Author Archives: Carol Edwards

UPDATE: Feb. 1, 2022, 3:45 p.m. EST We’ve updated this post with the best deals from across the Apple universe, including the iPad Air at $100 off and the iMac at its lowest price ever.

• BEST MAC DEAL: 2021 24″ iMac (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD), Apple’s best family computer is available at its lowest price ever — $1,349.99 $1,499 at Amazon (save $149.01 with coupon applied at checkout)

• BEST IPAD DEAL: The 2021 iPad Air (WiFi, 64GB) is the iPad with the best balance of size, features, and price — $499 $599 (save $100)

• BEST IPHONE DEAL: The iPhone 13 Mini (64GB) at Verizon is a mini phone with plenty of storage space and a battery life worth bragging about — $0 with select trade-ins or BOGO with any unlimited plan $699.99 (save up to $699.99)

• BEST APPLE WATCH DEAL: The Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm, GPS) has a bigger, better watch face and multiple color options on sale — $369 $399 (save $30)

• BEST ACCESSORIES DEAL: The AirPods (second-gen) are a good pair of wireless buds at a better value than the latest iteration of Apple’s earbuds — $118.98 $159 (save $40.02)

You could really kill some time trying to dissect the iron grasp Apple has on the general population, but when it comes down to it, its products look good, work well, and stay cutting-edge — of course people like them. Whether your favorite day of the year is its annual September reveal event or you just want a solid computer no matter the brand, Apple’s got you covered. Sure, it is a little notorious for its higher prices, but we’ve rounded up the best deals on iPads, AirPods, and more to help you out. Check them out below.

Mac and MacBook deals

Why we like it

Check out Mashable’s official review of the 24-inch iMac.

Admittedly, this is not the best week for Mac and MacBook deals, as many have jumped back up to full price for the first time in a while. The latest iMac however, has done the opposite, falling down to the lowest price we’ve seen yet at nearly $150 off. It’s a step up from the entry-level iMac, with an 8-core GPU, 8-core CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of built-in storage. The 24-inch 4.5K Retina display is as nice to look at as its color exterior, all in all making it clear why Mashable named this computer one of the best gadgets of 2021. Grab it on sale in orange, yellow, pink, or green.

More Mac and MacBook deals

2020 MacBook Pro, 13-inch

• MacBook Pro (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,199 $1,299 at Amazon (save $100)

• MacBook Pro (M1, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,434 $1,499 at Amazon (save $65)

2020 MacBook Pro, 16-inch

• MacBook Pro (Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $2,039.99 $2,399.99 at Best Buy (save $360)

• MacBook Pro (Intel Core i9, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,499.99 $2,799.99 at Best Buy (save $300)

2020 MacBook Air, 13-inch

• MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $949 $999 at Amazon (save $50)

• MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,149.99 $1,249.99 at Amazon (save $100)

More Macs

• 2020 Mac Mini (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $650 $699 at Amazon (save $49)

• 2020 Mac Mini (M1, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $799 $899 at Amazon (save $100)

• 2021 24″ iMac (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,349.99 $1,499 at Amazon (save $149.01 with coupon applied at checkout)

Refurbished Macs and MacBooks

• Refurbished 2017 13″ MacBook Air (Intel Core i5, 128GB) — $379.96 $1,400 at Walmart (save $1,020.04)

• Pre-owned 2015 13″ MacBook Air (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $499.99 $579.99 at Best Buy (save $80)

• Renewed 2019 21.5″ iMac (Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $689.99 $729.99 at Amazon (save $40)

iPad deals

Why we like it

The latest iPad Air has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, an A14 Bionic chip for speedy processing, 10 hours of battery life, and is one of our favorite tablets. And with all that, it still holds true to its name by being super lightweight. Walmart has had it on sale for $539 for the past couple weeks, but Amazon decided to up the ante and price it at $499. Inevitably, they sold out in a day, but now Best Buy has joined in on the fun, offering the tablet at the same low price, and in every single color.

More iPad deals

• 2021 iPad (WiFi, 256GB) — $449 $479 at Amazon (save $30)

• 2021 iPad Air (WiFi, 64GB) — $499 $599 at Best Buy (save $100)

• 2021 iPad Air (WiFi, 64GB) — $539 $599 at Walmart (save $60)

• 2021 11″ iPad Pro (WiFi, 128GB) — $749 $799 at Walmart (save $50)

• 2021 12.9″ iPad Pro (WiFi, 128GB) — $899.99 $1,099.99 at Micro Center (save $200)

• 2020 12.9″ iPad Pro (WiFi, 256GB) — $934.99 $1,099.99 at Best Buy (save $165)

• 2021 12.9″ iPad Pro (WiFi, 128GB) — $999 $1,099 at Amazon (save $100)

iPhone deals

Why we like it

Check out Mashable’s official review of the iPhone 13 Mini.

If you’re picking up some new phones for more than one person this holiday, it’ll be difficult to find a better deal than this buy one, get one on the iPhone 13 Mini at Verizon. Though this model looks quite similar to its predecessor, its starting storage of 128GB and improved battery life definitely justify the upgrade.

More iPhone deals

• iPhone 12 Mini (64GB) at AT&T — $314.99 with a switch to any unlimited plan and no trade-in necessary — $629.99 (save up to $314.99)

• iPhone 12 (64GB) at AT&T — $15 per month for 36 months on an unlimited plan, then receive up to $190 in bill credits

• iPhone 13 (128GB) at AT&T — $0 with an eligible trade-in and unlimited plan $799.99 (save up to $799.99)

• iPhone 13 Pro (128GB) at AT&T — $100 with an eligible trade-in on an unlimited plan, with installed payment plan $999.99 (save up to $800)

• iPhone 12 Mini (64GB) at Verizon — $0 with a new line on an unlimited plan $599.99 (save $599.99)

• iPhone 13 Mini (64GB) at Verizon — $0 with select trade-ins or BOGO with any unlimited plan $699.99 (save up to $699.99)

• iPhone 13 (128GB) at Verizon — $0 with an eligible trade-in on an unlimited plan or BOGO with any unlimited plan $799.99 (save $800)

• iPhone 13 Pro (128GB) at Verizon — $0 with select trade-ins $999.99 (save up to $999.99)

Apple Watch deals

Why we like it

The price of Apple’s latest smartwatch keeps going up and down. Though it’s not quite as on sale as we’ve seen it in weeks past, you’re still saving money on a watch with a larger face, increased support for biking workouts, better durability. Plus, every in-stock color is available at this discounted price.

More Apple Watch deals

Series 7

• Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm, GPS) — $369 $399 at Amazon (save $30)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm, GPS) — $369 $399 at Walmart (save $30)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS) — $399 $429 at Amazon (save $30)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS) — $399 $429 at Walmart (save $30)

SE

• Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) — $249 $279 at Amazon (save $30)

• Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) — $249 $279 at Best Buy (save $30 and get four months free of Apple Fitness+)

• Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) — $249 $279 at Walmart (save $30)

• Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS) — $269.72 $309 at Amazon (save $39.28)

• Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS) — $279 $309 at Best Buy (save $30 and get four months free of Apple Fitness+)

• Apple Watch SE (44m, GPS) — $279 $309 at Walmart (save $30)

Series 3

• Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm, GPS) — $169 $199 at Best Buy (save $30 and get four months free of Apple Fitness+)

• Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm, GPS) — $169 $199 at Walmart (save $30)

• Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm, GPS) — $199 $229 at Best Buy (save $30 and get four months free of Apple Fitness+)

• Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm, GPS) — $199 $229 at Walmart (save $30)

Refurbished

• Refurbished Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS + Cellular) — $317.95 $399.95 at Amazon (save $82)

• Renewed Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm, GPS) — $261.81 $429 at Amazon (save $167.19)

Apple accessories deals

Why we like it

Check out Mashable’s official review of the second-generation AirPods.

The latest AirPods did not deliver on active noise cancellation, yet still come at a higher price. This slightly older generation comes with an H1 chip for easy pairing, a nice long battery life, and they were a Mashable Choice pick back in their day.

More Apple accessories deals

• AirPods (second gen) — $118.98 $129.99 at Amazon (save $40.02)

• AirPods (third gen) — $169 $179 at Amazon (save $10)

• AirPods Pro — $197 $249 at Amazon (save $52)

• AirPods Pro — $197 $249 at Walmart (save $52)

• AirPods Max— $449 $549 at Amazon (save $100)

• Powerbeats Pro Totally Wireless Earphones — $199.95 $249.95 at Amazon (save $50)

• Beats Studio 3 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones — $208.86 $349.95 at Amazon (save $141.09)

• Beats Studio 3 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones — $208.86 $349.99 at Walmart (save $141.09)

• Apple TV 4K 32GB — $159 $179 at Amazon (save $20 with discount applied at checkout)

• Apple Pencil (first gen) — $84.99 $99 at Amazon (save $14.01)

• Apple Pencil (first gen) — $84.99 $99 at Walmart (save $14.01)

• Apple Pencil 2 — $110.89 $129 at Amazon (save $18.11)

• Apple Pencil 2 — $110.89 $129 at Walmart (save $18.11)

Explore related content:

• 8 monitors to take your MacBook Pro to the next level

• MacBooks aren’t the only great laptops — and this list proves it

• Best headphones for iPhone owners: Think outside the (AirPods) box

It’s a big day for Cruise, the General Motors-backed autonomous vehicle company: Its driverless cars are open to the public in San Francisco.

Though there are plenty of limitations.

The first public rides in the modified Chevy Bolt EV Cruise vehicles actually happened last week, as seen in this video:

But those riders were all hand-picked members of the public chosen by Cruise employees. Cruise employees have been testing out the self-driving car service during the pandemic, as city residents have noticed, with the cars driving around often. A few months ago, Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt hailed the company’s first truly driverless ride, in which nobody was in the front seat, not even a safety driver.

As of Tuesday, Cruise is opening a waitlist that anyone can sign up for, but you have to list what SF neighborhood you live in and what times of day you’re likely to use the service.

A Cruise spokesperson explained that once the real first public rides get going, they will only be for trips between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and mostly in the west side of the city. Traffic and business is much calmer during those times and on that side of SF.

Driverless, but not everywhere.
Credit: Cruise

The taxi rides will also be free, since Cruise doesn’t have its California Public Utilities Commission permit yet. It does have an AV permit through the California DMV, so it can operate on public roads without a driver.

The Cruise Rider Community program will operate like Alphabet-owned Waymo One, with an app for users to order a car (and eventually pay for rides). Waymo’s autonomous car service launched in Arizona in December 2018.

Even with all the caveats, Cruise is technically the first AV company to offer driverless taxi rides to San Franciscans. Waymo One has a similar program that launched in the city last year, but with a safety driver up front.

SAVE $200: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ (256GB) typically retails for $929.99, but as of Feb. 1, Amazon and Samsung.com both had it on sale for just $729.99. That’s a 22% savings and its lowest price to date.

Apple isn’t the only tech giant gearing up for a big year: Samsung is supposedly introducing several new gadgets at its Feb. 9 Galaxy Unpacked event. It’s only confirmed an updated smartphone so far (“the most noteworthy S series ever created”), but leaks suggest we’ll also get our first glimpses of the rumored Galaxy Tab S8, S8 Plus, and S8 Ultra.

As if on cue, the current Samsung tablet just went up for sale at its lowest price to date. Head over to Amazon or Samsung.com to score a mid-level Galaxy Tab S7+ with 256GB of storage for only $729.99, which is a scrumptious $200 off its suggested retail price of $929.99. (For comparison’s sake, it was $840 at Target, $860 at Walmart, and sold out at Best Buy at the time of writing.)

Need more storage? The 512GB model was only $799.99 on Amazon the last time we checked. That’s $230 off its $1,029.99 MSRP, $30 better than its current price on Samsung’s website, and just $3 away from its all-time low price from last March.

Sporting a speedy octa-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and a glorious 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy Tab S7+ is the upgraded version of our favorite Samsung tablet to date. (That would be the Galaxy Tab S7 — no “plus.”) Comparisons to Apple’s 2020 iPad Pro were abundant upon its release that fall, but just between us, the Galaxy Tab S7+’s S Pen gives it the edge. That stylus makes drawing, note-taking, and general multitasking a breeze, and unlike the $130 Apple Pencil, it’s included with the tablet at no extra cost.

Take your pick from two finishes: Mystic Black or the deep blue Mystic Navy.

Explore related content:

• A guide to the best tablets out there — for work or streaming your shows

• The best tablet to buy for your kid

• MacBooks aren’t the only great laptops — and this list proves it

To celebrate the premiere of The Afterparty on Apple TV+ — and mourn the death of pop star Xavier (Dave Franco) in the first episode — Sony Music and Milan Records have partnered up for the EP R.I.P. XAVIER.

“In the wake of his shockingly tragic death, pop music superstar XAVIER lives on with today’s release of a new EP entitled R.I.P. XAVIER,” the companies said in a press release.

The four-song collection includes “X Marks the G Spot,” “Do Wet,” and “Just Like U” as well “Imma Live Forever,” the last music video Xavier made before tragically falling to his death at a high school reunion afterparty. (Not included is the Ben Schwartz banger from episode 3.)

“I was inspired to write this EP and the song ‘Imma Live Forever’ because I’m literally going to live forever,” Xavier told the press before his death. “I’m immortal. Sorry to break it to all my haters.”

There’s even an official Xavier website. True to its inspiration, it’s a lot.

The Afterparty is now streaming on Apple TV+ with new episodes every Friday.

Did you know Instagram allows you to see the accounts you interact with the least?

In an effort to be transparent about the way their algorithm works, Instagram created a tool in 2020 that shows you the 50 accounts you have interacted with the least in the past 90 days. It’s available under your “Following” list and features the accounts whose posts you haven’t liked and stories you haven’t reacted to in a while. It’s a great tool to help you unfollow accounts that are just clogging up your feed.

We will walk you through how to access your “Least Interacted With” list on IG:

1. Open your Instagram profile.

2. Tap “Following.”

Select “Following.”
Credit: Screenshot: Instagram

3. Select “Least Interacted With” under the “Categories” tab.

Tap “Least Interacted With” to view the accounts you interact with the least.
Credit: Screenshot: Instagram

Once you tap “Least Interacted With” you will be shown the list of the accounts that you have interacted with the least in the past 90 days.

4. Unfollow at your leisure.

Happy unfollowing!

In a perfect world, none of us would be staying up past midnight to scroll mindlessly through strangers’ stories on Reddit. Yet the grind of capitalism ensures revenge bedtime procrastination remains a permanent fixture for many, cursing us with bleary eyes and sleep deprivation headaches in exchange for the smallest sense of control over our lives. Fortunately, Reddit’s dark mode can help alleviate at least some of the screen glare.

Here’s how to turn on dark mode on Reddit.

1. Open Reddit.

2. If you’re on desktop, click on the profile icon in the top right corner. If you’re on mobile, tap the profile icon in the top left corner. This will open a menu.

3. Click or tap on the crescent moon to toggle dark mode on or off.

You can also choose what flavour of darkness you’d prefer if you’re on the mobile app. Simply select the profile icon, tap “Settings,” then look under “Dark Mode” for “Dark theme.” Tap it to choose between the slightly brighter “Night” and pitch black “Midnight (AMOLED).”

Credit: Screenshot: Reddit app

Reddit introduced its dark mode in 2018, finally adding the feature after many years of redditor requests. Initially called night mode, this theme replaces Reddit’s default white background with a less visually strenuous dark one. It’s no substitute for actually going to sleep, but at least it’s something.

As the fitness-obsessed, diet culture beast continues its rampage through our social feeds and consumer products, a debate is once again stirring in comment sections: More or less body talk? Is self-love the route we should take, or should we avoid talking about our appearance altogether?

Amid this conversation, many are turning toward a new philosophy called “body neutrality” that places much less importance on positive body-talk and appearance, focusing instead on accepting your body for what it is.

You’ll probably come across the phrase while scrolling through health content online, often paired along with the age-old #bodypositivity tag. On TikTok alone, videos with #bodyneutrality have more than 355 million accumulated views. It’s a new, often preferred, phrase among influencers and activists alike.

Chelsea Kronengold, associate director of communications for the National Eating Disorder Association, explains that both of these phrases, and their online movements, are part of a long history of body acceptance. “Body positivity urges people to love their bodies, no matter what they look like. Whereas body neutrality focuses on what your body can do, rather than what it looks like,” Kronengold says. “In body positivity, there’s this message of ‘I love my body, period.’ And this often isn’t attainable, especially for people who have experience with body image and eating disorder issues … It’s possible that they will never get to the point where they love their body. And that doesn’t mean that they’re not in full recovery.”

The phrase “body positivity” emerged from the needs of marginalized people — initially fat-positive advocates and radical fat feminists of the 1960s and 1970s. Using the model of Civil Rights-era leadership, the (primarily white) movement protested for “equal rights for fat people in all areas of life” and an end to diet industries, according to the 1973 Fat Manifesto. It was inherently anti-capitalist, a response to media giants and corporations selling insecurities back to (mainly) women. In true internet fashion, the wellness industry eventually co-opted the phrase, and it became commonplace on the feeds of traditionally thin, mainly white influencers and celebrities. It some corners, it had lost its original intention of subverting normative beauty standards and uplifting the beauty of all kinds of bodies. Instead, it’s now a catch-all for anyone who supports messages of self love, and often feeds into the internet’s new brand of “toxic positivity” beauty posts.

In body positivity, there’s this message of ‘I love my body, period.’ And this often isn’t attainable.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, explains Amanda Cooper, press relations director for nonprofit fat advocacy group National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). “This is how we know we’re winning, because some ideas that used to seem extremely radical are getting mainstream. And that’s actually progress,” she says.

But the phrase is unclear and often misused, especially in the eyes of fat-positive activists. Now, you’ll find videos of traditionally thin people sticking out their abdomens or forming stomach rolls with #bodypositive in the caption, to the dismay of many. Even celebrities, like musician (and incidental TikTok star) Lizzo, have started to move away from the term.

Body neutrality has since arisen as an alternative to this phrase, often incorporated into conversations about inclusive, intersectional health — ones that emphasize fitness programs that don’t use appearance or diet-related goals, and instead promote fun, positive movement and emotional health. Body neutrality places no emphasis on physical appearances, beauty, or desire. It doesn’t assign moral worth to appearance (no “good” or “bad” body parts), or strive for beauty as an end goal, and it urges people to reject the thought that not loving yourself makes you a failure.

Instead, body neutral thinking encourages people to find respect for their body, to live with, rather than love, their appearance. It’s popularity is linked to the work of Anne Poirier, an intuitive eating counselor, eating disorder specialist, and author of The Body Joyful. In Poirier’s work, body neutrality is defined as “not supporting the hatred of our vessel (our physical structure) or the love and adoration of our vessel.” To practice this, according to Poirier, start with body neutral phrases that hone in on functions. Things like “My thighs are strong and help me walk” or “Thank you, body, for taking care of me today.” Try focusing on unique traits or talents while practicing daily affirmations, or the emotional, non-physical aspects of your identity.

Tigress Osborn, chair of NAAFA, explains that the body neutral framework can be especially helpful for fat activists who are looking for alternative ways to talk about their bodies. “One of the things that fat activists have tried to assert over many decades of history is that we are people just like everybody else. Everybody has bodies. All the bodies are different. There’s a wide diversity of them. And we don’t have to be focused on that,” she says. 

There’s a lot of power in downplaying your appearance and devaluing conventional, social beauty norms in favor of neutrality, Obsorn and Kronengold agree. “Part of what body neutrality does in a really positive way, is give permission to not celebrate if you don’t feel celebratory, and I think that that’s important,” Osborn says. Instead of falling into a cycle of shame or guilt when you aren’t loving your appearance, body neutrality suggests reframing that into acceptance: “My body just exists. My appearance is the least interesting thing about me. That’s all that matters.”

The concept of body neutrality might seem impossible to reconcile with typical social media posts, which tend to focus on visually-appealing photos and bodies. But some are finding ways to subvert the culture of toxic positivity.

Many body neutral influencers and authors avoid content that features their physical appearance, frequently sharing non-body-focused affirmations instead. TikTok creators are constantly calling out unhealthy trends that reinforce either toxic positivity or fatphobia.

When you live in a marginalized body, it’s like the literal embodiment of the idea that the personal is political.

Still, while body neutrality can be a great alternative for those struggling in the current landscape, it isn’t perfect, nor is it always an antidote to misuse of body positivity on social media. As both Kronengold and Osborn note, focusing on the functions of a body leaves room for ableist language — what if your your body isn’t capable of keeping you healthy each day, or picking up your children, or walking you from place to place? What kind of affirmations should you use instead? 

“In [body neutrality] practice, what we say is ‘think about all the things that your body can do for you’ with an assumption that everybody’s bodies can do the same thing, and are meant to do the same thing,” Osborn says. “But in theory, it should just be neutral. Everybody’s body just is what it is. People are not abled or disabled, bodies just work in a variety of ways.” Body neutrality has to embrace the diversity of human bodies and eschew the traditional standards of both beauty and health, as body positivity has attempted to do. But it also needs to consider how the concept of “neutral” can have biases, too.

It’s also important to remember that body neutrality is an individualized way of thinking that doesn’t account for the institutional effects of a culture obsessed with one standard of beauty and hasn’t prohibited size-based discrimination. There’s privilege in living without considering your appearance — for people of color, those with disabilities, and many fat people, their appearance comes into conversations whether they want it to or not.

As Osborn explains, body neutrality isn’t a solution to general fatphobia, and it doesn’t reflect the lived realities of people who face systemic oppression because of their appearance. “When you live in a marginalized body, it’s like the literal embodiment of the idea that the personal is political,” Osborn adds. “[Neutrality] has the effect of silencing people in marginalized bodies from talking about what their bodies mean, in a political way.” Bringing body neutrality into a fat activist space, Osborn explains, isn’t helpful to the cause, even if it’s essential for your personal recovery.

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It might be helpful to imagine it, instead, as one step in a larger body acceptance spectrum, as Kronengold explains. “We wanted to use this body acceptance term as an umbrella, and then highlight a spectrum of types of body acceptance,” she says of the work of professionals in these spaces.

On one side (a starting point, Osborn makes clear) is body positivity — “I am beautiful even with stretch marks” or “I love the hair on my body.” Then there’s body or fat liberation, which is a modern iteration of the radical, queer-aligned fat acceptance movement of the 1960’s. Fat liberation directly addresses the systemic oppression of fat bodies, and their intersectional identities, and activists’ work toward dismantling policies that affect these communities. Body neutrality also exists on this spectrum, advocating for a society that has neutralized the importance of beauty and appearance in everyday life. Outside of a personal philosophy, this can only succeed as a movement once we’ve acknowledged the aforementioned effects of our beauty-obsessed culture.

In day-to-day practice, the spectrum can blur together, and personal body acceptance fluctuates, as well, with people using different philosophies in different settings. There are plenty of terms, like fat acceptance, fat activism, Health At Every Size, and NAAFA’s preferred term, “equality at every size.” These are used in different ways by different people, activists included, from explaining personal ideologies to political goals (“this organization supports equality at every size”).

It’s important to find what works for you, Kronengold says, but be mindful of how you can contribute to the broader body acceptance and fat liberation movements outside of your own personal experiences.

“If you want to appreciate the people who’ve made your body neutrality possible, in a lot of ways, you need to actively make the world better for them. And that can be done in both political and practical ways,” Obsorn urges. Stand up against size discrimination laws in the workplace, push to include size as a protected category in civil rights legislation, and show up for fat creators online.

Osborn suggests those practicing body neutrality follow fat activists. People like Da’Shaun L. Harrison, author of Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness and Anti-Blackness, or Aubrey Gordon, co-host of the podcast Maintenance Phase. Gordon has published her own suggested reading list on the history of body acceptance. And read up on the work of OG fat activists who paved the way for both body positive and body neutral thinking, Osborn says. Visit the works of therapist and activist Charlotte Cooper and political advocacy groups like The Flare Project.

If you’re personally not vibing with the flowery language of body positive mantras and self love, try exploring body neutrality. Just make sure you pay your respects to the fat activists who have made it all possible.

If you feel like you’d like to talk to someone about your eating behavior, call the National Eating Disorder Association’s helpline at 800-931-2237. You can also text “NEDA” to 741-741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at the Crisis Text Line or visit the nonprofit’s website for more information.

Netflix has revealed the trailer for Disenchantment Part 4, giving us a glimpse of the newly crowned Queen Bean’s attempts to rule the citizens of Dreamland. However it seems not even this newfound responsibility can keep Bean from drinking.

Matt Groening’s take on medieval fantasy follows the alcohol-loving former princess Bean (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) and her companions: the imaginatively named half-elf Elfo (voiced by Nat Faxon) and the equally imaginatively named demon Luci (voiced by Eric André). Unfortunately, it looks as though being a queen is no easier than being a princess, with Queen Bean facing power-hungry enemies from all sides.

Disenchantment Part 4 lands on Netflix Feb. 9.

Kids have the kind of energy adults could only dream of having. Most spend their days being active just because. You might not think that a kid needs to track that activity (or the motivation to move around at all), but in a relatively sedentary society, making movement a priority from a a young age is still vital.

Fortunately, there are several fitness trackers for kids that are made specifically with children in mind. This means that they’re focused on leading an active lifestyle (rather than weight loss or something) as well as building non-fitness related habits, like keeping up with homework.

What makes a fitness tracker kid-friendly?

Fitness trackers for kids are simplified versions of those for adults in that they typically trade out advanced metrics like an ECG app for motivational games and unlockable rewards. Most young kids probably don’t need a $500 watch for light health metrics when a cheaper, simpler, more durable option is more suited to keep them engaged.

Band size is tailored to little wrists, of course, and typically rock kid-friendly designs with fun colors or themes from Star Wars or Frozen.

Kids’ fitness trackers are all about setting goals — fitness or otherwise. Many offer parents the opportunity to set daily reminders for their kids to do things like brushing their teeth, completing their homework, or cleaning their room. Mundane tasks are more fun when they’re integrated into a model of games, tiered rewards, and maybe even a little friendly leaderboard competition among siblings. Plus, parents aren’t the ones doing the nagging.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a kid these days who isn’t begging for their own smartphone by the age of 10 5. A fitness tracker can be a major move in the independence department — a stepping stone on your kid’s path to bigger and better tech devices (and the responsibility that comes with owning them).

Why can’t kids just use an adult fitness tracker?

High schoolers are fine to graduate to a fitness tracker for adults — it’s likely that they’ll already have a phone at that point, anyway — but the functionality of a full-fledged smartwatch probably isn’t ideal for kids. Adult fitness trackers that graze smartwatch status, like the Fitbit Sense or Garmin Venu Sq., can access payment apps or social media apps. Some parents may prefer that those not be an option at all.

Nearly every adult activity tracker on the market tracks calories burned, which is a metric that kids should absolutely not be focusing on. Ultimately, you want to make physical activity fun, hopefully fueling positive behavioral changes and building healthy habits that don’t involve an obsession with weight.

The caveat here is built-in GPS. We’d be remiss not to mention the fact that most kid-specific fitness trackers (even the leaders from Fitbit and Garmin) can’t be used as a standalone device to track a child’s location. If the peace of mind that comes with onboard GPS is important to you, opt for a kid-friendly smartwatch with GPS (included below) or a relatively-affordable Fitbit like the Charge 5.

What’s the difference between a fitness tracker and a smartwatch?

Almost all smartwatches are fitness trackers, but not all fitness trackers are smartwatches.

Fitness wearable giants like Fitbit have seemingly agreed upon a certain fitness tracker aesthetic: a narrow screen that blends seamlessly into a thin band, reminiscent of a bracelet. Most brands have also branched out into wristwatch territory with a model that rocks a more distinct face that’s wider than the band itself, like an Apple Watch. Touch screens are pretty standard nowadays, but the level of interactivity depends on the graphics that can fit on the screen.

Fitness tracking devices, of course, can track daily movement and exercise and expand on that data through an app on a phone. But if the tracker doesn’t have more connected onboard functionality (like apps, GPS, internet access, or texting) without the phone, it’s not a smartwatch.

Does my kid need a smartphone to use a fitness tracker?

Nope! As long as an adult in the house has a smartphone for initial setup, a kid can usually take advantage of everything the tracker has to offer (stats like step tracking, setting alarms, checking off chores) right on the wrist. Most apps split the experience into a parent view and kid view to give children some control over their data. Often, activity insights (like a sleep cycle breakdown) can be expended on in the app versus the bare-bones numbers squeezed onto a small screen.

Are fitness trackers safe for kids?

The companies behind the leading kids’ fitness trackers — Garmin and Fitbit — have both stated that their activity trackers put parents in control of approving any friend requests for fitness-based challenges. Parents can access these things via the corresponding app when the tracker is paired with their smartphone. The location of the wearer is also never shared.

What health metrics do kids need in a fitness tracker?

The basic functions of a fitness tracker are pretty standard across the board: step counting, active minute tracking, and distance traveled are big ones, and heart rate monitoring is becoming more common. With those solidified, there are a few other varying features to compare on your must-have list.

Consider battery life in terms of whether your kid will remember to charge a watch on a regular basis. The models suggested below are either rechargeable (requiring juice once or twice a week) or have a rechargeable battery that will need to be replaced every year.

Sleep tracking is another metric that could be important for growing kids. Quality shut-eye is imperative for restoration of the body and mind, setting your kid up with physical energy for the day as well as their attention, behavior, memory, and learning skills at their best. The tracker, which would have to be worn to bed, can provide insight into how many hours of sleep (or tossing and turning) your child gets per night.

Water resistance of some sort is pretty crucial. Regardless of the likelihood of swimming, there should still be a line of defense against everyday spills, splashes, weather events, and sweat. If your child does intend to wear their tracker in the water, however, ensure that it is actually waterproof (withstanding 50 meters underwater), not just water-resistant.

Here are our top picks for the best fitness trackers for kids in 2022:

Elon Musk slipped into the DMs of the creator of the Twitter bot @ElonJet last month.

That was the start of a drawn-out conversation between Jack Sweeney, 19, a college freshman at the University of Central Florida, and Tesla CEO billionaire Musk.

Musk started the conversation by asking a small favor: Would Sweeney take down the bot that posted his private plane’s whereabouts? And, to sweeten the deal: What if he threw in $5,000?

@ElonJet tracks the whereabouts of Musk’s private jet. Sweeney, a flight tracking whiz who utilizes publicly available data that comes from the Federal Aviation Administration, has set up 15 other jet trackers for SpaceX planes, celebrity-toting jets, and aircraft from other big names like Jeff Bezos. @ElonJet was the most popular tracking bot in Sweeney’s collection, but it only had about 83,000 followers at the time this all started. Now it’s up to over 241,000.

In a phone call with Mashable last week, Sweeney went through his ongoing saga with Musk.

Sweeney countered Musk’s offer by asking for a more substantial $50,000. Or what about a Tesla Model 3? After all, he’s a college kid who invested a lot of time and effort into setting up the account. Musk, one of the richest people in the world, said he’d consider it, but didn’t follow up again.

Sweeney reached out again about two weeks ago with his last ask: an internship at one of Musk’s companies, like SpaceX or Tesla. Radio silence. Then he was blocked by the active Twitter user sometime over the weekend.

As the tech publication Protocol reported last week, Musk reached out to Sweeney in December even though @ElonJet has been posting take-off and landing info since June 2020.

Sweeney explained to Musk how he set up the account using FAA data, and even offered advice to Musk. He suggested a free information-blocking program offered through the FAA, which Musk (or likely someone on his team) set up. As the FAA website explained, “Limiting aircraft data from the FAA data systems will limit flight tracking information transmitted over the Internet.” However, Sweeney’s @ElonJet continued to function despite the more limited data.

Musk went a step further after Protocol’s initial report about the take-down drama was published last week, enabling a second data-blocking method that acts as another layer of privacy but still isn’t impenetrable. These blocks would deter the average person from tracking this particular plane. But Sweeney’s father is in the airline industry, as Protocol reported, and the college student knew where to find less-accessible databases. He figured out how to continue accessing the publicly available (but now much more buried) flight info that he could plug into the bot.

Tweet may have been deleted

“He probably will be mad now that I know it’s completely working,” Sweeney said once the account tracked the flight path despite the new hiccup.

As to why Musk is suddenly concerned with the tracking bot and the perceived security risk, Sweeney is just as confused as we are. He said in the 1.5 years @ElonJet’s been in operation, neither Musk nor anyone from his companies have reached out.

“There were some people saying stop following this account,” Sweeney said of the Musk fans urging him to take down @ElonJet, but the bot is still going, with negotiations seemingly stalled for good now that all of Sweeney’s accounts are blocked. Sweeney said he would take it down if that internship — or electric car — materialized.

Musk’s plane most recently landed in Harlingen, Texas.