We may earn a commission from links on this page.While it can be fulfilling to put in the work and make your home spotless, we simply don't always have the time. You might already have a robot vacuum zooming around to collect dust and dirt on your behalf, but there are a surprising number of lesser-knownand equally convenientcleaning gadgets that could also be pitching in. From window cleaners to toilet scrubbers, here are some tech tools you can buy to outsource whatever chore you most despise. Automatically clean your glassLets start off with windows, which can be tedious to clean and still end up infuriatingly streaky when all is said and done. The Hobot-298 window cleaning robot is certainly a splurge at $299 on Amazon (though price-tracking tool Camelcamelcamel says that's lower than its average price of $435), but it's effective: Fill it with water, attach it to a window, and let it mist and polish away. It's particularly useful if your home has large, tall windows that are hard to reach.There is a cheaper option, too: The FMART T9Pro Window Cleaning Robot for $134.79. FMART T9Pro Window Cleaning Robot $134.79 at Amazon $189.78 Save $54.99 Shop Now Shop Now $134.79 at Amazon $189.78 Save $54.99 You can also consider this cordless window vacuum from Sharper Image. It sprays down the glass and removes the water, sorting it into a separate reservoir so the clean and dirty water never mix.It's just $63.99.Automatically clean hard floorsYes, you likely know all about robot vacuums, but what about robot mops? The iRobot Braava Jet, $309 on Amazon, uses a precise jet spray to make your floors gleam, and it connects to your phone or smart home devices, learns the layout of your house, and can work in concert with Roomba robot vacuums to, per the company, team up to vacuum to mop automatically in perfect sequence. Then again, try a robot that does it all for the ultimate automatic experience. There are some great robot vacuum/mop combos on the market, though they can be pretty expensive, so it might be worth it to start small and see how you like a cheaper version. Consider one from ROPVACNIC for just $139.98. EyeVac Home touchless vacuum automatic dustpan $149.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $149.00 at Amazon Finally, if you sweep a lot (I'm looking at you, people with long hair or fluffy pets) it might be worth it to upgrade to a stationary dust pan. It's kind of like a big vacuum that sits in the corner and you use your broom to direct dirt to it. From there, it just sucks it up. It's not fully automatic, since you still have to sweep, but it's more convenient than what you're doing now, isn't it? It's $149 on Amazon.Automatically clean the toilet Fluidmaster 8300 Flush 'n Sparkle $10.59 at Amazon $17.91 Save $7.32 Shop Now Shop Now $10.59 at Amazon $17.91 Save $7.32 Consider the beautifully named Fluidmaster 8300 Flush 'n Sparkle toilet cleaning system. You stick it in your tank and it disperses a little bleach whenever you flush. It can last up to three months, which is a long time to go without having to scrub your bowl, and it's only $10.59.Automatically take care of the trashThe future is now, baby, because you can even have a robot take care of the trash for you. The Airdeer automatic trash can ($219) packs your trash, seals the bag, and adds a new bag to the container with the touch of a buttonbasically, it does everything besides actually taking out the trash. It comes with six refill rings, each of which holds 20 trash bags.Automatically clean up after the catFor the most part, cats are the most self-cleaning pet you can get, but that doesn't mean it isn't annoying and nasty to deal with their litter boxes. Some self-cleaning litter boxes are on the spendy side, but you can find quality alternatives on Amazon. For instance, the Autoscooper 11 not only has a fantastic name, but is just $179.99. It is open on the top to not only reduce odors, but help your cat with the transition from regular litter box to fancier model, as other litter robots on the market fully enclose your kitty and might be a little too stressful. PetPivot Autoscooper 11 $179.99 at Amazon $239.99 Save $60.00 Shop Now Shop Now $179.99 at Amazon $239.99 Save $60.00 Automatically clean your dishwasherAgain, you can do this yourself, but you shouldn't have to (or that's what I think, anyway). Clean your dishwasher by stuffing a cleaning pod into the space you'd normally put a detergent pod, then let it rip. It's just $8.99 for six tablets on Amazon.

If you're a music fan of a certain age, there's a good chance MTV Unplugged has special place in your heart. With the first episode airing in 1989, over the decades the series has produced some of the most memorable live performances in history. Who could forget Nirvana's set, recorded less than a year before Kurt Cobain would tragically take his own life in 1994, or when Alice in Chains played one of its final shows with former lead vocalist Layne Staley. There are too many memorable episodes to count, and now you can watch more than 50 of them, including the two I just mentioned, on Paramount+.As Paramount notes, many of the episodes haven't been available to watch in more than 20 years. From that perspective, the most interesting release is Oasis' (in)famous 1996 set. For the uninitiated, it's an episode that almost didn't happen. In the days leading up to the performance, the story goes that lead singer Liam Gallagher complained of a sore throat. On the day the band was scheduled to tape the episode, he showed up an hour before "absolutely sh**faced," according to his brother Noel, who went on to sing the entire set on his own. Despite its place in music history, before today it was nearly impossible to find a high-quality video of the performance. On YouTube, for instance, you can find a bootleg recording or two, but as you can imagine, the fidelity isn't there.This isn't the first the Paramount+ has dug into the MTV archives to expand its catalog. Earlier this year, the streamer had an entire special program around Eric Clapton's 1992 set. If you want to check out the performances for yourself, Paramount+ offers a seven-day free trial.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/paramount-adds-50-classic-mtv-unplugged-episodes-155004134.html?src=rss

Proving that truly no IP is safe from modern reboot culture, Ataris Breakout is back. The upcoming version of the simple 1976 brick-smashing hit rotates the playing field by 90 degrees and adds auto-scrolling, neon effects, power-ups and local co-op. In other words, Breakout Beyond is the Tetris Effect formula applied to the Led Zeppelin-era arcade classic.The original Breakout was a product of dramatically more limited 1970s hardware, but its simplicity was part of its magic. Rows of bricks sat up top, a player-controlled paddle lived down below and a ball (actually a square, thanks to 70s graphics) bounced in between. Move paddle, hit ball, smash bricks, wow bellbottom-wearing arcadegoers.The core formula moving a paddle to bounce projectiles against bricks remains intact in Breakout Beyond. But the games landscape perspective, while better suited for todays televisions and monitors, may be hard for old-school gamers to get used to. Ditto for auto-scrolling, as this version pans left-to-right toward a goal rather than simply requiring you to break all the bricks on a fixed screen.AtariVisually, the new versions ball is more like a comet, with a long neon tail trailing off behind its round head. Seizure-inducing effects abound. And there are multiple balls to contend with, not just one. (However, Super Breakout, the original games direct sequel, had two modes with extra balls.)Like Tetris Effect, Breakout Beyond introduces combos, rewarding you with intensified visual and sound effects for stringing together streams of broken bricks. You can also break special blocks that unlock power-ups: bombs that clear out everything from a set radius, a force field to shield the ball and a freakin laser cannon that lets you blast bricks out of your way, a la Space Invaders.The game supports two-player local co-op so you can smash bricks with a couch buddy. It has 72 levels and an optional focus mode that slows down time (at the expense of higher scores).Breakout Beyond will arrive on PC, Switch, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, PlayStation 5/4 and Ataris rebooted VCS console on March 25. It costs $15, but there's a 10 percent discount if you pre-order.Update February 25, 2025, 10:41AM ET: Updated the headline and last paragraph to reflect the release date and pricing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ataris-side-scrolling-breakout-reboot-arrives-on-march-25-154136006.html?src=rss

No more scrolling through the whole thing Alexa, let's skip to the good bit

The Galaxy S25 Edge is reportedly making its full debut in April, before finally going on sale sometime in May.

Amazon revealed its first chip for quantum computing, and said its design will help the online retailer build highly efficient hardware systems.

Although discussions about hybrid and remote work ,and forcing workers back to office full time, should be seen through the lens of data and evidence, this is rarely the case.In fact, much like DEI, remote work has become a highly political and polarizing topic. Which is why rational arguments and objective examination of the facts are generally eclipsed by emotional, intuitive, or ideological opinions. Sadly, this also means nuances are far less common than categorical or extreme positions.Consider the recent meltdown by JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, one of the corporate pioneers of ditching working from home policies to bring people back to the office. He cursed at his staff during a town hall in reaction to the news that they were signing a petition against the full-time return to the office: Dont waste time on it, he told his staff, I dont care how many people sign that f**king petition, according to a recording obtained by Reuters. Dont give me the sh*t that work from home Friday works.To be sure, JP Morgan (like any other company) has the right to decide whichever working modality or approach they like, and employees can decide whether they object or not. Ultimately, those who dont wish to put up with it, or anything else at the company, should feel free to go elsewhere, not least since many organizations (including in banking and finance) still offer hybrid work, which most employees prefer. Likewise, any CEO or business owner should obviously decide on how and where people work, which is a key part of the job characteristics and organizational culture for employees to consider.RTO mandates as a power playFurthermore, it is plausible that back-to-the-office mandates are partly intended as a trigger to get demotivated workers to quit, or at least test their commitment, motivation, and work ethic. In this sense, back-to-the-office mandates could exert some kind of Darwinian or evolutionary pressure whereby unmotivated or demotivated workers quit, leaving career-obsessed, hyper-committed, and ultra-loyal employees inside the tent whats not to like? To be sure, maverick CEOs and executives, from Jamie Dimon to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, project such an aura of power, vision, status, and invincibility, that they have a cult-like influence on their followers (to the point that employees are more like followers than workers). It is not something that can be emulated by everyone, at least not without adverse consequences: like plummeting morale, engagement, and trust.Trust is the critical issue leaders ought to consider before emulating Dimon with back-to-the-office mandates. And there is already a crisis of trust, with recent Edelman reports suggesting that 68% of people distrust their managers/leaders (up from 56% in 2021), and various indicators highlighting a big gap between employees self-perceived performance, and their managers expectations. As Microsofts CEO Satya Nadela recently noted, 85% of employees feel overworked, yet 85% of managers feel their employees are slacking.What happens when you force employees to do something To be sure, there is something illogical about the assumption that those same employees who are assumed to be too demotivated to be productive when working from home will somehow become really engaged and productive if you force them into the office, against their will. One certain outcome if you do that, is that, if those workers dont quit (which will depend partly on the strength of the market, the economy, and alternatives) they will try very hard to pretend to work, and fake productivity, when they are forced back to the office full-time.Ideally, decisions about remote, hybrid or in-office work should be based on facts, evidence, and data. Not external data from independent scientific studies, but organizations own internal data: after all, most organizations are awash with data on productivity, which should allow them to compare and contrast productivity differences between people who spend more or less time at the office, and ideally focus on output rather than input.Sure, it is plausible that being in the office can provide people with a stronger connection with the culture, learn from others, bond and collaborate more effectively but then this should result in measurable improvements in what people deliver and achieve.Failing that, any mandate will be more reflective of the ego and power of the boss than an intention to help people to achieve and deliver their best, and be part of a culture that treats them like rational and mature human beings.

Many of us want to get promoted at work, but dont often stop to consider what that means. Moving into the executive ranks often means leading the very people you once worked alongside. And while you might attract attention with stellar performance, its not enough to secure your success as a leader.As a CEO and C-Level coach, let me tell you that I, nor any of my most successful clients, would risk elevating a leader to the next level if it would lead to a systemic risk of losing talent or momentum. In those cases, Id wait to ensure that this high performer is making an effort to work on leadership quality, including their peer relationships.Leadership requires a new skill setand, just as importantly,the respect and trust of your peers. Your colleagues opinions can hurt or help your ability to rise to the next level. Many professionals overlook their peer relationships, focusing instead on managing up to satisfy their boss or managing down to lead their teams performance. The reality is: If your colleagues dont trust or support you, your promotion might never materialize. Worse, it might falter due to their feedback.During executive coaching engagements, I often find leaders realize that they need to start paying attention to their cross-functional relationships. Then they often ask, how do I take such initiative? Where do I start?Below are the steps that you might want to take.Map your landscapeStart by listing all the colleagues who are critical to your teams mission and your success as a leader. Think horizontally, like your peers who report to the same manager and cross-departmental collaborators at a similar level. List them, and for each of them, consider rating the relationship based onthe following factors:How vital is it to your mission?Identify the level at which their support is critical to your KPIs, to advancing your teams agenda and your own professional success.How frequently are you communicating?Think about how often you have a chance to talk, email, or formally meet.Whats the quality of your communication?Determine if your interactions are purely transactional or if youve built actual rapport. Think about how productive each interaction is and what follow-up occurs.What is the level of trust between you both?Reflect on how both parties may feel about the honesty of the exchange, the commitment to what youve discussed, and the level of political gesturing that might or might not have been present.Once youve thought about these ratings, take it a step further. Relationships dont evolve by accident. They require consistent effort, thoughtful communication, and mutual understanding.Use your empathy to reflect upon things like:What drives their business agenda?Reflect on their business mission and goals. Ensure that you understand how to help them.What seems to motivate their engagement?Thinking about a time when theyre highly engaged. Thats a peek into what motivates them and how to get the best out of them. For example, some people are motivated by public recognition, but others arent.What tends to demotivate their engagement? Think about when that person exhibited anger, frustration, disappointment, or did not reply at all. That might be a sign that you need to modify your behavior or communication style.Identify your sponsors and anti-sponsorsOnce you create the list of people and go through this process, youll quickly realize that there are key people that you havent built relationships with. Start with those people.Youll also realize that there are peers that will be naturally inclined to support you (sponsors) and those who might work against you (anti-sponsors). Instead of avoiding detractors, take the opportunity to address their concerns.Reflect on why some peers may resist your rise. A client of mine once discovered that an anti-sponsor was frustrated by being left out of critical project discussions. Inviting them into conversations and acknowledging their expertise turned a skeptic into an advocate.Take radical ownershipThestrength of your relationshipsoften mirrors your own behaviors. If a colleague is disengaged or resistant, consider how your actions influenced the situation. Have you been overly competitive?Dismissive of their ideas?Too focused on your own outcomes?Leadership starts with accountability. I learned long ago the only behavior I can truly change is my own. If I wanted to improve a relationship, I had to initiate it. For example, start by saying, Something seems off in our working relationship. Can you share what it is? Maybe theres something I can do to change it. Honesty often paves the way for better collaboration.Radical ownership involves recognizing your impact and taking action to improve, not assigning self-blame.Step into their shoesEmpathy is your most powerful tool. Put yourself in your colleagues positionsand consider the key pressures that they face, the resources that they have access to, and ways that you can make their lives easier.Consider what would matter to you if the roles were reversed. A simple question like, What can I do to support you? can open doors to meaningful dialogue.Once, as a young leader in a fast-moving tech company, I pushed hard for more support from my marketing peers. My aggressive approach, however, only generated resentment. When I took the time to understand their pressures and resource limitations, I adjusted my requests. By expressing empathy and remorse, we found a productive path forward and collaborated successfully.Play the long gameBuilding strongpeer relationshipsrequires a long-term commitment to earning respect and trust over time rather than focusing on quick wins. When you consistently demonstrate authenticity, reliability, and a commitment to shared goals, your peers will naturally see you as a leader they want to follow.Remember, leadership isnt about being in charge. Its ultimately rooted in inspiring others to follow willingly. Win the trust of your peers, and youll not likely secure your promotion, but equally thrive in the new role with their support.

The handheld gaming PC market is becoming a little more exciting with the involvement of top PC vendors. The Lenovo Legion Go, for example, introduced removable controllers similar to Nintendo Switch Joy-cons, and now its Legion Go S successor is breaking Steam OS out of its Steam Deck cage. Even before the big names joined the bandwagon, there were already a few brands blazing the trail and innovating in this space, but one of them might have hit a major snag along the way.AYANEO is probably known to PC gamers and market watchers for its aggressive and fast-paced progress in the handheld gaming space. It recently revealed what is probably the worlds first handheld PC with modular controls, a rather bold move for a relatively smaller brand. Unfortunately, its not all sunshine and roses apparently, as the company just announced the abrupt cancellation of another one of its ambitious designs.Designer: AYANEOIt has almost been a year since the AYANEO Flip successfully ended its run on Indiegogo. The handheld device actually came in two designs, though both of them sported the same basic clamshell mechanism. The Flip KB had a small QWERTY keyboard flanked by Xbox-style controls, giving gamers the ability to quickly type out messages in chat or maybe even send emails on the go.Perhaps more interesting is the AYANEO Flip DS, which swaps out that keyboard for a second screen. In other words, it is reminiscent of the Nintendo DS, except larger and chunkier, both of which might have used DS to mean dual-screen. The second and smaller display on the lower half of the device provided access to special tools, chat, and basically anything else you can cram into an extended monitor. Presuming, of course, things worked out properly.Just like many crowdfunded products, the AYANEO Flip experienced no small amount of delays, which in itself could have already been signs of trouble brewing. This isnt the small companys first rodeo, after all, and it has proven itself more than capable of fulfilling orders. Indeed, some early adopters already received their units, so when AYANEO announced it was canceling orders and offering refunds, backers were understandably perplexed and disappointed.Naturally, there are many theories as to the cancellation, including the threat of Nintendos lawyers hounding AYANEO for the DS-like version. That, however, wouldnt explain why the KB version would be canceled as well. The lack of an official explanation didnt sit well with backers and fans of the brand, raising concerns about whether the company cant keep up with its own rapid pace and the hype that it had set for itself.The post Dual-screen AYANEO Flip handheld gaming PC canceled after successful crowdfunding first appeared on Yanko Design.

The rumoured new look is causing controversy.