Get your smart home started with a smart plug — here are our favorites
Smart plugs may seem like a cheap party trick, like your attention-seeking friend who shushes the group to yell at Alexa to turn on the lamp. But they’re great devices for everyday use, because they’re super convenient and can even save energy if used correctly. For example, plugging in an …
Apple is closing even more stores across three states due to COVID
In-store retail has taken an obvious hit due to the pandemic, and even tech giant Apple isn’t immuneApple is closing more than 20 stores in North Carolina, Texas, and Georgia, Bloomberg reports, because of the virus spikes in those areas. “Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the …
HBO Max will now release ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ two months early
Hollywood’s wild ride through the global pandemic continues. First it was the Warner Bros. decision in late-2020 to shift all of its 2021 theatrical releases over to the HBO Max streaming service. Now, one of the studio’s big blockbusters for the year, Godzilla vs. Kong, will be arriving for streaming …
Warning: Telegram is not end-to-end encrypted by default
After tech behemoths like Twitter moved to ban Trump and thousands of other far-right accounts, millions moved to apps like Signal and Telegram for their encrypted messaging services. There’s one rub, though: Telegram, unlike Signal, doesn’t have end-to-end encryption by default. End-to-end encryption means that only the message sender and …
FAA approves first fully-automated commercial drone flights (with a catch)
You can officially claim autonomous commercial drones for your 2021 bingo card. On Friday, Massachusetts-based industrial drone developer American Robotics announced it had received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate its fully-automated “Scout” drones without any humans on-site. It’s the first waiver of its kind, as the …
Facebook bars events close to the Biden inauguration, state capitols
Facebook is taking steps to avoid a repeat of what happened on Jan. 6. When Donald Trump supporters gathered in Washington, D.C. for a mass gathering that eventually ended in the sacking of the U.S. Capitol, many of the groups that attended used social media platforms like Facebook and Parler …
Tiny chihuahua looks more like a porcupine after a run-in with static electricity
What a week, huh? It doesn’t particularly matter which week you’re watching this, even — I’m sure it was a week. Thankfully, we have hilarious pet videos to distract from everything else going on in the world. Like this one, featuring a tiny pup with a big electric charge. In …
Dwayne Johnson drops delightful first trailer for NBC’s ‘Young Rock’
Fans of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are in for a treat this February. On Saturday, the beloved wrestler-turned-actor gave his Twitter and Instagram followers a sneak peek at Young Rock, NBC’s upcoming sitcom based on Johnson’s life. Debuting a delightful teaser trailer for the series, created and executive produced by …
Get a lifetime subscription to this speedy VPN for under £30
TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Ivacy VPN is on sale for £29.30 as of Jan. 17, saving you 97% on list price. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Get a VPN. While some folks may wait until their credit card has been flagged for buying everything in …
Game the job-hunting AI system with this clever CV software
TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Rezi Résumé Software is on sale for £21.24 as of Jan. 17, saving you 94% on list price. Are you looking for a job and in the mood to feel extremely disheartened? Then head to LinkedIn, find a job listing you’re qualified for, and check …