Close enough, welcome back Chris Jones.

Quite literally "blink and you'll miss it."

Even as children, we in the U.S. learn that June brings good things—warmer weather, ice cream trucks, and most significantly, summer break from school. As an adult, all of those things still matter to me (substitute summer break for outdoorsy weekends), but the arrival of summer produce has crept up to the top of my June list of good things. In this monthly article, I take a look at the fruits and veggies coming into season and some incredible ways you can use them. Let’s dive into June's offerings. Why seasonal and local produce is greatLong distance shipping for out-of-season produce is convenient, but there is usually a price to pay with literal higher prices or lesser quality (or both). Using seasonal produce is a step toward supporting smaller farms situated somewhere closer to where you live rather than a monoculture farm somewhere far away. A big, healthy harvest with shorter shipping distances likely means a cheaper price tag for you. And hopefully the produce exhibits the best possible flavor profile since it doesn’t have to travel great distances to arrive at your market. Buying local and in season means you’ll possibly see a greater variety of tender greens and delicate fruits that don’t travel out of state well. Those little strawberries that pop up at the farmers market are so juicy and delicate you’d never see them packed up and shipped out across the country—they’d be turned into jam before they got a chance to leave. Go to those summer farmers markets downtown and reap the benefits of the juiciest summer fruit.  What’s in season right nowYou’re probably seeing it already, but everywhere from tiny produce markets to big box grocery stores are growing fuller with the very beginnings of summer produce glut, and the prices are dropping. Personally, I’m celebrating the low berry prices with morning smoothies. (If you’re a fruit smoothie-enthusiast like I am, here are a couple great blenders that might interest you.) For those who are growing their own food, keep up with our Home and Garden section for tips.The new produce coming in for June:ApricotsSweet Cherries (not quite yet for tart cherries)StrawberriesBlueberriesRaspberriesBlackberriesBeetsBroccoli Cabbage Garlic scapesGreen peasMustard greensZucchini & summer squashSay, "au revoir" to:AsparagusArugulaRampsParsnipsProduce in peak season:Beet greensLettuceRadishes and their greensRhubarbSpinachTurnipsChardSnap peasSnow peasNote that your specific region may be warmer or cooler, or farther away—so don’t worry if floods of strawberries haven’t arrived yet, or if you still have loads of wild ramps growing in the yard. Nature will do its thing, and we’ll continue trying to keep up.What to cook with your spring bountyFruitsJune is the beginning of having all the fun you want to have when it comes to recipes. Let’s start with fruit. We’re looking at loads of berries for the next few months and the beginnings of stone fruits, so I recommend warming up those ovens. I know that sounds too hot, but think of the pies! Cherry pies, Strawberry-rhubarb, apricot and blackberry, blueberry-goat-cheese tarts—you simply must make some. To help you along, here’s my fail-proof way to lattice pie crust, and my best advice on preventing soggy fruit pies. They’re well worth a read if you’ve had trouble in the past.If you’d rather be stuck in a room with a pack of wild 7-year-olds than make a pie, OK fine. Make a fruit trifle with leftover cake, stuff delicious biscuits with summer fruit and whipped cream, and why not take a crack at your own homemade berry ice cream. I made vanilla bean ice cream with a swirl of fresh raspberry compote and I felt pretty damn pleased with myself. If you’re shopping for affordable ice cream machines, I just tested and reviewed this Cuisinart.As I mentioned, fruit smoothies always welcome a handful of frozen berries. I should mention (and I’ll say this again at the end of the season): Freezing your berries is the best way to reduce waste. (Here’s the best way to freeze fruit.) If you’re using berries to top yogurt or granola, there’s no need to freeze it, but if you’re baking with fruit, making jams, or blending smoothies, freezing is extremely helpful. Pop the fruit in the freezer in the container it came in (hull strawberries first, and halve the big ones). After a few hours, they’ll be solid and you can dump them into a zip-top freezer bag for easier freezer storage.Vegetables All the cruciferous veggies are going strong right now, so go ahead and get that fiber. Use shaved broccoli and cabbage in a salad. Wilt spinach, chard, or mustard greens down in a hearty soup. My absolute favorite thing to do with summer zucchini is to make Thai kai jiao. You can use different vegetables in this dish, but zucchini is my all-time favorite. You also can’t go wrong with grilling big, fat planks of summer squash and drizzling them with a light vinaigrette. Got lots of crisp lettuce? Well, you can always bulk up your warm salads or do what I do and add it to every sandwich. Bacon, egg, cheese, and lettuce. Meatball parm sub and lettuce. Peanut butter and—OK, maybe not that one. Pay special attention to the fleeting produce like rhubarb, ramps, and scapes. They’re around for just a blink so grab them up. Try roasting your rhubarb with strawberries for a sweet, tart, and caramelized treat. Enjoy the best of June produce, and hopefully we’ll get a peek at tomatoes at the end of the month. 

When the computer or phone you’re using right now blinks its last blink and you drop it off for recycling, do you know what happens? At the recycling center, powerful magnets will pull out steel. Spinning drums will toss aluminum into bins. Copper wires will get neatly bundled up for resale. But as the conveyor belt keeps rolling, tiny specks of valuable, lesser-known materials such as gallium, indium, and tantalum will be left behind. Those tiny specks are critical materials. They’re essential for building new technology, and they’re in short supply in the U.S. They could be reused, but there’s a problem: Current recycling methods make recovering critical minerals from e-waste too costly or hazardous, so many recyclers simply skip them. Sadly, most of these hard-to-recycle materials end up buried in landfills or get mixed into products like cement. But it doesn’t have to be this way. New technology is starting to make a difference. As demand for these critical materials keeps growing, discarded electronics can become valuable resources. My colleagues and I at West Virginia University are developing a new technology to change how we recycle. Instead of using toxic chemicals, our approach uses electricity, making it safer, cleaner, and more affordable to recover critical materials from electronics. How much e-waste are we talking about? Americans generated about 2.7 million tons of electronic waste in 2018, according to the latest federal data. Including uncounted electronics, the U.S. recycles only about 15% of its total e-waste, suggests a survey by the United Nations. Even worse, nearly half the electronics that people in Northern America sent to recycling centers end up shipped overseas. They often land in scrapyards, where workers may use dangerous methods like burning or leaching with harsh chemicals to pull out valuable metals. These practices can harm both the environment and workers’ health. That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency restricts these methods in the U.S. The tiny specks matter Critical minerals are in most of the technology around you. Every phone screen has a super-thin layer of a material called indium tin oxide. LEDs glow because of a metal called gallium. Tantalum stores energy in tiny electronic parts called capacitors. All of these materials are flagged as “high risk” on the U.S. Department of Energy’s critical materials list. That means the U.S. relies heavily on these materials for important technologies, but their supply could easily be disrupted by conflicts, trade disputes, or shortages. Right now, just a few countries, including China, control most of the mining, processing, and recovery of these materials, making the U.S. vulnerable if those countries decide to limit exports or raise prices. These materials aren’t cheap, either. For example, the U.S. Geological Survey reports that gallium was priced between $220 to $500 per kilogram in 2024. That’s 50 times more expensive than common metals like copper, at $9.48 per kilogram in 2024. Revolutionizing recycling with microwaves At West Virginia University’s Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering, I and materials scientist Edward Sabolsky asked a simple question: Could we find a way to heat only specific parts of electronic waste to recover these valuable materials? If we could focus the heat on just the tiny specks of critical minerals, we might be able to recycle them easily and efficiently. The solution we found: microwaves. This equipment isn’t very different from the microwave ovens you use to heat food at home, just bigger and more powerful. The basic science is the same: Electromagnetic waves cause electrons to oscillate, creating heat. In our approach, though, we’re not heating water molecules like you do when cooking. Instead, we heat carbon, the black residue that collects around a candle flame or car tailpipe. Carbon heats up much faster in a microwave than water does. But don’t try this at home; your kitchen microwave wasn’t designed for such high temperatures. In our recycling method, we first shred the electronic waste, mix it with materials called fluxes that trap impurities, and then heat the mixture with microwaves. The microwaves rapidly heat the carbon that comes from the plastics and adhesives in the e-waste. This causes the carbon to react with the tiny specks of critical materials. The result: a tiny piece of pure, sponge-like metal about the size of a grain of rice. This metal can then be easily separated from leftover waste using filters. So far, in our laboratory tests, we have successfully recovered about 80% of the gallium, indium, and tantalum from e-waste, at purities between 95% and 97%. We have also demonstrated how it can be integrated with existing recycling processes. Why the Department of Defense is interested Our recycling technology got its start with help from a program funded by the Defense Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA. Many important technologies, from radar systems to nuclear reactors, depend on these special materials. While the Department of Defense uses less of them than the commercial market, they are a national security concern. We’re planning to launch larger pilot projects next to test the method on smartphone circuit boards, LED lighting parts, and server cards from data centers. These tests will help us fine-tune the design for a bigger system that can recycle tons of e-waste per hour instead of just a few pounds. That could mean producing up to 50 pounds of these critical minerals per hour from every ton of e-waste processed. If the technology works as expected, we believe this approach could help meet the nation’s demand for critical materials. How to make e-waste recycling common One way e-waste recycling could become more common is if Congress held electronics companies responsible for recycling their products and recovering the critical materials inside. Closing loopholes that allow companies to ship e-waste overseas, instead of processing it safely in the U.S., could also help build a reserve of recovered critical minerals. But the biggest change may come from simple economics. Once technology becomes available to recover these tiny but valuable specks of critical materials quickly and affordably, the U.S. can transform domestic recycling and take a big step toward solving its shortage of critical materials. Terence Musho is an associate professor of engineering at West Virginia University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Warning: contains finale spoilers for Dept. Q See it? Blink and you won’t have, but it was there for a good half second: a smile on the face of DCI Carl Morck. It’s a rare enough occurrence across nine episodes of this Netflix crime drama to make it worthy of note. Matthew Goode’s irascible detective frowned, scowled and spitted out sarcasm through his new department’s search for missing prosecutor Merritt Lingard, until the show’s very last moment, when he smiled. He’d earned it. Three months earlier, Morck’s cold case unit had rescued Lingard and used dirt dug up during the investigation to blackmail the Lord Advocate (the most senior law officer in Scotland) into a funding hike, a new work car, and fast-tracked DI status for Syrian copper and calmly proficient muscle Akram Salim. And now, Morck’s partner Hardy, formerly thought to have permanently lost the use of his legs after they were both shot in the line of duty, was walking again. It was a happy ending, or at least as happy as things get in a dank Edinburgh basement filled with unsolved case files detailing terrible crimes. With major Dept. Q finale spoilers, let’s dig into the revelations about Merritt’s kidnappers, what we learned about the Leith Park shooting, and more. Who Kidnapped Merritt Lingard and Why? Merritt’s kidnappers were Lyle and Ailsa Jennings, respectively the younger brother and mother of Harry Jennings, Merritt’s boyfriend as a teenager. She was being held on their property on her childhood island home of Mhòr, in a pressurised hyperbaric chamber inside a condemned building that was formerly part of Ailsa’s husband’s oceanography business Shorebird Ocean Systems – the logo for which was the cormorant symbol identified by Merritt’s brother William as on the hat of her stalker and kidnapper. Ailsa was a twisted and abusive mother to Harry and Lyle, as well as a murderer who killed her husband by burning the house down by flicking lighted matches at him while he slept. As a result, Lyle grew up to be a violent psychopath whose teenage crimes were covered up by the family and by the island’s police officer John Cunningham. John knew that Lyle was responsible for Merritt’s disappearance, but didn’t know she was still alive, having believed Lyle when he lied that Merritt had died by falling off the ferry from the mainland, just like Lyle’s brother Harry had done years earlier. Lyle and Ailsa blamed Merritt for Harry’s death because he jumped from the ferry while being pursued by John, who was chasing him because he was suspected of having severely beaten Merritt’s brother William into a coma during an interrupted robbery of the Lingard home. The robbery plan had been seeded by Merritt to steal her mother’s jewellery from her alcoholic father in order to sell for money to run away from home. In fact, Lyle was the one who had attacked William, being unhinged and thinking that he was protecting his brother. Harry and Ailsa covered up Lyle’s guilt and before his death, Harry took the blame. Lyle Jennings, Godhaven, and Sam Haig Lyle, who had a history of stalking, breaking-and-entering, and animal murder, spent time in youth psychiatric facility Godhaven, where he stalked another patient named Sam Haig. The pair fought, and Sam injured Lyle’s eye so severely that it was left permanently discoloured. Years later as an adult who had become an investigative journalist with no online presence, Sam sought Lyle out to apologise for the injury and invite him to come climbing at his favourite spot. Lyle used the information he had on Sam to assume his identity and stalk Merritt Lingard, who didn’t recognise him as an adult. He pretended to be investigating corruption at Merritt’s workplace, and targeted her, eventually starting a sexual relationship still pretending to be Sam. When Merritt told Lyle-as-Sam that she was leaving to go to Mhòr on the 10am ferry the next day, Lyle used that information to kidnap her during the crossing. Merritt’s brother William, who had been unable to speak since his teenage coma, had spotted Lyle on the ferry and because of Lyle’s distinctive hat, recognised him as the man who’d been stalking their house. He tried to communicate this to Merritt by throwing his own hat, and then struck her when he became afraid. It was when Merritt went to retrieve William’s hat that she was taken. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Two days after Lyle kidnapped Merritt, he returned to the mainland to tie up loose ends and kill the real Sam Haig. He lured Sam to a remote spot, beat him to death, staged his corpse to look as though he had been climbing, and threw it off a cliff. Eventually, Morck and co. worked out that somebody else was pretending to be Sam Haig when they had evidence that Merritt had been with “Sam” at a hotel at the same time that the real Sam was having an affair with his friend’s wife at a different hotel. What Happened to Lyle and Ailsa Jennings? Merritt’s kidnappers both died – Ailsa by her own hand as she shot herself in her car before being taken into custody by the police, and Lyle by Akram’s hand, or rather, his trigger finger. After Lyle shot buckshot into Morck’s shoulder, Akram threw a knife at him, disarmed and shot him. Previously, Lyle had brutally killed Constable John Cunningham with a hammer when he learned that Merritt was still alive. Mark Bonnar’s character Stephen Burns had disallowed the appearance of a key witness in the Graham Finch murder trial after Burns’ daughter was run off the road by one of Finch’s goons as an intimidation tactic. Prisoner Kirsty Atkins was willing to testify that she had previously met Finch’s now-dead wife at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence, and that Finch routinely hit her. Because Burns wouldn’t allow her testimony, Finch was acquitted of his wife’s murder despite clearly having been guilty of it. Perhaps he also passed on the information about Kirsty Atkins to Finch’s lawyer, which led to Kirsty being viciously attacked and partially blinded in prison on Finch’s orders to keep her quiet. Who Is the Leith Park Shooter? We still don’t know who shot PC Anderson dead, and attempted to shoot Morck and Hardy dead at the Leith Park flat. If we can take the contents of Morck’s dream as gospel, then the shooting was done on the orders of Leith Park criminal kingpin Eugene Errington, whom we’ve yet to meet. According to Morck’s dream, in which he shot Errington’s muscle Charlie Bell in the head, Errington has a baby with Caroline Kerr – the witness who was intimidated into withdrawing her statement about the shooting. We also know, or at least have a pretty good idea, that PC Anderson was a corrupt officer working for Errington, and that he may even have been the one to stab the victim – thought to have been a police informant – in the head. Anderson was a top recruit pretending to be a klutz, Morck realised, in order to cover up the fact that his fingerprints were all over the victim’s flat. He also lied about being at the flat for a routine welfare check after being alerted by the victim’s daughter – that was a quick-thinking ruse to explain his presence when Morck and Hardy showed up there unexpectedly. The last we saw of the Leith Park case, Moira looked to be taking it away from its lead investigator and possibly closing it, unsolved, which may point to her also having been compromised by Errington. As Hardy was one of the shooting’s victims, surely that can’t be the case file that she gave to Hardy to investigate without Morck in the season’s closing moments? Dept. Q is streaming now on Netflix.

One of the biggest advantages of today's home security cameras and systems is the ability to watch over your home when you're not there or asleep. But that leads to an important question: When are burglars and break-ins most likely to happen? Do they really prefer the dead of night?CNET took a look at the research and expert opinions and arrived at some interesting conclusions. Burglars don't always strike when you think they would, and having a reliably armed security system may be even more important than you think to stop them. I've rounded it up into three times when thieves are most likely to strike at homes and why that helps you plan for better security.Read more: What Burglars Look for When Choosing Homes to Break Into1. The middle of the day (especially early afternoon) Thieves have a lot to gain by acting in the middle of the day. Getty ImagesIf you want to know when burglars try to break in to homes, it's a good idea to ask them. KGW8 out of Portland, Oregon, did just that, interviewing more than 80 (caught) burglars to find out how and when they struck. The answer? Most chose the middle of the day, the hours before or after noon: Homeowners are most likely to be gone at work in the day, thieves have great visibility when exploring a new yard or house, and it's easier to pretend to be a lost friend or family member if they get caught in broad daylight.Burglars commonly strike in the early afternoon -- one specifically said between "12:30pm and 2:30 p.m."  People who go home for lunch or errands have most likely finished and are back to work during these hours, so there's a greater chance the home will be empty. Others KGW8 interviewed preferred the morning when there's also a guarantee people will be at work. That's similar to other studies that report burglaries are most likely to occur between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Curious about what burglars are after? Most hunt down cash, jewelry, medications and items that can easily sell for money -- notably guns and small electronics. Any signs that these items exist in a house may attract watchful thieves. They also reported that security systems and big dogs were big deterrents (although we don't suggest getting a dog for security purposes).2. During the summer (between June and August) Burglars are caught trying to break in far more often in summer than winter. ArloBurglaries are lowest at the height of winter, and highest during the hottest summer months. Since burglary is often a crime of opportunity and requires quickly casing residential neighborhoods, it makes sense that thieves would prefer longer, warmer days. It's also a lot harder to break into homes if there's ice or snow everywhere. That's why research from places like Arizona State University shows that burglaries reach their height in August, and are generally on the rise between June and August when the weather is warmest.3. At midnight Amazon's Blink Wired Floodlight cam in action. BlinkWe know, we just said that burglaries are most common during the warmest, brightest times of day. But not everything is so simple. Research from companies like Vivint has shown that burglaries also spike around midnight, with data showing around 6% of burglaries occurring at 12 a.m.This is an interesting spike because late evening and early morning hours are the least likely times for burglaries. There's just something about midnight that makes some burglars think it's a good time to strike. They may also believe that homeowners are asleep at this time, or that it's easier to hide in the dark. Read more: The Best Tips to Prevent Burglars and Break-InsWith this info now in your brain, you're ready to make great decisions about when to arm your security system or when to make sure your smart lights and security camera floodlights are ready to work. It's also a good idea to make sure your smart locks are locked during these times because -- you guessed it -- most burglars start by simply trying the front door. To become a master of your home security, check out our guide on the best places to put security cameras, common home security myths you should stop believing, and what to do if someone you're living with is the one stealing. 

If there’s one place in Seoul that makes the aroma of coffee feel like a warm hug, it’s HOTEL DRIP&DROP. Tucked away in Myeongdong, this boutique spot is a delight for anyone who finds joy in a perfectly brewed cup and a thoughtfully designed space. The moment you step inside, the air seems to shimmer with the promise of comfort and creativity, making you want to linger just a bit longer. You won’t find any cold, impersonal hotel atmosphere here. Instead, each room feels like a private retreat designed with the same care as a handcrafted pour-over. The details are impossible to miss, from the tactile surfaces that invite fingertips to the subtle interplay of light and shadow dancing across the walls. Every corner feels considered, as if the designers were secretly rooting for your morning daydreams. Designer: LOG Hotel Group Co., Ltd The rooms are a true testament to the artistry of minimalism, yet they don’t come across as empty or austere. Soft textures mingle with warm woods, and splashes of color peek out from unexpected places, creating an ambiance that is both soothing and quietly playful. You get the sense that every piece of furniture was chosen by someone who really, truly loves their job. There’s a touch of whimsy here, never forced, always inviting. What really sets these rooms apart is how seamlessly the coffee theme is woven into the experience. Complimentary drip bags are nestled next to a sleek kettle, practically begging you to brew a cup before you even unpack. The act of making coffee here feels like a ritual, not a routine. It’s easy to lose track of time, letting the steam curl up as you watch the city slowly blink awake outside your window. It’s not just the presence of coffee that charms, but how it’s celebrated in the room’s aesthetics. The color palette hints at roasted beans and creamy foam, while the subtle scent of fresh grounds lingers in the air. Even the mugs have a personality of their own, chunky and satisfying to hold, turning a simple drink into an event. Every morning feels like a tiny festival for your senses. Furniture and interior designers and will find plenty to admire in the thoughtful choices scattered throughout. Low-slung chairs beckon with nubby upholstery, and side tables seem to have the perfect footprint for a book, a phone, or, naturally, a coffee cup. There’s a quiet respect for craftsmanship here, as though the pieces are winking at you, knowing they’ve found their perfect home. Lighting in the rooms is soft yet purposeful, with fixtures that cast a gentle glow rather than a harsh glare. It’s the kind of light that flatters both people and coffee, making even a rainy afternoon feel like a cozy invitation to slow down. The interplay of light and materials gives the space a dynamic quality, shifting as the day unfolds, never quite looking the same twice. Stepping into one of these rooms, you can’t help but feel that the designers must have been fueled by a steady stream of espresso and inspiration. Every item feels chosen, not because it was trendy, but because it made the room a little happier. If you’re someone who collects experiences as much as objects, HOTEL DRIP&DROP is bound to leave you searching for ways to recreate its magic long after you’ve checked out. The post Seoul’s HOTEL DRIP&DROP: Where Coffee and Design Create an Unforgettable Stay first appeared on Yanko Design.

Programmatic video advertising is a complex, multi-layered topic. Multiple networks serving different audiences — advertisers on the demand side and publishers on the supply side — work together with third-party mediators to serve video ads to billions of end users in the blink of an eye.It’s also a multi-billion dollar industry under constant, rapid evolution, and understanding it is key to reaching your audience and maximizing ROAS. Wherever you are on the demand or supply-side of the mobile ad stack, you should be aware of how the programmatic ad service process works and where things are headed.Let’s dive into programmatic video advertising and go over what it is, identify several key trends for the future, and break down how to choose a programmatic video platform that’s right for you.In this post, we’ll cover the following:What is programmatic video advertising?A timeline of growth for programmatic video advertisingProgrammatic video trends to watchHow to choose a programmatic video advertising platformMake programmatic video easyWhat is programmatic video advertising?For years, direct media buying — where advertisers made direct deals with publishers to determine exactly where their ads would run — ruled the landscape. And while direct media buying still works for static media, the advent of interactivity through the internet and smartphones allows for users to be directly catered to based on their individual interests. That’s where programmatic video advertising comes in.But what’s a good programmatic video definition? Essentially, as ads are served to users in mobile games, through connected TV experiences like Roku, or social media platforms, they are bid on in real-time by ad networks. The value of the bids is determined by characteristics like user demographics, what game they’re playing or app they’re using, and the bid ceiling set by the advertiser. The winner of the bid has their video served to the user.What makes programmatic video advertising so mind-blowing is that all of these bids are happening automatically in the fractions of a second between the moment an ad is called (like when a user taps on a button to double their reward in a game) and when it’s served. Market forces determine the cost of an ad, and data like user acquisition and ROAS can be monitored in real-time. And while the whole market cycle can seem intimidating and highly-technical, platforms like the ironSource Exchange make it easier than ever to integrate and display ads.To learn more about the benefits of programmatic video advertising and the channels best suited for it, read our guide, What Is Programmatic Video Advertising?A timeline of growth for programmatic video advertisingThe programmatic video ad market has seen an explosion of growth over the last few years, and it shows no signs of slowing down.In 2019, surveys showed that programmatic video ad spending grew to more than $24B. Only two years later, that number shot up to $52B according to a 2021 report by eMarketer, with the potential for ad spend reaching $62.96B in 2022. Mobile ad spend accounts for two-thirds of all programmatic video spending, with connected TV following behind and steadily growing.And that’s just in the United States. Global programmatic video ad spending reached $112.9B in 2019, eventually hitting $155B in 2021 and accounting for 34% of all global programmatic ad spend.As smart device and mobile game adoption grows, so too will programmatic video grow to meet the demand.Read more about programmatic video growth and learn about the top programmatic advertising video players in Your Guide to the 2022 Programmatic Video Advertising Market.Programmatic video trends to watchMobile advertising technology moves fast, and it’s important to have a sense of where things are headed so you can stay a step ahead of the competition.In terms of ad content, the rise of TikTok as a social media platform has caused a shift in the kinds of ads companies are creating for the programmatic video marketplace. Ads themselves are starting to look like TikToks, often being repurposed from TikTok itself to suit the more specific needs of mobile games and other apps. Videos are shorter, filled with dances or direct conversations, and often embrace subtitles or other text alternatives like written signs to present information.Privacy moves made by Google and Apple have made waves throughout the industry, as the removal of third-party cookies and updated app tracking policies are forcing mobile ad companies to get creative with data solutions. Advertisers are looking to first-party data to replace information third-party cookies would normally provide, and are implementing solutions like rewarded ads and the offerwall to paint a better picture of user data. It’s also leading to a wider move toward consolidation, as agencies look across the demand- and supply-side stack for opportunities to shore up weaknesses and strengthen their offerings.How to choose a programmatic video advertising platformProgrammatic video advertising platforms integrate with the demand side and supply side of the mobile advertising stack, and determining which platform is best for you will depend on which side of the stack you’re on.Advertisers looking for the best way to increase their return on ad spend (ROAS) will want to find a platform that offers the following:A large audience of engaged usersFull-screen video offerings that won’t go unnoticedEasy testing for a variety of creative and placement optionsSDK integration that provides access to thousands of connected appsIf you’re an app publisher looking to maximize user engagement and revenue, you’ll want to find a platform that can:Connect your app with a large network of advertisersProvide rewarded videos and offerwallsEasily integrate via industry-standard SDKsProvide support for programmatic mediation so you can ensure impartiality on ad bidsCheck out our guide on How to Choose a Programmatic Video Advertising Platform: 8 Consideration for more details on how to pick a platform that suits your needs.Make programmatic video easyThere are a lot of moving parts within the programmatic video advertisement world, and it can seem like a lot to take in. You don’t have to sweat the hard stuff, though. The ironSource Programmatic Marketplace makes putting your ads in front of billions of engaged users in brand-safe environments with complete transparency easier than ever. Contact us today to learn more.

Best Memorial Day headphones and earbuds deals: Best Bose deal Bose QuietComfort $229 at Amazon (save $120) Get Deal Best budget earbuds deal Soundcore by Anker P20i Wireless Earbuds $19.98 at Amazon (save $20.01) Get Deal Best AirPods deal Apple AirPods 4 with ANC $148.99 at Amazon (save $30.01) Get Deal Best Sony deal Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones $298 at Amazon (save $101.99) Get Deal Best mid-range earbuds Nothing Ear (a) earbuds $79 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal Headphones have become an essential part of life these days. We're tuned into our favorite playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks, and that's thanks to our favorite pair of headphones or earbuds. If you're in need of an upgraded pair, Memorial Day sales are coming in hot with the deals. You'll be able to save up to 50% on a new pair that'll be great for upcoming travel or lounging at the park this summer. SEE ALSO: Sony's new flagship XM6 headphones are here — but there's a catch We've been closely tracking all of the long weekend's headphones deals at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and beyond, and we've picked out the top savings for music lovers. Here are some of our favorite deals to shop today.Best Memorial Day headphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort headphones $229 at Amazon $349 Save $120 Get Deal Why we like itLike the name suggests, the Bose QuietComfort headphones bring ultimate comfort for all-day wear. The headphones usually sell for $349, but thanks to Amazon's Memorial Day sale, you can snag a pair for $229. Plus, this sale extends to the brand new Twilight Blue colorway. Getting up to 24 hours of battery life, the Bose QuietComfort impress when it comes to sound and noise-cancellation. That'll come in handy during your upcoming summer travel plans. But you can also toggle them to Aware Mode should you wish to hear your surroundings.More Memorial Day headphones dealsSoundcore V20i by Anker Open-Ear Headphones — $28.48 $49.99 (Save $21.51)Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Headphones — $39.98 $59.99 (Save $20.01)Sony WHCH720N Wireless Headphones — $99.99 $149.99 (Save $50)Skullcandy Crusher Evo Headphones — $103.99 $199.99 (Save $96)Sony ULT Wear Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones — $149.99 $199.99 (Save $50)Beats Studio Pro Headphones — $199.95 $349.99 (Save $150.04)Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones — $228 $348 (Save $120)Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones — $298 $399.99 (Save $101.99)Apple AirPods Max — $479.99 $549 (Save $69.01)Best Memorial Day earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Soundcore by Anker P20i Wireless Earbuds $19.99 at Amazon $39.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like itIf you keep misplacing your earbuds, snag a fresh pair of Soundcore by Anker P20i earbuds for just $19.98 during Amazon's Memorial Day sale. At this price, you might as well grab a few pairs. Keep one in your work bag, one on your nightstand, and one in your travel bag, eliminating that heart-sinking feel of forgetting your earbuds at home.On the Mashable list of the best earbuds, the Soundcore by Anker P20i are the top pick if you're shopping for a budget-friendly option. Getting an impressive 30 hours of battery life before they'll need a recharge, this pair is perfect for travel.More Memorial Day earbuds dealsSoundcore C30i by Anker Open-Ear Earbuds — $48.99 $69.99 (Save $21)JBL Endurance Race TWS sport earbuds — $49.95 $79.95 (Save $30Samsung Galaxy Buds FE — $64.99 $99.99 (Save $35)Nothing Ear (a) earbuds — $79 $109 (Save $30)Beats Studio Buds Noise-Cancelling Earbuds — $99.99 $149.99 (Save $50)Bose QuietComfort Earbuds — $149 $179 (Save $30)Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro — $189.99 $249.99 (Save $60)Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds — $198 $299.99 (Save $101.99)Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $199 $249 (Save $50)Sennheiser Momentum Earbuds — $249.95 $299.95 (Save $50) The best Memorial Day deals you can get right now, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Earbuds — $198.00 (List Price $299.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $24.99 With Code "4KNEWFTV" Blink Mini 2 Indoor Wireless 1080p Camera (2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99) Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm, Sports Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Phone With $50 Amazon Gift Card (Pre-Order) — $1,099.99 Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus (2021 Release) — $119.99 (List Price $179.99) Aiper Scuba S1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner (2024 Model) — $529.99 (List Price $699.95)

Blink deals are back for Memorial Day, making it a good time to stock up on security cameras if you have an existing system or try out one of our favorites for the first time. A particularly great deal is on a two-pack of Blink Mini 2 wired security cams, which you can grab for just $38. The Blink Mini 2 made our list of the best security cameras, and we gave it kudos for being a great option for the budget-conscious. These are small cameras that are easy to place just about anywhere. You can adjust the head to accommodate a wide variety of angles and we found the setup to be painless and quick. The image quality is decent, though not astounding. The bright spots can get a bit blown out, but the camera gets the job done. We found that it was particularly useful at night, thanks to the infrared view and the spotlight. This model also offers the ability to set privacy zones and it can double as a doorbell chime if you happen to have a Blink Video Doorbell installed. The camera is weather resistant, so it works outside. It also integrates with Alexa, which makes sense as Amazon owns Blink. Alexa can be used to adjust settings, arm the camera and more. There's no location detection here, so it can't automatically arm the device when you leave the house. This has to be done manually. Also, it doesn't offer any cloud storage unless you pony up for a Blink subscription. A basic subscription for one camera costs $3 per month. Memorial Day sales also include other Blink bundles. If you're setting up a Blink system for the first time, you can grab a one-camera Blink Outdoor 4 system for half off, or only $50. That 50-percent discount is also available on multi-camera systems, including an expansive five-camera bundle, which is down to $200. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/a-two-pack-of-blink-mini-2-security-cameras-is-only-38-for-memorial-day-152339657.html?src=rss