One of the purported advantages of self-driving car tech is that every car can learn from one vehicle’s mistakes. Here’s how Waymo puts it on its website: “The Waymo Driver learns from the collective experiences gathered across our fleet, including previous hardware generations.” But in Austin, Waymo’s vehicles struggled for months to learn how to…
Elon Musk called violent crime in San Francisco “horrific” and moved the offices of his social media business X outside the city in 2024 because of safety and business considerations. Other local tech companies have attempted to address their security concerns by partnering directly with cops. Airbnb and Salesforce are among businesses that for years…
First, turn on the car’s interior fan on the low setting and open up the car’s windows. Get a disinfectant, such as Lysol or an AC disinfectant from an auto parts store, and spray it into what’s called the plenum. The plenum is a box that connects to your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system,…
Other VPNs We’ve Tested Private Internet Access (PIA) has a long history in the VPN space, and it’s maintained a track record of defending user privacy—even in the face of actual criminal activity. In 2016, a criminal complaint was filed in Florida against Preston Alexander McWaters for threats made online. McWaters was eventually convicted and…
Today, Apple announced its new budget MacBook. At $599, it looks seriously impressive. While I haven’t tested its performance, battery life, or display just yet, it may end up being hard to beat at that price based on some of the specs alone. But that doesn’t mean the competition isn’t there. I want to recommend…
Photograph: Michael Calore The walls of the bag are tough enough, made from 1,200-denier polyester, which is heavy-duty and water-resistant, not to mention so rugged that it’s nearly indestructible. I’ve checked it as luggage on a dozen or so flights, and it doesn’t show any scuffs or tears. The zipper at the top isn’t sealed,…
Compare Our Picks Others We Tested Photograph: Kat Merck Els Pet Orbitie for $260: This is one of the least expensive lidded automatic litter boxes. It functions much like the more expensive models, with an internal 65-liter-capacity orb that rotates and catches clumps with a plastic grate, depositing them into a bag-lined box below. The…
As a side sleeper who struggles with chronic illness, I require support and pressure relief in a mattress. This is where I like the Saatva Rx as a specialty option for those dealing with literal pain points. The Rx, if you couldn’t already infer from the name, was designed for more medically inclined situations where…
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and former daytime talk show star, has recently been emailing all federal workers in his agency weekly tips on “Crushing Cubicle Cravings” and how to avoid snacking in the office. “We all love a fun cookie swap and potluck this time…
A decade ago, kratom advocates fought a surprisingly successful campaign against a proposed Drug Enforcement Administration ban that claimed the obscure Southeast Asian plant posed “an imminent hazard to public safety.” They won bipartisan allies from Bernie Sanders to Rand Paul, and helped create a billion-dollar industry out of kratom, which has pain-relieving effects they…