS-10CC is a fully USB-C charger, without any legacy USB-A ports for older cables. Look elsewhere if you are still lumbered with pre-C devices. USB-C ports work seamlessly with Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 devices, too.Each port has its own status LED: solid blue means the device on that port is fully charged, blinking blue means its currently charging, and purple indicates the port is available.The maximum possible output of each port is 100W but that is also the total possible power output of the PS-10CC at one time.If you require a higher total outputfor example to charge two or three laptops at the same timethen look for a multi-port charger with a higher maximum.The $149 Satechi 6-Port Charging Station can output 200W over multiple USB-C ports, although not as intelligently as the Plugable charger. It and other high-output chargers distribute power differently depending on how many ports are in use but in a more limited way, as described earlier.The $69 Anker Prime Charger (200W, 6 Ports) can push out 200W over its four USB-C and two USB-A ports and uses its AI Power Mode to detect high/medium/low requirements of connected devices and adjusting power distribution accordingly.Ugreens $169 Nexode 300W GaN Wall USB-C Charger has five portsincluding one USB-Aand a maximum of 300W output. This can charge three laptops at 140/100/60W or two at 140/100W. using all five ports means power is distributed in a 140/65/45/20/22.5W configuration.While not as smart as the PS-10CC, these alternatives do offer a higher maximum output and at least one port that supports 140W PD 3.1 that is required to fast-charge Apples top-end 16-inch MacBook Pro.The PS-10CC can still charge that MacBook model, just not at its maximum charging speed. However, if you are charging multiple devices at the same time, that power distribution will be smarter for all connected devices.While the other chargers work within a fixed set of predetermined power budget rules for different device types across their ports, the Plugable design explicitly aims to avoid the pitfalls of rules-based charging with a simple priority system that charges your most important devices first while ensuring every connected device is charged up efficiently over time.MacBooks are better at charging at lower wattages than many Windows laptops. So even a 20W output can get power into a MacBook, while Windows laptops demand 45W just to bother start charging.Dominik Tomaszewski / FoundryPriceTen intelligent 100W charging ports for $99.99 looks great value to usif you need that many ports at one time. If you need just one or two then we suggest you look to our other favorite best USB-C chargers.Youll need to add your own wall charger and charging cable to get power to the PS-10CC. Check that link above to find the best one if you dont already have one spare. If you want to use the 10-port charger to its maximum you will need a charger that can output at least 100W.Remember, too, that one charger is cheaper than the two or three youd need to rival this single one, and its therefore more environmentally friendly, too. The charger is made from 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) aluminum and 75% PCR PC+ABS.PlugableVerdictThe Plugable PS-10CC can neatly and efficiently charge up to 10 hungry devices at the same time and at an optimum power distribution without you having to resort to multiple chargers and a desk full of indistinguishable snaking cables that would terrify Indiana Jones.It may not offer the highest total charge but it delivers its 100W total in the smartest, most efficient manner.

MacworldUnlike my hero Anton Ego, I get very little pleasure from negative criticism. Slamming 2022s 10th-gen iPad for its high price, underwhelming battery life, and lack of a laminated screen hurt me, Im sure, more than it hurt Tim Cook. And I was delighted a year and a half later when it got a $100 price cut and became, once again, the most recommendable model in the range.Its with a sense of happy optimism, then, that I predict that the iPhone 16e will follow a similarly heartening trajectory. Right now, it doesnt make a whole lot of sense. But give it a yearAt its launch last week, the iPhone 16e caused more than a few grumblings in the tech sphere. Amid the rush to AI-proof its entire lineup, Apple was forced (or chose) to drastically raise the price of entry into the world of the iPhone, with the cheapest model now costing $599 rather than $429. Whether you think the 16e is a good deal in isolationand the single rear camera and lack of MagSafe do make me wonderits effect on the ecosystem is surely a negative one. Do we really want to see Apple abandon the budget market and turn its products into exclusive luxuries?In many ways, however, this is a one-off problem. Apple needed to replace the iPhone SE (which had been banned in the EU, along with the iPhone 14, because it doesnt have a USB-C port) and wanted to push Apple Intelligence, which meant the replacement model required an A18 processor and 8GB of RAM. Every new device has to be capable of supporting Apples AI platform, therefore everything is at least moderately expensive. But Apple Intelligence isnt likely to get more demanding in terms of hardware, at least not soon or suddenly. So this was an obstacle that had to be cleared this once, and things will get easier from now on.Next spring well learn whether Apple has altered the cadence of its SE/e phone launches. I think it has, and that we can look forward each spring to an e-branded version of whatever iPhones came out the previous fall. But even if that doesnt happen, spring 2026 is roughly when we can start to think about the 16e getting a $100 price cut, and suddenly making a lot more sense as both a one-off purchase and an entry point to the range. Round about then the iPhone 16e will have its 10th-gen iPad moment: its faults will suddenly seem less of a worry, its strengths more persuasive than ever.A short-term problemOnce the iPhone 17 generation arrives in late 2025, things will start to shift back to some kind of normality. There will be more phones on sale at the same time, which will allow Apple to start repopulating the middle and lower end of the range. Dont expect the 16e to get a price cut that soon, but theres a decent chance the iPhone 15, which is really not very appealing at the moment, will drop to the low-cost slot, at least temporarily. The iPhone 16 Pro will most likely disappear, the 16 and 16 Plus should get price cuts, and four shiny new 17-series iPhones will appear at the top (not counting the iPhone 17 Air, which is its own thing). The lineup could look something like this:iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199iPhone 17 Pro: $999iPhone 17 Plus: $899iPhone 17: $799iPhone 16 Plus: $799iPhone 16: $699iPhone 16e: $599iPhone 15: $499Thats already more coherent than weve got at the moment: a range from which someone has unceremoniously lopped off (and refused properly to replace) the two cheapest phones. But itll get better still in 2026. The iPhone lineup will make a lot more sense next year.IDGApple needs its new iPhones to be AI-ready now, even if I object to Apple Intelligence being the priority, rather than the needs of customers. But in the long run, customers might end up benefiting too. In 2026, that level of processing power will be more of a necessity. And AI? We humans should cross our fingers that this isnt the case, but AI just might have risen to the level of omnipresence its cheerleaders currently predict.Even beyond AI, part of my current skepticism about the 16e stems from its oddly lopsided feature set, a blend of an older design and specs with state-of-the-art processing. The iPhone 16e is like that not because Apple thought it was the best combination of features for users but because it fits with the Apple Intelligence rollout strategy. But one positive side effect of this thinking is that the 16e is surprisingly well future-proofed for a non-flagship smartphone.

Is your gadget fat and foldy? You might have a better choice next year as Apple treads its long-traveledpath of not doing things first, but doing them better. Thats right, a folding iPhone is now scheduled for 2026.Folding devices are becoming increasingly popular. Even the Appleholic has spent time fondling a friends Samsung Fold, and Im impressed by the size of the display and the dual use the device delivers in its folded and unfolded states.While it is the thinnest folding device you can get right now, its pretty thick even the 6.3-in. (folded) Galaxy Z Fold 6 comes in at just under a half inch thick when folded, and weighs 8 ounces. In contrast the 6.3-in. iPhone 16 Pro is 0.3 inches thin and weighs 7 ounces, while the 6.9-in. Pro Max is just as thin and weighs 8 ounces. The benefit is that you get a 7.6-in. screen when youunfold the Fold. Thats a lot of extra display, so long as the crease doesnt get too obvious after use.Can Apple do it better?Perhaps. Apple has been exploring folding phones forat least 10 years, filing its first relevant patents in or before 2014.Not first, but bestBloombergs Mark Gurman tells us Apple plans to introduce an iPhone Fold in 2026. That report follows a similar claim from theWall Street Journal, which also posited introduction of a 19-in. folding iPad.The Informationlast year claimed prototyping of the device had already begun. And analystMing-Chi Kuoreckons Apple is building a device with a humongous near 8-in. display and an eSIM. Other speculation claims the display will be onlyslightly larger than Samsungs, while noted display analyst Ross Youngsuggests it will be larger.The weight of all this accumulated speculation comes on top of the anticipated introduction of a much thinner iPhone Air later this year. Widely seen as a testing ground for new tech, that product is expected to be a significantly thinner iPhone, with the slim frame enabled by two key Apple technologies which also make foldables possible.Apple Silicon:The companys chips are high-performing, battery-sipping, low heat powerhouses capable of being squeezed into smaller devices such as iPhone 16e, or being maxxed out for larger systems, such as the M4 series chips in desktop Macs.Apples modem:Apple has designed its own 5G modem. In line with Apples broader silicon development, this should be optimized for use on Apples systems, meaning you can expect better battery life when networking. We recently learned Apple is also bringing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips in-house, which means that by next year we could see one integrated component handle all these tasks.Together, these two improvements mean Apple should be able to create thinner iPhones at no sacrifice in performance or energy consumption. Together, they suggest the company will be able to deliver an ultra-thin iPhone Air this year, followed by a similarly thin iPhone Fold next year.If it folds, will it flip?Apple Silicon is once again the wind beneath Apples wings in this design. The processors Apple makes are suitable for a wide array of deployments and most certainly enable the companys product designers to imagine whole new product families. How much processor do you need to drive an autonomous home help robot, after all? To what extent can autonomous Apple home devices exploit technologies Apple developed when it was driving toward developing a car? Kuo haspreviously claimedApple is working on domestic robots, but it really doesnt matter whether that is true what is true is that ownership of a world leading processor architecture means Apple can look at putting its software in all kinds of things.Returning to the iPhone, it means we can anticipate a folding device with the kind of performance we expect from any iPhone and a battery life similar to the 23 hours video playback were told to expect from the latest Fold. (The iPhone 16 Pro promises 27 hours video.)Gurman also tells us Apple has been sweating to create a fold mechanism that isnt visible when unfolded and does not deteriorate in normal use. If Apple has achieved that, then it can rightfully claim to have bought something better to market. That is not to say that Samsung, with its own competitive moat built around ownership of the means of production, isnt already on the same track. Finally, of course, once you figure out how to make a high quality iPhone that folds, youve probably also figured out how to make one that flips. On which, I imagine, well hear more later down the line.You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

Amazon continues to launch aggressive Apple deals in a bid for your business, with today's AirTags discount offering the best price in 2025.Save on 4 Apple AirTags at Amazon.The $67.99 price on a 4-pack of Apple AirTags is especially attractive, as it delivers a $32 discount off retail (and is the lowest price of the year at Amazon).Buy for $67.99 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The former Plaza Hotel suite once occupied by Frank Lloyd Wright during the construction of the Guggenheim Museumis now for sale via Compass for $18.9 million. Wright and his wifeOlgivanna lived in the four-bedroom apartment from 1954 until shortly before his death in 1959, receiving some of his most famous clients including Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe. His time there was chronicled in the popular 2007 title Frank Lloyd Wright in New York The Plaza Years. The apartments price has gone down considerably after being listed for more than $39 million in 2015.Photo courtesy of Charlie Attias/CompassPhoto courtesy of Charlie Attias/CompassPhoto courtesy of Charlie Attias/CompassPhoto: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Archives

Discover how Hazelight developed the concept for their mind-bendingly creative co-op adventure Split Fiction, and why access to Unreal Engines source code was key to delivering on the games multitudinous array of gameplay experiences.