Silicon Valley-based Cobalt Robotics created robots that can monitor offices, warehouses, and factory floors. Read more…
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Samsung’s foldable phone is back on.
An improved version of the Galaxy Fold will be ready to launch in “select markets” beginning in September, Samsung announced. The company said it has made a number of improvements to the design of the foldable phone, including “additional reinforcements.”
Samsung launched the Galaxy Fold with great fanfare in February, promising the foldable phone would usher in a new era of smartphone design. But when the company handed out devices to journalists in April, many early reviewers quickly reported serious issues. Samsung then put the phone on hold, and rumors of design flaws and planned fixes have trickled in since. Read more…
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Tesla delivered a record number of its electric cars in the past three months: 95,356 vehicles.
But what that number doesn’t show is how many of those cars were the car company’s newest Model 3 sedan: 77,634 cars. That means only 17,722 Model X and S were ordered and delivered, down more than 20 percent from last year. This has Tesla CEO Elon Musk a bit concerned for the future of his original car lines, as it seems the Model 3’s success is coming at the cost of his other vehicles.
During a second quarter earnings call Wednesday, Musk called the Model X SUV and Model S luxury sedan “great products,” but not from a volume standpoint. Instead, he’s focused on the company’s newer cars, including one that hasn’t even started production. “The future of Tesla is primarily the Model 3 and Model Y,” he said. Read more…
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Can’t John Oliver pick on a corporate behemoth his own size?
If a late Wednesday afternoon tweet from Amazon is any indication, the HBO comedian’s recent segment on the international juggernaut’s warehouse conditions has hurt CEO Jeff Bezos’ feelings. And, as the article tweeted by Amazon warns, if Oliver doesn’t play nice then it will be Amazon’s own workers who will suffer — as Bezos automates them right out of their jobs.
If you’re scratching your head right now in confusion, you’re not aloneThe article, allegedly written by an Amazon “sortation center” employee in West Sacramento, California, was shared by the company in a transparent effort to change the peeing-in-trashcans narrative that surrounds the company. Read more…
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Living in San Francisco, you encounter plenty of vegetarians, vegans, and a surprising number of sympathizers who would happily join those tribes if not for one meat in particular. “I’m pretty much a vegan,” a friend told me years ago, “but I’m bacon-curious.”
Ah yes: bacon curiosity, that scourge of the no-meat lifestyle. We know pigs are intelligent; we know they’re mistreated and contaminated in slaughterhouses; we know that not eating animals is one of the top things we can do to mitigate climate change. We also know most processed bacon contains dangerous amounts of carcinogenic nitrates. But those crunchy, fatty strips are just so damned versatile: there’s no sandwich, no salad, no breakfast plate that bacon cannot improve. It’s even annoyingly tasty in chocolate. Nearly $5 billion of bacon was sold in the U.S. last year, up $200 million on the year before. Read more…
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The Kenny Powers of tech execs, Steve Ballmer, busted out his signature buck wild energy at the most boring of sporting events: the press conference.
Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO and current Los Angeles Clippers NBA team owner, is extremely, voice-crackingly stoked about some of his team’s new players. In July, the Clippers acquired NBA all-stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Leonard is particular cause for celebration, having led the Toronto Raptors to capture the NBA Championship this year against the Golden State Warriors.
At a press conference introducing the team’s new stars, Ballmer went off book, straying from his scripted remarks to emit a “WOOOOoooo000!” reminiscent of his wild Microsoft product debut days. Read more…
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Looking back, it shouldn’t have been that surprising. All of the meta-clues were there.
Jessica Brown Findlay, best known for playing Lady Sybil on Downton Abbey, was an inspired casting choice for the dashing, daring lead role on Harlots, but Sybil’s most memorable Downton story arc was her surprising and untimely death in Season 3. The second clue was Alfie Allen’s appearance as an antagonist in this season of Harlots, fresh off his final episodes as Theon Greyjoy in notorious character-culler Game of Thrones.
What happens when you add a dash of Thrones to the already deadly underworld of Georgian London? A shocking early season twist that leaves Findlay’s Charlotte Wells dead in the foyer in Golden Square, helplessly bleeding out after a horrifying semi-accident involving Allen’s Isaac Pincher at the top of the stairs. At least Lady Sybil made it to Episode 5 of Downton Season 3. Charlotte only made it to Harlots Episode 3. Read more…
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Facebook was just slapped with a record-breaking fine for privacy violations, but its regulatory headaches are far from over.
The company disclosed Wednesday that it’s also facing an antitrust investigation from the Federal Trade Commission. The disclosure came amid Facebook’s second quarter earnings report, which landed just hours after details of its $5 billion settlement with the FTC were revealed.
SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Facebook’s deal with the FTC
“In June 2019, we were informed by the FTC that it had opened an antitrust investigation of our company,” the company said in a statement. That marks the second federal antitrust probe into the social media company. The Department of Justice is also conducting an antitrust review of several major tech companies. Read more…
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Ah, summer. It’s the perfect time for many exciting and nostalgia-driven pastimesPool parties, BBQs, beach trips — fun!
What’s not so fun? Being sweaty. And, you guessed it, summer is prime time for sweating through your clothes and subsequently looking atrocious in any and all cute photo opportunities. (Pro tip: Avoid gray shirts or prepare for new and unplanned designs on your top.)
That’s why it is monumentally important to have an air conditioning unit that will, at the very least, keep you comfortable at home while the humidity wreaks havoc upon the rest of the outside world. But, powerful ACs present a not-so-itty-bitty problem that many of us rarely consider: Their effect on our environment. Read more…
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IMAGE: AJ Madison
BEST OVERALL
LG Art Cool Mirror
Packed with plenty of high-end features and energy-savings functions, it’s a hard one to beat.
$669 from AJ Madison
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR SMALL SPACES
Evapolar EvaLight Personal Air Cooler
Put it near your desk or in your office to keep you cool while you work, or position yourself in front of it while you play video games.
$129 from Amazon
IMAGE: Home Depot
BEST SMART CONTROLS
Frigidaire Cool Connect
Use the Frigidaire app to control the device from anywhere and thus conserve energy consumption.
$279 from Home Depot
IMAGE: LG Electronics
BEST WINDOW UNIT
LG LW1817IVSM
This is one of the best window units you can get — although it’s pricey, the smart features, unique modes, and energy savings make it a worthy purchase.
$609.99 from LG Electronics
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST PORTABLE UNIT WITH A DEHUMIDIFIER
Honeywell MN12CES
A good option for those looking for a portable AC unit and the dehumidifying function is a nice touch.
$499 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR A LOW BUDGET
Whirlpool Energy Star
A great budget option that still includes helpful, eco-friendly features.
$208.30 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST YEAR-ROUND CLIMATE CONTROL
NewAir 14100H
Thanks to the built-in heater, this AC unit can be useful throughout the entire year.
$541.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
HIGHEST RATED ON AMAZON
Whynter ARC-14S
Online reviewers love this machine for its speed and dependability.
$469.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST BUNDLE
Pioneer Mini Split AC with Heat Pump
This comprehensive AC bundle practically pays for itself with its year-round value and energy-saving attributes.
$740.73 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST VALUE
Tosot Window Air Conditioner
The device will even regulate the temperature based on how hot or cold the environment is around the included controller.
$299.99 from Amazon
Shimmy Upskill is a digital learning game that takes garment workers from zero digital literacy to competency in approximately four hours. Read more…
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