Amazon's New Buds Make It Easier to Summon Alexa Than Ever

With good sound and excellent app integration, Amazon's latest wireless earbuds are an affordable AirPods Pro alternative.

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How to Celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month—IRL or Online

With the ongoing pandemic, here are a variety of ways you can join in at home, or anywhere.

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VC Pledged to 'Do Better' on Diversity. It's Barely Changed

The Black Lives Matter protests drew sympathetic public statements from investors in 2020. One year later, signs of progress are harder to find.

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The Best Made-Up Worlds Are Made Up of Real Parts

Helene Wecker’s The Hidden Palace brings magic to 20th century Manhattan. Turns out that’s easier than putting the wrong stormtroopers into Star Wars Land.

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They Role-Played Fascism in Roblox. Were They Fashies IRL?

Thousands of players flocked to a digital world filled with draconian rules, slavery, and anti-Semitism—and tested how far “just a game” can go.

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Facial Verification Won't Fight Fraud

Unemployment fraud is a real problem, and biased software only makes it worse. States need privacy-preserving alternatives.

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The Case for Putting Down the Video Game Controller

If gaming isn’t as fulfilling as it used to be, it’s OK to walk away and go do something else.

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Help! How Do I Make Work Friends When Everyone's Remote?

Guest columnist Alan Henry offers advice for putting yourself out there online.

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Meowza! Spoil Your Kitty With Deals on Cat Gear

From comfy beds to water fountains, we found sales on cat supplies to kick off Adopt-a-Cat Month.

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What It Takes to Turn a Video Game Into a Tabletop One

How do developers take open worlds and condense them into a form that fits on your coffee table? It's not easy, but when it works, it's incredible.

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Want OLED and Speed for Under $1,000? Get This Asus Laptop

The AMD-powered ZenBook 13 is one of the best values we’ve seen in a long time.

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Watch Drones Fly Through a Fake Forest Without Crashing

Each copter doesn’t just track where the others are. It constantly predicts where they’ll go.

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The Pandemic Put an End to Rush Hour. What Happens Now?

Remote work generally reduces driving. But the travel behavior of telecommuters isn’t as straightforward as it might seem.

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If You Want to Live in Apple World, Gather All Your iDevices

This week, Apple doubled down on its vision of a seamlessly integrated ecosystem of products, software, and services. The catch? You need to be all in on Apple.

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Want to Write Better? Here Are Some Tools to Help You Improve

Whether you're drafting a memo or promoting a book, technology can make the task easier than ever.

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Crypto Isn’t About Money. It’s About Fandom

And that’s why we will fight about it forever.

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Our Favorite Cheap Earbuds Are an Unbelievable $16 Right Now

These affordable wireless buds from JLab Audio have the same specs as the Apple AirPods and sound almost as good.

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How an Obscure Company Took Down Big Chunks of the Internet

You may not have heard of Fastly, but you felt its impact when sites didn’t load around the world Tuesday morning.

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How to Turn Off Amazon Sidewalk

The company is enlisting your Echo and Ring devices into an internet-sharing mesh network starting Monday. It's not too late to opt out.

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Weber’s New Smoker Makes Some Mighty Tasty Meats

Weber’s second take on a pellet smoker delivers delicious results. Be prepared to clean your cooker more frequently, though.

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Could Brain Training Help Address Police Brutality?

New neuroscience-based technologies aim to improve decisionmaking under pressure. But solving systemic problems will take a lot more than that.

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Deathloop and the Radical Necessity of 2 Black Leads

Building games that reflect the diversity of the real world is nothing new to the team at Arkane Studios. But this project presented unique challenges.

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The Colorful, Costly World of Custom Keyboard Enthusiasts

Hobbyists spend hours building their own personalized rigs, while others drop thousands of dollars on a bespoke board. The hype is only getting bigger.

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Going Medieval Is a Great Entry Point Into Colony Sims

The game lets you build a new post-plague civilization in 14th-century England, and it’s been topping Steam charts—for good reason.

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This Plastic Phone Case Could Biodegrade Within 2 Years

Most plastics take hundreds of years to decompose. This one, from case maker Pivet, harnesses the power of hungry microbes.

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Your Clothes Spew Microfibers Before They’re Even Clothes

The clothing supply chain releases some 265 million pounds of microfibers that wash into the environment each year.

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What Really Happened When Google Ousted Timnit Gebru

She was a star engineer who warned that messy AI can spread racism. Google brought her in. Then it forced her out. Can Big Tech take criticism from within?

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All the Top Features Coming to Your iPhone This Fall

Apple just previewed iOS 15, the latest version of its mobile operating system. Here's what's new.

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Everything Apple Announced Today: New iOS, Privacy Updates

The 2021 edition of WWDC began Monday with a keynote address. Apple used the occasion to show off a whole bunch of enhancements to its software and services.

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Ransomware Hit Another Pipeline Firm—and 70GB of Data Leaked

LineStar Integrity Services was hacked around the same time as Colonial Pipeline, but radical transparency activists have brought the attack to light.

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The Incredible, Absurd World of Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

The update has been a long time coming, and if you haven't played, now's the time. We asked Robert Kurvitz, the game's designer, if he’s finally satisfied with it.

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The 15 Best Wireless Headphones for Everyone

Even if you’re on a budget, these wireless headphones sound like a million bucks.

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China's Quiet Ecommerce Giant Thrives on Fresh Produce

Pinduoduo, which recently passed Alibaba as the shopping site with the most customers, connects 12 million farmers to more than 800 million users.

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A New Way to Shape Metal Nanoparticles—With a Magnetic Field

Making the tiny nanoparticles used in everything from electronics to paint isn't easy. But a new experiment creates order out of chaos.

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Why Are Writers Fleeing Substack for Ghost?

The publishing platform is gaining traction as a Substack substitute. But the comparison isn't so simple.

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Google Hopes AI Can Turn Search Into a Conversation

The tech giant wants its core product to infer meaning from human language, answer multipart questions—and look more like Google Assistant sounds.

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4 Tips to Send (and Receive) Better Texts

Sure, hitting send is easy. But these tips can help make sure everyone's messages are coming across loud and clear.

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Covid Brings Automation to the Workplace, Killing Some Jobs

Unable to find enough workers, employers are turning to technology to perform tasks—and women are likely to be the hardest hit.

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How to Watch Today's Apple WWDC Keynote

The annual event starts at 10 am Pacific with news about software updates coming to iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Here's how to tune in.

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China Has Triggered a Bitcoin Mining Exodus

The promise of a crackdown is sending the country's crypterati scrambling for the exit.

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RevAir's Hair Dryer Is a One-Stop Blow Out Shop

This expensive hair vacuum quickly dries and smoothes kinks out of your hair. It's impressive, if you can afford to pay for it and can store it.

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10 Essential Accessories to Up Your Backyard Grilling Game

Up your outdoor cooking game with these tools for getting the perfect sear, smoke, roast—and even a pizza.

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Will a Volcanic Eruption Be a Burp or a Blast?

Scientists have begun to decipher the seismic signals that reveal how explosive a volcanic eruption is going to be.

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A Love Letter to Grand Theft Auto's Best Side Stories

The often-overlooked Liberty City and Vice City Stories have some of the best character development and the most cinematic moments in the franchise.

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Google's $99 A-Series Earbuds Are AirPods for Android

The company's more affordable version of last year's Pixel Buds cut some perks for a much better price.

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Twitch Turns 10, and the Creator Economy Is in Its Debt

The livestreaming platform for gamers helped pioneer the patronage systems that prop up so much of the internet today.

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How to Protect Your Files From Ransomware

It's a growing threat for individual users and businesses alike—but there are ways to protect yourself.

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The FBI’s Director Compares Ransomware Threat to 9/11

Plus, a Supreme Court decision on a controversial anti-hacking law, a WhatsApp walk-back, and more of the week’s top security news.

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The Safest Way to Store and Share Your Nudes

Listen, if you’re going to take them, follow these precautions so they don’t go anywhere you don’t intend them to.

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Trump's Failed Blog Proves He Was Just Howling Into the Void

Without the algorithmic boosts of Twitter and Facebook, there are few “active” internet users to be found.

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Black Barbecue Gets Its Due in an Inspiring New Cookbook

The first book from renowned pitmaster and chef Rodney Scott puts a long-neglected keystone of Black American culture on the table.

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The 9 Best TVs We've Tested (and Helpful Buying Tips)

From LCDs to fancy OLED models, these are our favorite televisions at every price point.

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Our Favorite Audiophile-Grade Gear for Serious Listening

Interested in getting insane audio quality? From speakers and headphones to streaming amps, here are our favorite tools for gold-plated listening.

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The Drought Is Making the Klamath River’s Baby Salmon Sick

Dry conditions are worsening a warm-water disease that’s sweeping through juvenile fish. Their deaths will create a future crisis for both fish and human populations.

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This Kids Speaker Is Adorable, Screen-Free Fun

Like on game consoles of old, children can insert physical cards into this cute pixel-art cube to listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and soundscapes.

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14 Best Weekend Deals on Video Games, TVs, and Home Appliances

Keep cool in this heat with the best deals on portable air conditioners, and immerse yourself in a weekend movie with discounted soundbars.

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Why Are There So Few Women in Wargaming?

A combination of a high barrier to entry and outdated, misogynistic attitudes keep women out of a hobby where they could thrive.

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Admit It: The Facebook Oversight Board Is Kind of Working

Facebook has agreed to follow some of the board’s non-binding recommendations regarding the Donald Trump suspension. That’s progress.

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New Vaccine Incentives, Surplus Dose Shipments, and More News

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.

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Love, Death & Robots Is Growing Up

The Netflix series can still feel like a boy's club, but the second season eclipses the first.

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Apple's WWDC 2021 Starts Monday. Here's What to Expect

The annual developer conference is where the next versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and other software enhancements are unveiled.

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The Avengers Campus at Disneyland Kinda Weirds Me Out

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is becoming the uncanny valley—that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

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You Need to Weigh Some Water. All You’ve Got Is a Paper Clip

OK, so you might need a couple other supplies, but your best option is to do what MacGyver would do: Turn it into a scale.

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A Google Alum Wants to Make Search Pure Again

Plus: A lesson in macro Googlenomics, an audio jamming dream, and high-stakes cheesesteaks.

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How a Smartphone Can Help You Cope With Epilepsy

Epilepsy looks different depending on the person, but here are some strategies for managing symptoms and staying safe.

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Oximeters Used to Be Designed for Equity. What Happened?

The pandemic drew attention to the racial bias built into pulse oxes. But calls to create a fairer device are missing one thing: It once existed.

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Get Your Covid Vaccine, Win a Million Dollars

This week we unpack the behavioral science behind vaccine lotteries and why a life-changing amount of cash will motivate humans to get their shots.

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This Electric Kick Scooter Is Lightweight and Folds Fast

This electric kick scooter doesn’t offer the comfiest or the fastest ride, but it’s lightweight enough to ignore those flaws.

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I Revisited SaGa Frontier—and My Bisexual Video Game Crush

As a kid in the 90s, the original game was my escape. In the new remastered version, Lady Asellus's story still resonates.

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Microsoft’s Vote Tracking Software Clears a Major Hurdle

Hart InterCivic will be the first private vendor to partner with the company on using its open-source ElectionGuard system.

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Google's New Nest Hub Beats Wearing a Sleep Tracker to Bed

The new version of the smart display can now track your sleep without a camera—and it gave me fresh insight into some of my sleep habits.

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Our Favorite Hair Dryers and Diffusers

We tried blow dryers, brushes, diffusers, and one reverse air-dryer that sucks your hair up like a vacuum. These are our favorite hair drying tools.

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Don't End Up on This Artificial Intelligence Hall of Shame

A list of incidents that caused, or nearly caused, harm aims to prompt developers to think more carefully about the tech they create.

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One of Our Favorite Standing Desks Just Got Cheaper

Flexispot’s 55-inch adjustable desk has three height presets and is well made. It’s now $100 off.

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The Sneaky, Lying Flower That Pretends to Be a Rotting Beetle

Aristolochia microstoma finds love by smelling like death. Coffin flies can’t resist.

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Changing Minds About Why Doctors Change Their Minds

After Covid, being open with patients about uncertainty may be the surest way to build trust in medicine.

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How an Adaptive Game Controller Helps My Family Bond

Multiplayer gaming was something we thought my son would never be able to do, but a special Xbox controller changed everything.

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They Rage-Quit the School System—and They're Not Going Back

The pandemic created a new, more diverse, more connected crop of homeschoolers. They could help shape what learning looks like for everyone.

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Get Ready for Summer With These Nature-Themed Board Games

We selected a few great outdoorsy games that are perfect for playing on the patio or by an open window.

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Wait, Vaccine Lotteries Actually Work?

Ooh, the behavioral economists are going to be so smug about this.

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The All-Seeing Eyes of New York’s 15,000 Surveillance Cameras

Video from the cameras is often used in facial-recognition searches. A report finds they are most common in neighborhoods with large nonwhite populations.

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Six-Word Sci-Fi: Stories Written By You

Here's this month's prompt, how to submit, and an illustrated archive of past favorites.

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Lyft’s Revamped Bike-Share Ebike Is Sleek—and Beefy

It’s got a better motor, a bigger battery, and a flashy paint job. Riders in San Francisco will soon be able to take the public beta for a spin.

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Help! Must We With the Virtual Meeting Small Talk?

Megan weighs in on the value of idle chatter.

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How Apps and VR Therapy Can Help OCD Patients

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is often misunderstood. Here’s what it is, and how you can use technology to help navigate uncertainty.

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More Content Moderation Is Not Always Better

Simply erasing things from the internet comes at a cost. It might not be worth it.

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45 Father’s Day Gifts for the Dependable Dad in Your Life

Show how much you appreciate him this Father’s Day with these useful and offbeat gift ideas.

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The UK Has a Plan for a New ‘Pandemic Radar’ System

Disease surveillance schemes to catch the next rising virus already exist—they’re just not communicating with each other.

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Welcome to Planet Egirl

What does it look like when women’s long-held interest in gaming is finally accepted into the mainstream—and embraced by billion-dollar industries?

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Ransomware Hits a Food Supply Giant—and Underscores Dire Risk

Hackers targeting JBS USA have disrupted meat processing facilities around the world, just one month after the Colonial Pipeline attack caused fuel distribution havoc.

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There’s Hope for American Movie Theaters After All

Covid-19 closures put movie chains in a tough spot. A Quiet Place Part II’s box office performance shows they could find their way out of the woods.

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New to Vinyl Records? Here’s What You Need to Know

Before you go shopping for turntables, cartridges, and headphones, here are a few things to remember as you start your journey into records.

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Inside Silicon Valley’s Mayo Marketing Madness

The war on eggs started back in the ’70s, not with the company formerly known as Hampton Creek, but with a little cafe-grocery store in Los Angeles.

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The Mayor of Reno Is Betting Big on the Blockchain

Hillary Schieve invests in cryptocurrencies herself, and she sees the technology as a way to improve government services.

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This Arcane Manual Could Lead to More Human-Friendly Cities

For decades, the federal government has issued a guide for designing streets. Activists want to make it better for pedestrians and cyclists.

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Peanut the Waiter Robot Is Proof That Your Job Is Safe

Restaurants are struggling to hire people, so one Jersey Shore grill employed a machine. It confirms that humans remain indispensable.

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Indie Video Games Have Finally Embraced the Tabletop Scene

Video games like Monster Train, Slay The Spire, and Gordian Quest use decks, cards, and dice rolls to stake their claim.

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The Dog Poodemic Is Here. Call in the Dung-Hunting Drones

Lockdown puppy madness has left sidewalks littered with feces. Robots that scan and scoop can help.

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How to Game on a PC When You Can't Find a Graphics Card

Don't want to get scammed by a scalper or pay more than double for a new GPU? We have some tips to help you keep gaming without emptying your wallet.

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This Dam Acts Like a Water Cannon. Let’s Do Some Physics!

Like a giant bucket with a hole, the Funil Hydropower Plant sprays out an enormous jet of water. We can use its speed to calculate the depth of the reservoir.

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