LastPass review: Is this popular password manager worth it?
LastPass review: Is this popular password manager worth it?
“The poor security track record of LastPass overshadows many of its great features and affordable prices.”
*****
Easy access to logins, notes, and more
Great cross-platform support
Low prices on individual and family plans
24/7 live chat
Login sharing
*****
Poor security track record
Sharing requires a LastPass account
Limited sharing in free version
LastPass wants to make the password you choose for its service the last you’ll ever need. But to meet that lofty goal, LastPass needs to offer great security, easy operation, and enough unique features that you’ll want to keep subscribing year after year.
I’ve reviewed LastPass to find out if it deserves a spot on our list of the best password managers available, checking ease of use, features, customer service, and security to ensure it offers good value.
Specs
LastPass
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, watchOS, Wear OS, Horizon OS
Devices
Unlimited
Support
Live chat
Free version?
Yes
Tiers and pricing
LastPass has low-cost individual and family subscription plans, sometimes with big discounts. LastPass
LastPass currently has a ***** that cuts annual subscription prices in half. That’s a great deal on a popular password manager. Your renewal cost will be at LastPass’ standard prices, which are reasonable.
A Premium subscription normally costs $36 annually. You can sync passwords across all your devices and securely store up to 1GB of encrypted notes, card numbers, addresses, and attached photos. LastPass offers a plan for Families that includes six individual accounts for $48 per year.
That’s significant savings for families, making the cost per person as low as $8 annually. ***** prices might cut that to $4 for each person in a big family.
LastPass also offers a free version that supports a single device. You can use it on a computer or a mobile device but not both. Sharing is limited to only one other person, and secure storage is capped at 50MB. If you’re looking for the best free password manager, check out Bitwarden, an open-source solution with a good free app.
Design
LastPass is easy to set up with guidance to install the browser extension and import logins. Digital Trends
When I logged into my LastPass account, a prompt to install the browser extension appeared at the top and below I saw options to add passwords manually or import them.
I installed the extension and signed in, then imported the passwords saved in my browser. LastPass supports Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and even Explorer. I could also import vaults from 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane, KeePass, Keeper, RoboForm, and logins stored in CSV format.
Importing logins is simple with LastPass. Digital Trends
With everything imported, I installed the app on my iPhone, signed in, and authenticated via email and text message. I switched on Face ID to simplify mobile access. All my passwords had already synced, so I could log into any account I had on my Windows PC.
Switching back to my computer, I explored the extension, which has a convenient one-click website launch feature and a favorites tab. The web app has many more options and is the best place to adjust settings, organize logins, and more.
Features
LastPass handles autofill as well as the best password managers. Digital Trends
Autofill is a critical feature for a password manager and LastPass handles it well. When I open a website where I have an account, the username and password are instantly filled in. A LastPass icon at the right opens an options menu where I can choose another account, generate a new password, or switch off autofill for this website.
On my iPhone, a single tap authenticates with Face ID and fills logins. It works as well as the built-in autofill in the Edge browser on my Windows PC and the Passwords app on iOS.
To compete with tech leaders like Microsoft and Apple, third-party solutions offer cross-platform ease, more options, and advanced features. LastPass works on nearly any device. There are Apple Watch and Wear OS apps. LastPass even made an app and browser extension for the Meta Quest.
The LastPass security dashboard alerts me to weak passwords and dark web leaks. Digital Trends
Like many other password managers, LastPass rates my security score, alerting me to reused and weak passwords. I can update the logins or delete the accounts if I no longer use them. On the same security tab, there’s an option for dark web monitoring. I can add up to 200 email addresses to the checklist.
Sharing logins is a unique feature that adds great value to password managers. LastPass lets me share a login with anyone simply by entering their email address. The recipient needs a LastPass account to access that password but a free account suffices.
LastPass has shared folders for family accounts, making it easy to organize and sync logins. Digital Trends
I tried a LastPass Families account that provides six individual accounts. In the web app, there’s a Families tab that makes it easy to add and manage members. Among members, I can share entire folders that contain logins, notes, addresses, and more.
Support
LastPass offers 24/7 live chat and customer service was very responsive. Digital Trends
LastPass offers 24/7 live chat for customers. I visited the support center and used the chat bubble at the bottom right to test responsiveness. The initial reply came from a chatbot that didn’t understand my question about secure storage.
I asked for a human agent and was quickly transferred to the ****** with an estimated wait time of up to five minutes. It took mere seconds for live support to respond.
I had to copy and paste my question but the interaction was quick and helpful, clarifying that LastPass Family plan members set up personal and shared folders.
I also asked for live chat hours and the agent confirmed it’s available all day, every day with an average wait time of two minutes.
Privacy and security
A password manager has access to logins for all your accounts so privacy and security are essential. Your financial data, medical records, social media history and friend lists, personal photos and videos, school, and work data could be at risk if this information leaked or fell into the wrong hands.
LastPass currently holds several security certifications including ISO 27001, SOC2 Type II, SOC3, BSI C5, TRUSTe, and more. Hackers sometimes still find ways to bypass safeguards.
The company has suffered several security incidents, most recently a serious breach in 2022 when hackers accessed the LastPass source code and the customer database.
In response to the ongoing issues and growing lack of trust, LastPass separated from GoTo and now operates as an independent company under L.P. This private equity firm owns GoTo, calling into question the impact of this change.
LastPass suggests this is a new chapter for the company, one focused on “innovation, security, privacy and trust” with a “dedicated threat intelligence team” led by a new team of executives that are “respected veterans in the industry.”
At best, LastPass must be treated as a new and unproven password manager with a short security and privacy track record. At worst, LastPass is the same company with a history of security breaches.
Is LastPass right for you?
LastPass offers great customer support and good value as a cross-platform password manager. You can install LastPass on almost any device, including your phone, watch, computer, and Quest VR headset.
Sharing isn’t as robust as top password managers like 1Password and Keeper, but you can share a ****** login so anyone with a free or paid LastPass can enjoy autofill without letting them see your password. You can revoke access at any time.
The only question is whether LastPass security is good enough. After the 2022 breach, the company is motivated to restore trust and is under scrutiny from industry watchdogs. We’ll be keeping an eye on LastPass and update our rating if it can avoid further issues. Everyone deserves a second chance.
However, that’s no guarantee your data is safe. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your logins, check out our list of five password managers with better long-term security records than LastPass.
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This is the best stock to play an SEC turning pro-crypto, according to Bernstein
This is the best stock to play an SEC turning pro-crypto, according to Bernstein
President-elect Donald Trump’s second term could spell big gains for Robinhood , according to Bernstein. Analyst Gautam Chhugani, who has an outperform rating on the stock, increased his price target by $21 to $51 and named it his top “crypto deregulation” trade. That implies more than 44% upside from here, as of Tuesday’s close. This comes as the stock has already had a massive year, up more than 196% in that time and more than 90% in the past three months. That comes as bitcoin skyrockets to record levels. On Wednesday, it scaled above $94,000 for the first time. HOOD YTD mountain HOOD, year-to-date Looking ahead to next year, Chhugani anticipates the Securities and Exchange Commission will become “pro-crypto” with Trump in office, as the former president has vowed to do things like develop a strategic national bitcoin stockpile and replace SEC Chairman Gary Gensler. “HOOD has so far operated a regulatory-constrained crypto business – barely listed 15 tokens (vs. more than 250 on Coinbase), made no revenue from staking, lending, derivatives or stablecoins – offered by competing exchanges,” he said in a Wednesday note to clients. “But under a potentially new pro-crypto SEC, this looks set to change, and we expect HOOD to be the biggest beneficiary of crypto regulatory tailwinds.” Specifically, Chhugani expects “clear” rule-making on digital asset classification under the new administration, which he said would allow Robinhood to engage in both digital commodities and digital securities. He noted that the financial services platform has already listed four more tokens following Trump’s White House victory. Oppenheimer also holds a similarly bullish view on the space. While Trump has yet to name his pick for the new SEC chair, the firm believes Teresa Goody Guillén – a partner at law firm BakerHostetler and former SEC attorney – could be a “dark horse.” “We believe the ultimate choice for the SEC Chair will rest on how big of a problem President-elect Trump sees in the SEC, and how much change he intends to make,” analyst Owen Lau said. “Based on the names being floated around, we believe the setup is favorable to crypto (e.g. COIN) and exchanges (e.g. NDAQ, ICE and CBOE) under our coverage.” Wall Street is split on the name. Among the 17 analysts covering Robinhood, nine have a strong buy or buy rating, according to LSEG data. On the other hand, seven have taken a neutral stance with a hold rating and one has an underperform rating. It also has an average target of $29.12, which reflects more than 17% downside from Tuesday’s close.
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Matt Gaetz, JD Vance meet privately with Senate Republicans to build support for attorney general nomination
Matt Gaetz, JD Vance meet privately with Senate Republicans to build support for attorney general nomination
Washington — Former *********** Rep. Matt Gaetz is meeting with senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday as he seeks to shore up support for his nomination for attorney general amid calls for the House Ethics Committee to release a report on allegations he engaged in ******* misconduct and illicit ***** use.
Accompanied by Vice President-elect JD Vance, a senator from Ohio, Gaetz is sitting down with *********** senators, whose votes will be crucial in confirming him to the position of the nation’s top law enforcement officer next year. The GOP is set to take control of the Senate in the next Congress and hold 53 seats, but Gaetz will need backing from a majority of the chamber to win confirmation.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for attorney general last week, after which the Florida *********** resigned his seat from Congress. But the selection and Gaetz’s resignation came two days before the House Ethics Committee was poised to meet and vote on whether to make public its report detailing the findings of its long-running investigation into allegations Gaetz engaged in ******* misconduct and illicit ***** use.
The *********** has denied wrongdoing and called the Ethics probe a “smear.” He has blamed the investigation on former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whom Gaetz helped oust last year. Alex Pfeiffer, a spokesman for Trump’s transition, said in a statement Monday that “Matt Gaetz will be the next Attorney General. He’s the right man for the job and will end the weaponization of our justice system. These are baseless allegations intended to derail the second Trump administration.”
Trump told reporters Tuesday that he is not reconsidering his selection for attorney general.
Gaetz and Vance have so far met with Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, John Kennedy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas. The six sit on the Judiciary Committee, which will conduct Gaetz’s confirmation hearings early next year.
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, walks with Vice President-elect JD Vance as they arrive for meetings with Senators at the U.S. Capitol on November 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. misconduct.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Hawley told CBS News that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the need to get a confirmation hearing and ensure that Gaetz gets an opportunity “to respond in public, under oath.” Hawley outlined that he thinks Gaetz has talked to every member of the Judiciary Committee and many other senators who do not sit on the committee. He said he expects Gaetz to meet with all 53 incoming Republicans over the coming weeks.
“President Trump is very committed to moving this forward. And I know there’s been some speculation among my colleagues that maybe this wouldn’t actually go to a confirmation hearing, but they want one, and I think they’re absolutely entitled to have that,” he said. “Gaetz wants the opportunity to testify, to respond to critics, answer questions, talk about his vision for the department.”
Hawley is likely to vote for all of Trump’s nominees, he said, and believes there will be “no shortage of information” about Gaetz available for senators.
At least one *********** senator, Susan Collins of Maine, said she has not been asked to meet with Gaetz yet. Collins is among the most moderate members of the conference, and her vote could be critical to Gaetz’s confirmation. She previously said she was “shocked” by his selection.
After his meeting with Gaetz, Graham said that while he tends to defer to presidential Cabinet choices “unless the evidence suggests disqualification,” the process for Trump’s selections “will not be a rubber stamp, nor will it be driven by a ****** mob.”
“I ***** the process surrounding the Gaetz nomination is turning into an ****** mob, and unverified allegations are being treated as if they are true. I have seen this movie before,” he said, an apparent reference to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process in 2018. “I would urge all of my Senate colleagues, particularly Republicans, not to join the ****** mob and give the process a chance to move forward.”
Lee, speaking with reporters following his meeting with Gaetz, said Kavanaugh’s Senate confirmation hearings should be a “warning” amid the allegations against the Florida ***********.
“There were a lot of allegations thrown at Brett Kavanaugh that turned out to be uncorroborated in many, many instances,” Lee said. “And so I do think that is something of a voice of warning people ought to take. Just because allegations are made, and just because people talk a lot about them — and sometimes in a fit of politically driven eagerness to embrace them, assume their truth — doesn’t mean that they are, in fact, true.”
Kavanaugh was accused of engaging in ******* misconduct decades earlier and vehemently denied the accusations. The Judiciary Committee held a set of extraordinary hearings that included testimony from Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who claimed he assaulted her during a party when they were in high school in the 1980s. Classmates who were at the party, however, could not corroborate Ford’s allegations. Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate in a 50-48 vote, the narrowest margin in more than a century.
Gaetz has been under investigation for several years by the House Ethics Committee and Justice Department, which looked into allegations of **** trafficking and obstruction. Prosecutors declined to charge Gaetz last year.
The Ethics Committee said in June that it had spoken with more than a dozen witnesses, issued 25 subpoenas and reviewed thousands of pages of documents as part of its investigation. It said in a rare statement that “certain allegations” merited continued review, among those the claims of ******* misconduct and ***** use, accepting improper gifts, giving “special privileges and favors” and obstructing government investigations into his conduct.
Multiple sources told CBS news at the time that four women testified to the Ethics panel that they had been paid to go to parties, which Gaetz attended, that included **** and drugs. A lawyer for two women who spoke with the panel told CBS News on Monday that they testified that Gaetz paid them directly and repeatedly for ****, and said Venmo transactions for the encounters were obtained by the panel.
The attorney, Joel Leppard, also said the women told House investigators that Gaetz asked about “party favors” and “vitamins” at upcoming parties via text messages, which was understood to be code for drugs. One of Leppard’s clients testified before the Ethics Committee that she witnessed Gaetz having **** with a 17-year-old against a game table during a July 2017 party, months after he was sworn in as a House member.
Alan He and
Shawna Mizelle
contributed to this report.
Kaia Hubbard
Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
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Remedy Connected Universe Can Never be the MCU of Gaming Without 2 Games Still Under Rockstar’s Control
Remedy Connected Universe Can Never be the MCU of Gaming Without 2 Games Still Under Rockstar’s Control
The concept of a shared or connected universe has grown to new levels of popularity in the last couple of decades, all thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When it comes to MCU movies, it’s no longer considered epic enough if it revolves around one hero. Fans demand to see cameos, references, and post-credited scenes.
Over the decades Remedy Entertainment has given us some incredible IPs. (Image via Rockstar Games)
Some video games have also hopped on this trend, with the most high-profile being the Remedy Connected Universe. It was first confirmed with the release of Control‘s AWE DLC, which delved into the world of Alan Wake. With the second Alan Wake game debuting last year, the Remedy Connected Universe was finally established. However, as long as it can’t integrate Max Payne and Quantum Break, it won’t reach the same heights as MCU.
Remedy Connected Universe is a ******** Without Max Payne and Quantum Break
Max Payne was the game that helped Remedy establish itself in the industry. (Image via Remedy)
After a GamesCom trailer for Alan Wake 2, Remedy’s creative director, Sam Lake, opened up about the development of various titles and answered some burning questions from the fans.
During the interview, Lake stated that both Max Payne and Quantum Break aren’t linked to Remedy Connected Universe. However, he does welcome players to make theories on how these games could be connected.
So, what’s the reason behind Remedy ignoring its finest creations from the universe it’s trying to establish? Well, the issue is that the studio doesn’t own the rights to any of these IPs anymore.
When we talk about Max Payne, its current owner is none other than Rockstar Games. Remedy developed the first two titles in the series but sold its golden goose to Rockstar in 2002. Even though it’s collaborating with the GTA 6 developer on remakes, it doesn’t have the right to any characters or sequels in the franchise.
On the other hand, Quantum Break is owned by Microsoft. Remedy never owned the rights to the IP in the first place; the studio just developed it. The game was meant to be an exclusive title for Xbox and Windows.
Even though Remedy has given us some incredible games over the years, there’s no denying the fact that it was Max Payne and Quantum Break‘s success that allowed the studio to reach the heights it did in the first place.
Seriously, both of these titles were miles ahead of the competition in storytelling and gameplay. You can hop into any of the old Max Payne games, and its combat mechanics will still outclass whatever Bethesda brought to its 2023 Starfield. Quantum Break‘s time manipulation mechanics are ingrained into the minds of every player, and they crave more.
Remedy’s ambition to rival MCU in the long run wouldn’t be possible if it ignores its best offerings. The studio must ****** a deal with Rockstar Games and Microsoft to bring these titles to the Remedy Connected Universe; otherwise, it’s bound to fail.
Things Aren’t Looking For a Remedy Connected Universe Game
Alan Wake 2 debuted last year and was a success for Remedy. (Image via Remedy)
Last year, one of the central pillars of the Remedy Connected Universe, Alan Wake 2, dropped to a highly positive reception and brought strong sales for Remedy. Besides getting incredible reviews, it sold a million copies by the end of 2023 and became the best-seller of all time for the studio.
That’s not all; Remedy’s horror earned it a number of awards and nominations, including many at The Game Awards 2023. Despite all that, the game still hasn’t proven to recoup all its development costs, according to a financial report from the Finnish company.
CEO Tero Virtala has stated that Remedy is is still waiting for the game to begin generating royalties, as this source of revenue was obtained mainly by Control and older Alan Wake games in Q2 FY25. The announcement further reveals that the second chapter of Alan Wake recouped the majority of its expenses by September, right before its DLC dropped.
As we’ve said before, Remedy is is currently working on multiple projects, such as remakes of Max Payne and Control 2. Let’s hope the developer’s next projects can finally prove to be a break-even for the studio.
With that said, what do you think Remedy Connected Universe desperately needs to pose a serious threat to MCU? Let us know in the comments below.
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Jaguar Shores is the successor to Intel’s Falcon Shores AI accelerators — Gaudi ASICs and Xe-HPC GPUs ******* in a single lineup
Jaguar Shores is the successor to Intel’s Falcon Shores AI accelerators — Gaudi ASICs and Xe-HPC GPUs ******* in a single lineup
While the industry anticipates the launch of its next-gen dedicated Gaudi 3 ASICs followed by Falcon Shores, both pushed into 2025; Intel has already revealed Jaguar Shores as the next successor in this lineup, per HPCwire. However, we aren’t sure if Jaguar Shores will combine the CPU and GPU into a single platform, as was initially planned with Falcon Shores.
, The report says that Intel’s Habana Labs division – probably unintentionally – revealed this codename during a technical workshop at the SC2024 conference. When I inquired for more details, Intel refused to comment, but that’s expected since most specifications are likely not finalized by now.
For the uninitiated, Intel’s current lineup includes dedicated ASICs termed “Gaudi,” whose third iteration – Gaudi 3 – has been pushed back to 2025 and competes against Nvidia’s last-gen Hopper-based H100. Intel’s HPC and AI GPUs are side by side, and Ponte Vecchio currently sits in the world’s third-fastest supercomputer, Aurora.
(Image credit: Intel)
Intel merged these two families into a disaggregated XPU (CPU+GPU) codenamed “Falcon Shores” to further streamline its AI offerings. However, those plans have been axed, and Falcon Shores will arrive in a GPU-only configuration by late 2025. With that context in mind, we cannot say much about the design choices behind the upcoming Jaguar Shores.
Jaguar Shores is likely a GPGPU (General-Purpose GPU)—akin to Nvidia’s B100, B200, and B300 chips—fabbed using an Angstrom-grade node (Intel 18A/14A). HPCwire suggests that Intel teased a Falcon Shores successor last year, slated for a 2026 launch. But will it be able to compete against Nvidia’s Rubin chips by then?
Admittedly, Intel’s AI accelerators pale in contrast to AMD and Nvidia, and the future of AI in the company still looks bleak. The data center is the bread and butter of Intel’s financials. This likely influenced its decision to reserve an X3D-esque server cache even though Intel Foundry is more than capable of manufacturing it for the mainstream market. But not all is ***** and gloom since the latest Granite Rapids CPUs with upwards of 128-core signal a potential resurgence for Intel, at least in servers and workstations.
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This lithium stock is an under-the-radar turnaround story, according to the charts
This lithium stock is an under-the-radar turnaround story, according to the charts
On the day that Nvidia is reporting earnings post-close, there isn’t much attention on anything else, especially not chemical companies. We’re going to change that, at least temporarily: Albemarle (ALB) has been showing signs of technical life lately, and it should be on our radar screens from both the short-term and long-term perspective. Momentum check First, the bad news: ALB, which is a leading provider of lithium, has been making lower highs and lower lows since topping out in November’22, giving few signs along the way that it’s finally ready to reverse its long-term downtrend. There’s no use in trying to bottom fish a stock that continues to make new lows… until it actually shows a marked change of character. And over the last few months, ALB has been beginning to turn the corner. Thus, said change of character now has materialized. In recent days, the stock has been flirting with its 200-day moving average, which it has had trouble touching (let alone staying above) since early 2023. The 50- and 100-day moving averages have begun to turn higher, as well, with both of them now acting as support over the last two months. The 50-day line is trading at its biggest distance above the 100-day line in nearly two years, too. This is a constructive development. The stock’s 14-day Relative Strength Index (which measures momentum) also has stayed in the upper half of the range since September, which is one of the longest such stints over the last two years. This is another positive trait and a prerequisite for any major shift to possibly play out. Bullish pattern breakout All of this has resulted in the construction of this potential five-month bullish inverse head & shoulders pattern. Again, ALB has tried and ******* to stay above the formation’s neckline over the last two weeks, thus, we need a better effort this time. If the stock can, in fact, see an upside follow through soon, then the measured move target would be up at $138. The MUCH ******* picture From the November 2022 top to the August 2024 low, ALB cratered 80%. While that’s the biggest peak to trough move over the last 20 years, the stock has endured three other big multi-year declines, totaling -70% (2007-09), -50% (2014-15) and -70% (2017-20). When those monstrous downturns ended the last three times, ALB has rallied strongly over the next number of years and made new all-time highs each time. The resulting percentage up-moves speak for themselves: +370% (2009-11), +250% (2015-17) and +600% (2020-22). Again, this isn’t a short-term phenomenon. It very well could take years once again for ALB to get back above its last high at 334. Past performance is no guarantee of future results, but patterns have the tendency to repeat – both over the short-term and long-term. For this process to continue now, ALB must first extend from its latest daily pattern breakout. DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer.
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Nitschke rejects allegation capsule user ‘strangled’
Nitschke rejects allegation capsule user ‘strangled’
An *********** right-to-**** activist behind a new “******** capsule” says he rejects “absurd” allegations that a US woman who was said to be its first user may have actually been strangled.
Philip Nitschke of advocacy group Exit International said on Wednesday he was not on hand for the woman’s ****** on September 23 involving the “Sarco” capsule in a forest in northern Switzerland but saw it live by video transmission.
The device worked as planned, he said, in the first and only time it has been used.
The head of a Swiss affiliate of Exit International known as The Last Resort, Florian Willet, was present at the woman’s ****** and was immediately taken into police custody, where he ********.
Several other people who were initially taken into custody – including a journalist for Volkskrant newspaper in the Netherlands, where Nitschke lives – were later released.
The ***********-born Nitschke broke weeks of silence through an interview with Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung, which was published on Wednesday.
Speaking to the Associated Press by phone, he said he felt compelled to speak out because Exit International was “desperate” about the plight of Willet, who could remain behind bars for weeks or months until a possible trial.
The “Sarco,” which Nitschke has said cost $US1 million ($A1.5 million) to develop and build, was designed to allow a person sitting in its reclining seat to push a button that injects nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber.
The person is then supposed to fall unconscious and **** by suffocation in a few minutes.
The 64-year-old woman was not identified.
Nitschke, a trained medical doctor, said she had “compromised immune function” that made her “subject to chronic infection”.
On October 26, Volkskrant reported the Swiss prosecutor had indicated in court that the woman may have been strangled.
“It is absurd because we’ve got film that the capsule wasn’t opened. She got in herself, pressed the button herself – and Florian rang the police” after she *****, Nitschke said.
Peter Sticher, the prosecutor for the northern Schaffhausen region who is leading the legal case, declined to comment in an email to the AP on Wednesday, citing an ongoing investigation.
Nitschke has repeatedly said Exit International’s Swiss lawyers had advised that use of the capsule would be legal in Switzerland.
Swiss law allows assisted ******** so long as the person takes his or her life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person **** do not do so for “any self-serving motive,” according to a government website.
Switzerland is among the only countries in the world where foreigners can travel to legally end their lives.
Swiss police have confiscated the only operating Sarco device but Nitschke said another was being produced.
He said he wanted a “clear decision” from Swiss courts before using the device in Switzerland again.
Exit presented the “Sarco” to journalists over the northern hemisphere summer.
Before using it, the group had to overcome technical difficulties including its original designer walking out of the project, Nitschke has said.
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Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review: “The best but most broken game I’ve played all year” – GR
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review: “The best but most broken game I’ve played all year” – GR
For fans of ********* shooters or punishing post-apocalypse games, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is truly incomparable. Unfortunately, due to a litany of bugs, it’s the greatest game you shouldn’t play right now. Give it some time, and this will be one of the best survival experiences you’ll ever play – but until then, only the series’ biggest fans should take the plunge.
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Apple addresses two iPhone, Mac zero-days
Apple addresses two iPhone, Mac zero-days
Apple has dropped a series of software updates across its various product lines as it aims to ward off the impact of two newly discovered zero-days, both of which may have already been exploited in the wild.
The fixes for CVE-2024-44308 and CVE-2024-44309 – both attributed to Clément Lecigne and Benoît Sevens of the Google Threat Analysis Group – affect devices running iOS and iPadOS 17.7.2 and 18.1.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1.1, and visionOS 2.1.1. They are also present in Safari 18.1.1.
CVE-2024-44308 affects the JavaScriptCore framework and enables a threat actor to achieve arbitrary code ********** if the target device can be made to process maliciously crafted web content. According to Apple, there are reports that it has already been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems.
CVE-2024-44309 affects the open source WebKit browser engine used extensively within the Apple ecosystem, and is described as a cookie management issue that enabled a threat actor to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) *******.
In an XSS *******, a threat actor is able to insert malicious data into content from trusted websites, which is then included with content delivered to the victim’s browser. They can be used to achieve a number of goals, including session cookie theft enabling the threat actor to masquerade as the victim, but are also used to spread malware and steal credentials.
Again, there are reports of in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2024-44309 against Intel-based Macs.
WebKit at risk
Michael Covington, vice-president of strategy at Jamf, a device management company specialising in Apple products, said that it is very important for defenders to promptly address vulnerabilities in WebKit, given the framework’s criticality to the Safari web browser.
“The fixes provided by Apple introduce stronger checks to detect and prevent malicious activity, as well as improve how devices manage and track data during web browsing. With attackers potentially exploiting both vulnerabilities, it is critical that users and mobile-first organisations apply the latest patches as soon as they are able,” said Covington.
CVE-2024-44309 is not the first issue to affect WebKit identified this year. In late January Apple patched CVE-2024-23222 – which also made it into the US’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA’s) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalogue.
Also exploited as a zero-day, CVE-2024-23222 was a type confusion flaw leading to arbitrary code ********** on the vulnerable device
As ever, Apple has provided scant detail on either of these vulnerabilities or how they have been taken advantage of. However, their identification by Google teams that have previously worked on vulnerabilities exploited by predatory commercial spyware vendors – such as disgraced ******** firm NSO – may indicate the sort of people to whom these new flaws may be of interest.
Apple ******** alert to such issues, and notably issued a security alert to iOS users in over 90 countries back in April, after detecting that they were being targeted by a mercenary spyware ******* that was remotely compromising their devices.
As usual, Apple users who have not enabled automated updates can download the patches by navigating to their device’s Settings menu, then to General, then to Software Update.
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Could Trump reinstate forgiven student debt? Here’s what experts say
Could Trump reinstate forgiven student debt? Here’s what experts say
Mementojpeg | Moment | Getty Images
Since President Joe Biden took office, the Education Department has canceled the federal student loans of nearly 5 million people, totaling $175 billion in relief, according to the White House.
It has done so mostly by improving existing student loan relief programs that had long been plagued by problems, including the Public Service Loan Forgiveness initiative and income-driven repayment plans.
Those borrowers should be in the clear, experts say.
“Any regulatory changes must be prospective only,” meaning that eliminations to loan forgiveness programs would only impact new borrowers, explained Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit that helps borrowers navigate the repayment of their debt.
“They aren’t allowed to change regulations retroactively,” she added.
For that reason, even borrowers who have been pursuing forgiveness under an income-driven repayment plan or a program like PSLF, but have not yet received that relief, may be safe.
The terms of a loan, which are spelled out in the Master Promissory Note federal student loan borrowers sign when they take out the debt, can’t be change in the middle of repayment, experts said.
In June, U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Wichita, Kansas, described student loan forgiveness as having an “irreversible impact,” in his decision to block one of the Biden administration’s relief measures.
More from Personal Finance: ****** Friday deals aren’t always the best 28% of credit card users are still paying off last year’s holiday tab Here’s who can ‘easily afford’ holiday costs
The retraction of student loan forgiveness is incredibly rare, Kantrowitz writes in a recent article in The College Investor.
For example, in February, some borrowers saw their debts reinstated under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Yet that only occurred because the debt cancellation was granted through an error, and the borrowers were not yet eligible for the relief.
“Don’t worry,” Kantrowitz said. “The president does not have the legal authority to reinstate forgiven loans.”
Still, borrowers should keep a record of the notices they’ve received about their forgiven debt, and any loan documents showing a $0 balance, Kantrowitz said.
In a new report, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cites, among the errors reported by student loan borrowers, “balance reinstatements,” in which a loan servicer tacks a loan balance back on to one’s account.
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Senate seeks evidence in Matt Gaetz FBI **** trafficking probe
Senate seeks evidence in Matt Gaetz FBI **** trafficking probe
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., is seen outside a meeting of the House *********** Conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
The Senate Judiciary Committee asked the FBI on Wednesday for its “complete evidentiary file” of the closed investigation into the alleged **** trafficking of an underage girl by Matt Gaetz, whom President-elect Donald Trump has tapped as the next U.S. attorney general.
The request by the committee’s Democratic majority in a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray says “the grave public allegations against Mr. Gaetz speak directly to his fitness to serve as the chief law enforcement officer for the federal government.”
The letter, obtained by NBC News, noted that Gaetz’s former associate Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty in 2021 “to the **** trafficking charge for which Mr. Gaetz was also investigated.”
“The Senate has a constitutional duty to provide advice and consent on presidential nominees, and it is crucial that we review all the information necessary to fulfill this duty as we consider Mr. Gaetz’s nomination,” the letter says.
Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing.
Read more CNBC politics coverage
Gaetz, 42, is a Trump loyalist known for his history of incendiary remarks and attention-grabbing actions in Congress.
He resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives, where he represented a Florida district, after Trump announced that he would nominate him to lead the Department of Justice.
The DOJ ended its probe of Gaetz last year without filing charges.
But a sprawling probe into alleged ******* misconduct and other behavior by Gaetz was being conducted by the House Ethics Committee until Gaetz resigned, removing him from the panel’s jurisdiction.
The committee is scheduled to meet behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss whether to publicly release a report on its investigation, according to NBC.
Gaetz’s selection has stoked outrage and panic from Trump’s critics and has reportedly bred concerns even among some of his Senate allies, whose support will be needed to confirm his nomination.
Trump has urged GOP senators to allow him to bypass the Senate confirmation process with recess appointments.
But Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., predicted Wednesday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that, after a “big discussion” with her colleagues the push to bypass the Senate through recess appointments will lose steam.
“I think the issue of recess appointments will probably go away, and it won’t be an integral part of how the president’s going to get his Cabinet through.”
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
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UN nuclear watchdog chief says Iran has accepted request to stop increasing near weapons grade uranium stock
UN nuclear watchdog chief says Iran has accepted request to stop increasing near weapons grade uranium stock
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said Iran has accepted a request to stop increasing its 60% uranium stock, which is enriched to near weapons-grade levels. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Although cautious, Grossi was optimistic about the prospect emphasizing that Iran may be taking “a different direction,” and adding that it “merits serious consideration”. (AP video by Philipp Jenne)
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Vinland Tales takes you to the frozen north to build your own Viking colony in this casual survival release
Vinland Tales takes you to the frozen north to build your own Viking colony in this casual survival release
Vinland Tales is the newest release from Colossi Games
It takes their isometric survival format to the frozen north
Build your own colony, manage your clan and survive an unfamiliar land, out now
Colossi Games, the folks behind Gladiators: Survival in Rome and Daisho: Survival of a Samurai, have released their newest casual survival experience. Taking you to the frozen north, Vinland Tales sees you take on the role of a Viking leader establishing a new colony in an unfamiliar land.
If you’ve seen Colossi’s other releases, you won’t find anything too unfamiliar here, however. With an isometric perspective, low-poly graphics and a fairly casual approach to survival mechanics, it hopes to offer plenty for you to see and do. Building your own colony, managing your clan and gathering resources will all be key to survival.
Naturally, it also comes replete with plenty of other features, and Vinland Tales boasts of minigames, guilds, talent trees, quests and dungeons to offer plenty of content for you to experience. Not to mention co-op play if you want to team up with friends and take on the challenge together.
A Vinland saga
About the only real issue for me that stands out with Vinland Tales is the rather quick nature of Colossi’s turnaround. It’s not hard to see that they’re attempting to hit a bunch of different environments and time periods with their releases, however whether or not that means sacrificing depth could be the difference between Vinland Tales finding a significant niche or being a bit too thin on the ground to hold onto its place.
If you’re looking to have a go at some of the other great survival releases out there, don’t get caught out in the cold (pun intended)! Instead, dig into our list of the top survival games for Android and iOS.
And while you’re here, be sure to check out some of the top award winners at this year’s Google Play Awards, then cast your vote for our own Pocket Gamer Awards!
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Hurry! The M4 MacBook Pro just got an unheard of discount
Hurry! The M4 MacBook Pro just got an unheard of discount
Chris Hagan / Digital Trends
The 2024 MacBook Pro with M4 chip hasn’t even been out for a month, but it already has its first major discount. Amazon just knocked $200 off the 14-inch configuration, dropping the price to $1,399 from $1,599. While a $200 discount on a MacBook isn’t world-shattering, the fact that this laptop is so new makes this an unheard of deal. Let’s ***** into some other noteworthy aspects of this *****.
Why you should buy the MacBook Pro M4
This specific configuration of the M4 Pro has a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The 16GB of RAM is particularly noteworthy, as it’s the new standard for Apple. That makes this a better deal than some of the M3 models with 8GB of RAM. This model of course comes with Apple’s signature Liquid Retina XDR display on its 14.2-inch screen, and it’s ready for Apple Intelligence.
In his review of the 2024 MacBook Pro with M4, our Computing Editor Luke Larsen noted that, “With the M4, the MacBook Pro has never been better.” The M4 chip really is the shining star here, and you’ll instantly feel how much faster every process is on the M4 when compared to an M3, Intel or AMD processor.
The GPU is fast enough for some modern gaming, and that gorgeous retina display will do justice to the new mesh shading, Dynamic Caching and HDR.
While a $200 price cut is nothing to write home about when it comes to laptops with four-digit price tags, this offer on the brand new MacBook Pro M4 is certainly noteworthy. The laptop was just launched in early November and it’s already down to $1,399 from $1,599. This is (not surprisingly) the lowest it has ever been, according to CamelCamelCamel.com, the Amazon price tracking website. If you’ve been on the fence about upgrading, Amazon just made the decision $200 easier.
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Jim Cramer wants to buy this falling tech stock — and touts another reason to like Disney
Jim Cramer wants to buy this falling tech stock — and touts another reason to like Disney
Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a “Morning Meeting” livestream at 10:20 a.m. ET. Here’s a recap of Wednesday’s key moments. 1. Stocks were in the red Wednesday, led to the downside by the Nasdaq Composite. The tech-heavy index was weighed down by Nvidia slipping 2% ahead of its earnings after the bell. Investors are anxiously awaiting an update on its next-generation Blackwell AI chips and whether reports of overheating issues could delay the revenue ramp up . Jim Cramer reiterated his belief that the big-picture rollout of Blackwell is fine. Elsewhere, investors were also spooked by disappointing results from Target . The retailer missed on sales and earnings expectations, which led to the stock tanking 21% Wednesday. Jim said the “fractured” retail industry is “bubbling up into three winners”: Club holdings Amazon and Costco , with Walmart rounding out the group. 2. Jim Cramer said he sees “a great opportunity” to buy Crowdstrike as shares fall nearly 2% Wednesday. While we’re currently restricted from trading the stock, we did add to our CrowdStrike position Tuesday as the market slumped in morning trading on geopolitical concerns. Wednesday’s pullback only makes CrowdStrike look more attractive with potential cyber threats on the rise. Fellow Club cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks is set to report after the bell Wednesday, providing investors a much-needed update on its platformization strategy and its impact on deal size. 3. Jim has a message for investors: Don’t sleep on the growth potential of Disney ‘s cruise ship business. He said that after attending an event to celebrate the launch of its new vessel , the Disney Treasure, he has gained a greater appreciation for its future. “I’m overwhelmed by the IP, and the idea that they can just leverage their intellectual property to do anything,” Jim said. “They’re going to have a big fleet of ships. It’s going to end up being like a theme park in terms of where they are in, maybe, five years.” He argued that investors should start viewing cruises “as a true leg” of the Disney stool, alongside traditional theme parks and movies. Jim’s comments Wednesday underscore our belief that the current challenges for Disney’s experiences business, namely cautious consumers and recent weather challenges, are temporary. The stock soared after earnings last week. 4. Stocks covered in Wednesday’s rapid ***** at the end of the video were: Target , Williams-Sonoma , JPMorgan , Chewy , and Delta Air Lines . (Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust is long NVDA, AMZN, COST, CRWD, PANW, DIS. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
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Telling Discovery Indicates Neanderthals Collected Fossils
Telling Discovery Indicates Neanderthals Collected Fossils
A Neanderthal ***** in northern Spain has yielded 15 marine fossils, indicative that our extinct ancestors might have been collectors, just like we are with certain small objects and memorabilia. Though no extensive evidence is in place to track these discoveries, there is definitely a sense that Neanderthal children practiced this advanced cognition, requiring everyday items to be imbued with symbolic meaning!
Collectors with Sharp Cognition: Neanderthals Weren’t ‘Apeish’
The constantly unresolved debate about purported Neanderthal intelligence rests on a spectrum, and while gathering seems like basic behavior, it is indicative of both abstract thought and a complex imagination. What can thus be gleaned is also that hoarding and collecting predated anatomically modern humans, thus adding further gravitas to the debate.
The authors of the study published in the journal Quatenary write:
“These fossils can be understood as evidence of an artistic interest or an attraction or curiosity for the forms of nature. Perhaps, like we do today, the people who collected them derived pleasure from the act of looking for them or finding them and keeping them.”
The Prado Vargas ***** hoard is unprecedented because most assemblages that have historically been found consist of just one or two items at best. Taken together with the ******** of Neanderthal children found at the site, the researchers speculate that the collection patterns are reminiscent of modern children – who like to amass stickers, sea shells, and even bottle tops; thus, similar behavior has been attributed to Neanderthal children.
Marine fossils excavated at the Prado Vargas *****, Cornejo, Burgos and Spain. (Ruiz, M.N., et al. 2024/Quatenary)
There are, in fact, numerous instances of the ancient species producing art, caring for the elderly and disabled, and developing religious practices, including worshipping a ‘bear cult’. Time and again, the ‘ape-like’ Neanderthal stereotype – slow, *****, not as cognitively sharp, has created a damaged understanding of our ancestral past, but more and more research is upending this.
Neanderthals Across Europe: A Hoarding Behavior Pattern
Just last year, it was learnt that Neanderthals living 70,000 years ago hoarded and deposited the skulls and horns of huge animals, including bison, wild bulls, deer, rhinoceros – 35 skulls in total were recovered. Other deposits from Europe, like Cueva Anton in Murcia, show perforated shells used as ornaments found from the Cueva de los Aviones.
Neanderthals at sites like the Bruniquel ***** in France appear to have deliberately collected mineral formations, such as stalactites and manganese dioxide blocks, while evidence from other sites in Europe shows that Neanderthals collected bird feathers and claws, likely for decorative or symbolic purposes. With numerous examples that support this hypothesis, we can perhaps gauge that Neanderthals were perhaps ‘the first collectors’.
The fossils have been dated to between 39,400 and 54,600 years ago, from a time and place with no ***** sapiens presence. The writers observe that:
“the Neanderthal groups that inhabited the Prado Vargas ***** gathered and collected fossils, just as we look for fossils, even of these human species, to study them and finally “collect” them in museums. This seems to become an infinite spiral through which, at some point, we will be part of what we collect.”
What is curious, of course, is that the flora and fauna are from cold and humid conditions, with the presence of pines acting as fuel, and a diet based on deer, goats, and other animals. These fossils, mainly mollusks and echinoderms, do raise questions about what the purpose could be in a place so far from the sea.
Top image: Representative image of Neanderthal child playing with a collection of stones. Source: Sippung/Adobe Stock
By Sahir Pandey
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****** Friday speaker deals for 2024 include up to 42 percent off JBL, Bose, Marshall, Sony and more
****** Friday speaker deals for 2024 include up to 42 percent off JBL, Bose, Marshall, Sony and more
We’ve tested scores of speakers over the years, and the best ones have made their way into three of our buying guides: soundbars, portable speakers and smart speakers. Right now ****** Friday sales are already underway, bringing notable discounts to a few of our top picks.
Amazon’s says its ****** Friday deals will start in earnest November 21, and we expect other retailers to follow suit. That means there will be far more Bluetooth speakers, smart speakers, and soundbars on ***** at that point — and we’ll update this post as soon as those new discounts go live. In the meantime, brands like JBL and Bose are already on *****. As of this writing, these are the best ****** Friday deals on speakers we could find.
The best Bluetooth speaker ****** Friday deals
JBL
Portable Bluetooth speakers make it easy for you to bring the music where plugs don’t reach — a picnic, the front stoop, an aimless wander along the North Country Trail. And right now for ****** Friday, we’re seeing plenty of Bluetooth speaker ****** Friday deals. Below is the best of what’s on *****, all pulled from our Bluetooth speaker guide as well as our reviews and news coverage.
The best JBL speaker ****** Friday deals
JBL Clip 5 for $50 ($30 off): It’s tiny, portable and brings its own clip along with it. You’ll get 12 hours of listening from its waterproof body and the whole thing weighs just over half a pound.
JBL Flip 6 for $80 ($50 off): This is the one I bought after reading our guide and I love it. The crowler-sized speaker has great sound quality, is durable as heck and can either sit on its end or on its side. Plus it’s waterproof, dustproof and packs 12 hours of playtime. Also at Amazon and Walmart.
JBL Xtreme 3 for $250 ($80 off): We compare the size of the Xtreme 3 to a football, but since it weighs over four pounds JBL includes a strap for easier carrying. Like most portable speakers it’s waterproof and dust-proof. The lively highs and hefty lows sound great outside, but really the speaker really shines when it can resonate indoors. Also at JBL.
JBL Xtreme 4 for $300 ($80 off): The latest generation of our recommended JBL Xtreme adds around nine hours of battery life and a replaceable battery. It’s also made from more recycled content and throws in some AI-powered tuning. Also at Target.
JBL Go 4 for $40 ($10 off): JBL’s smallest portable speaker has up to seven hours of battery life on a charge, has an IP67 waterproof rating and has a tiny built-in carry strap so you can bring it wherever you go. Also at JBL and Best Buy.
The best Bose speaker ****** Friday deals
Bose
Bose SoundLink Home for $199 ($20 off): It’s a smaller speaker at just two pounds but Bose promises premium sound from the SoundLink Home. We haven’t had the chance to test it ourselves just yet, but if the sleek good looks are calling to you, this discount might be a good time to invest. Just note that it’s not waterproof as the “Home” moniker suggests.
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd gen) for $119 ($30 off): When Bose announced the release of the SoundLink Home, the company also introduced this revamped Flex. The first generation is one of the picks from our Bluetooth speaker guide. This newer generation works with the Bose app and has a new programmable button. Also at Bose and Best Buy. The first generation model is on ***** for the same price.
Bose SoundLink Max for $299 ($100 off): The largest portable speaker Bose makes is part of the new SoundLink lineup which Bose announced in May. Also at Amazon and Target.
Bose Smart Soundbar for $399 ($100 off): The latest Bose soundbar came out just a couple months ago and is already on *****. It’s a smaller model that supports Dolby Atmos and has an AI Dialogue Mode as well as a Personal Surround feature if you happen to own a pair of the Ultra Open Earbuds. Bose says the AI smarts make voices easier to hear while retaining the audio’s immersive qualities. Also at Amazon.
Other ****** Friday Bluetooth speaker deals
: This is close to an all-time low price on a tiny music box that we named one of our from last year. Engadget’s Sara Fielding thinks it’s perfect, saying, “The sound quality is great and it stays connected to my phone regardless of where I go in my little house (the range is 30 feet). Plus, the battery is great, with a playtime of over 15 hours.”
Sony ULT Field 1 for $98 ($32 off): Earlier this year, Sony waved goodbye to the Extra Bass and XE-Series products, folding them into the new ULT Power Series branding. This 1.4-pound unit has a 12-hour battery life and IP67 rating. This matches the all-time low. It’s two dollars more at Best Buy and direct from Sony.
Anker Soundcore Motion 300 for $60 ($20 off with coupon): Weighing in at less than two pounds, Anker’s speaker has a bright, punchy output with a crisp high end and thumpy bass. Plus it’s waterproof and goes for 13 hours on a charge. No wonder it made our list of the best speakers. Also direct from Soundcore.
****** Friday smart speaker deals from Samsung
Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off): Samsung first announced its Music Frame back in January at CES 2024. It takes its cue from the Frame TV that disguises itself as art. This wireless speaker has room for your own (physical) photo within its frame, along with two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-range drivers to ***** out sound from your favorite streaming services. Also at Best Buy and directly from Samsung.
****** Friday soundbar deals
For our guide to the best soundbars, our audio expert Billy Steele picked six winners out of the dozens of home theater speakers he and other Engadget staffers have tested over the years — and one of them is on ***** for ****** Friday (we expect more sales to pop up closer to ****** Friday so check this post again). This is a great chance to improve greatly upon the audio from your (probably thin) TV.
Samsung HW-Q990C for $1,100 ($898 off): The top spot in our soundbar guide isn’t cheap, but this ****** Friday deal helps. And, for the price, you get a complete home theater audio setup complete with soundbar, subwoofer and two rear surround speakers. Samsung’s HW-Q990C may not have the prettiest name, but the sound quality is a thing of beauty, earning it an 89 in our review.
Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.
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China’s chipmaking champion soars amid China’s push for self-reliance — SMIC’s stock jumps 120% as semiconductor trade war intensifies
China’s chipmaking champion soars amid China’s push for self-reliance — SMIC’s stock jumps 120% as semiconductor trade war intensifies
Shanghai-based Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) is the second-largest pure-play foundry in the world after TSMC, and its stock price has been going on a rally in the past two months, doubling its value. Bloomberg says that China’s push for semiconductor self-reliance fuels this demand, and with U.S. sanctions making it ******* for local companies to acquire chips with Western parts, they’re turning to local companies like SMIC for their needs. Aside from this, China is also investing billions of dollars into its semiconductor industry, and SMIC is benefiting from it.
However, despite its burgeoning semiconductor manufacturing industry, China still lags behind the Western world in cutting-edge chips and AI, primarily due to Washington’s moves. For example, it cannot access ASML’s latest High-NA EUV machines, preventing ******** firms from producing the nodes required for next-generation processors. And despite SMIC’s focus on legacy chips used in industrial processes and automobiles, a move that a ******** chip industry leader recommended, some experts say competition in this space may get fiercer next year, as other local chip fabs, and even TSMC, could lower their prices, making their offerings more attractive to customers and reducing SMIC’s advantage.
Unlike Nvidia’s stock price growth, which was pumped by its massive sales of AI processors, SMIC’s stock movements are said to be speculative and based on news events—i.e., assuming that something will happen because of several factors. So, we can expect some volatility in the company’s stock price, especially if the expectations do not match reality.
That’s why some experts say that SMIC’s stock price seems overvalued. While they acknowledge that there is local demand for SMIC products and services and that it could maintain profitability shortly, they also face competition from other foundries, both local and abroad. Furthermore, some of SMIC’s sales result from Beijing’s investment and financial stimulus to push its semiconductor industry. While it does positively affect the company’s bottom line, they also warn that the market could be too optimistic about the impact of this government subsidy.
Despite all these warnings, the jump in SMIC’s valuation shows the increasing chip demand in China. If the company could sustain its growth, it could become a major player in chip manufacturing—if not in cutting-edge technology, then by volume.
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Wells Fargo sees another big stock market gain in 2025 on strong economy, deregulation under Trump
Wells Fargo sees another big stock market gain in 2025 on strong economy, deregulation under Trump
Stocks are primed for another big stock market gain in 2025 given U.S. economic strength and likely deregulation under President-elect Donald Trump, according to Wells Fargo. The Wall Street bank expects the S & P 500 will advance to 6,600 by the end of 2025. That implies upside of more than 11% from Tuesday’s close. The broader index closed Tuesday at 5,916.98, and was last trading around the 5,870 level. “Our forecast for stronger economic growth, along with policies aimed at reducing regulatory costs, should help boost S & P 500 Index EPS to $275, above our prior forecast of $270, and our S & P 500 Index price target midpoint from 6300 to 6600,” read a note from Darrell Cronk at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “Earnings growth should find extra support from reduced regulation,” it continued. “A corporate tax cut ******** a possibility, although the timing and amount remain uncertain.” .SPX YTD mountain S & P 500 Wells Fargo is the latest big firm to release its 2025 S & P 500 year-end target, with virtually all shops thus far anticipating a roughly 10% gain or more for the broad market index. Goldman Sachs’ David Kostin this week said he expects the S & P 500 to end next year at 6,500. Morgan Stanley’s Mike Wilson issued a similar outlook at 6,500. BMO Capital’s Brian Belski sees a rise to 6,700 and UBS sees a rise to 6,400. Cronk came into 2024 anticipating the S & P 500 will end the year at 4,700, and then later raised his target to 5,400, according to the CNBC market strategist survey. Both forecasts proved too ************* for an index that topped 6,000 this year. Wall Street is in its third year of a bull market, when the strength of stock gains is expected to be more anemic than in the prior two years. The S & P 500 surged 24% in 2023, and is up more than 23% this year.
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Your Fortnite Skins Can Finally Wear Jordans Starting Thursday
Your Fortnite Skins Can Finally Wear Jordans Starting Thursday
After a brief delay that prevented Fortnite’s newest cosmetic type from launching last week, Fortnite Kicks are arriving on Thursday, November 21, finally giving you the chance to make any of your skins wear a pair of ***** Jordans. Everybody who owns the Remix Pass will have their first pair, the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG ‘****** Toe Reimagined’ sneakers from the bonus rewards, which has already been given automatically to everyone with the pass. And to mark the occasion, Epic is dropping a free emote in the shop, Show ‘Em Off, that will showcase your kicks.
Aside from that pair, there will be a launch wave of kicks in the shop for the first week or so, coming in two drops. On the 21st, you’ll have three pairs of Nikes available:
Nike Cortez OG (800 V-Bucks)
Nike Air Foamposite (1000 V-Bucks)
Nike Shox R4s (1000 V-Bucks)
Chomp Stomper slippers (600 V-Bucks)
The second drop hits a day later on the 22nd, with four pairs of Jordans:
Air Jordan 3s (1000 V-Bucks)
Air Jordan 3 Retros (800 V-Bucks),
Air Jordan 4 Retros (1000 V-Bucks)
******/red Air Jordan 11s (1000 V-Bucks)
All of these will leave the item shop at reset on Nov. 26.
Gallery
These are the first of four initial planned drops of Kicks that will include Nikes, Jordans, and Fortnite original shoes, so it’s safe to assume more new kicks will rotate into the shop once these first drops leave.
As of launch, the new kicks cosmetics will work with about a quarter of all Fortnite skins, including some collaboration and IP skins. Epic ambitiously anticipates that kicks will work with 95% of all skins by the spring of next year. Though that last 5% might be out of luck–Patrick Mahomes, for example, wears Adidas because he’s sponsored by that company, and so his skins may never be able to support a cosmetic type that would make him wear Nikes. But that will be an outlier case.
Fortnite’s 32.11 patch marks the final update for Remix season and will also add files related to the end-of-season live event featuring the late Juice WRLD, as well as two Juice WRLD skins–including a cel shaded one that will be free to everyone who logs in on the final day of the season on November 30.
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Fortnite Crew will soon include OG, Lego and Music passes too
Fortnite Crew will soon include OG, Lego and Music passes too
Epic has announced that its Fortnite Crew subscription will soon include all battle passes for the game.
Launched in December 2020 and priced at $11.99 per month, Fortnite Crew currently offers subscribers the Battle Royale battle pass, 1,000 V-bucks, exclusive outfits, and Rocket League’s Rocket Pass Premium.
Starting on December 1 it will also include the new Music Pass, which will replace the Festival Pass, and the Lego Pass too, at no additional cost.
On the same date, Epic will also be increasing the price of the Battle Royale battle pass by 50 V-Bucks, from 950 to 1,000.
“The real money price of V-Bucks will remain the same, and you’ll still be able to earn V-Bucks through leveling the Battle Pass,” it said.
The company recently announced plans to simplify Fortnite’s pass progression systems.
By December 1, all passes in Fortnite will progress simultaneously by earning XP from playing any experience (Battle Royale, Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing, Fortnite Festival).
Popular throwback mode Fortnite OG is returning to the battle royale game permanently next month.
“OG is coming BACK and is here to stay,” Epic said last week. “Relive Battle Royale from the start and explore the OG map, collect OG loot, and relive OG seasons. Drop back in on December 6.”
Fortnite’s current Season, Chapter 2 Remix, runs until November 30.
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Nvidia (NVDA) earnings report Q3 2025
Nvidia (NVDA) earnings report Q3 2025
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrives at the launch of the supercomputer Gefion, at the Vilhelm Lauritzen Terminal in Kastrup, Denmark, Oct. 23, 2024.
Ritzau Scanpix | Mads Claus Rasmussen | Via Reuters
Nvidia reports fiscal third-quarter earnings Wednesday after the market closes.
Here’s what Wall Street is looking for, per LSEG consensus estimates:
Revenue: $33.16 billion
Earnings per share: 75 cents, adjusted
How Nvidia sees the current quarter shaping up is even more important than the results. Investors want to see if the chipmaker can continue to grow at a fierce rate, even as the artificial intelligence ***** enters its third year. Wall Street expects Nvidia to forecast 82 cents per share on $37.08 billion in sales.
Much of that future growth will have to come from Blackwell, its next-generation AI chip for data centers currently shipping to customers Microsoft, Google and Oracle.
Analysts will listen carefully to comments from CEO Jensen Huang to hear what he says about the demand for Blackwell. The company could also address reports that some of the systems based on Blackwell chips are experiencing overheating issues.
In August, Nvidia said it expected about “several billion” in Blackwell sales during the January quarter.
Nvidia stock has nearly tripled since the start of 2024.
The company reported a 122% growth in sales in the most recent quarter, but that was a slowdown from the 262% year-over-year growth it reported in the April quarter and the 265% growth in the January quarter.
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Former UTV political editor *****
Former UTV political editor *****
PA Media
Ken Reid retired from UTV in 2021 after almost three decades on screen
The former UTV political editor Ken Reid has *****.
Mr Reid, 69, reported on key moments in the peace process during almost three decades on screen.
In 2017, he revealed he had been diagnosed with a form of leukaemia. He was also diabetic but continued to work until his retirement from UTV in 2021.
A well-known figure in Northern Ireland, he was honoured by Queen’s University earlier this year for his contribution to journalism.
He regularly interviewed Prime Minister Tony Blair before and after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Among his political scoops was breaking the news in 2008 that the then DUP leader Ian Paisley was to step down as first minister and party leader.
‘Colossus is his field’
First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that Mr Reid was “a true giant in local journalism, and an all-round gentleman”.
The Sinn Féin deputy leader added that his “strength and courage in the face of illness served as an inspiration to many, as he became a powerful advocate for raising awareness of *******”.
“We mourn the loss of a dear friend, and a remarkable man,” she said.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson described Mr Reid as a “colossus is his field”.
“Ken was a special journalist in Northern Ireland as someone who managed to get to the heart of all the major political stories and cover the difficult issues whilst remaining the respect, admiration and affection of representatives from all political opinions”, Robinson said.
‘A towering figure’
ITV’s news director Michael Jermey described him as “a towering figure in broadcasting in Northern Ireland”.
“He will be enormously missed by colleagues in UTV and right across the wider ITV,” Mr Jeremy said.
He added: “Ken was a wonderful journalist. Well informed, intelligent and always utterly impartial in his approach to reporting.
“He had a ringside seat at some of the most significant moments of modern history – perhaps most notably the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.”
Mr Reid’s coverage of politics for UTV began in 1994, the year of the IRA and loyalist ceasefires.
After the 1998 agreement, he reported on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to David Trimble and John Hume.
He then reported on the start of power-sharing at Stormont.
As devolution rose and fell, he was a permanent fixture on the UTV evening news programme.
He reported every year from the St Patrick’s Day receptions at the White House in Washington, and was a frequent visitor to Brussels, especially before and after the Brexit vote in 2016.
His long career in journalism began in newspapers, at the News Letter in the late 1970s and then as sports editor of the now-defunct Sunday News in the mid-1980s. He later became the overall editor of the paper.
He was an avid supporter of Everton, his local football club Cliftonville and Ballymena rugby club.
Despite his early stint in sports journalism, he once said: “Sport is my hobby and keeps me sane. I didn’t want it to be my job. I always wanted sport to just be sport.”
In 1987, Mr Reid moved south of the border to the Cork Examiner, where he built up good contacts with Irish politicians.
This stood him in good stead when he moved to UTV to front its political coverage at a crucial stage in the peace process in the mid-1990s.
Mr Reid was born in 1955 and was brought up in north Belfast.
He went to school at Methodist College, and then studied at the University of Hull.
‘Warm, life-enhancing man’
UTV presenter Paul Clark said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of Mr Reid’s ******.
“He was an outstanding journalist and always at the top of his craft,” Mr Clark said, “I learnt so much from him.”
SDLP MLA and leader of the opposition at Stormont Matthew O’Toole said Mr Reid was a “huge figure in political journalism but also such a warm, life-enhancing man to chat to”.
TUV leader Jim Allister said that Mr Reid was “part of the political lives of so many for so long” and was “respected by all sides”.
Baroness Foster, the former first minister, said Mr Reid’s ****** was “incredibly sad news”.
She told the BBC’s Evening Extra programme that he was “one of the last great interviewers of the Belfast Agreement time”.
“He was a great character… he was incredibly down to earth,” she said.
The former BBC NI Political Editor, Mark Devenport said that Mr Reid was “a very astute journalist”.
Mr Davenport added that he was “occasionally a rival who did me professional damage, but on a personal level we were always very good friends”.
Surrounded by news
Even as he lay gravely ill in hospital in recent days, Ken Reid was listening to the news on the radio.
He once described himself as a “politics junkie” and even in retirement he kept a close eye on Stormont, Westminster and the Dáil.
When I last visited Ken in hospital, he had just tuned into a political debate on BBC Radio Five Live – he kept it on in the background as we chatted. Political discussions were, in a sense, the soundtrack to his career.
Standing at more than 6ft tall, many people referred to him as ‘Big Ken’ but he did not speak down the audience, he spoke in their language and was respected for that.
He faced his illnesses with formidable courage. He was extremely thankful for the support and love he received from his wife, children and grandchildren.
Ken Reid will be remembered as a towering figure in broadcasting.
Right to the end, he was surrounded by news. Ken loved the airwaves and the airwaves loved Ken.
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