Mashable

CES is almost here! Thankfully, you can get what you need without actually crowding into a convention center in Las Vegas.

That's because most of the big keynote press conferences from the likes of Samsung, Sony, and others are being livestreamed. That's the power of the internet, folks. So sit down, open up a bunch of browser tabs, and get to watching.

Here's how to see five of the biggest keynotes at CES 2024.

SEE ALSO: CES 2024: I fiddled with the new Dell XPS laptops — here's why they're polarizing Samsung

Samsung is a bit of an odd duck at CES (as usual) because its big Galaxy Unpacked reveal event is a week after CES, on Jan. 17. We're pretty sure anything Galaxy S24-related will be present at that event and not at CES. So, if you're into Samsung phones, prepare to be disappointed by CES.

However, pretty much anything else Samsung does is fair game at CES. AI, appliances, and anything else the company makes could show up at its press conference, which will air at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on Jan. 8 on Samsung's website.

Sony

Sony's press conference airs at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on Jan. 8, on either YouTube or its website. Unfortunately, that's about all the information we have for you about this one. Its tagline is "Powering creativity with technology," so maybe you can extrapolate that Sony will spend some time talking about the intersection of its technology with gaming and filmmaking and whatnot. But we truly don't know what to expect from Sony's CES press conference.

LG

LG already spilled the beans before its press conference, which will air on YouTube at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET on Jan. 8. The company's got a new lineup of fancy AI-powered OLED TVs for your perusal, which it announced ahead of the keynote.

However, that almost certainly won't be all LG shows at CES. LG also makes smart home products, appliances, and all sorts of other things that would make sense to show at a consumer tech convention. Expect to see some of those at LG's keynote.

ASUS

Who doesn't love laptops? When ASUS shows off its wares at 9 a.m. PT/noon ET on Jan. 8 on YouTube, you can almost guarantee you'll see some fun new laptops from the tech giant. In fact, the company has already teased a new dual-screen laptop in a YouTube video released last month, so the surprise has been slightly spoiled. Still, it probably wouldn't hold a keynote press conference for just one product.

Nvidia

On Jan. 8 at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET, Nvidia will hold a press conference that "will focus on consumer technologies and robotics." You can watch it on YouTube.

That's...a pretty vague descriptor, and we don't quite know what to expect from Nvidia's keynote just yet. We'll have to wait, I suppose. However, don't be surprised to see some powerful new GPUs from Nvidia. That's almost always a given. Hopefully there are other surprises in store, too.

SAVE $30.10: As of Jan. 5, The Last of Us Part I is on sale for $39.89, or 43% off. It's a good idea to snag a copy now if you don't have one, as The Last of Us Part II Remastered is slated to release on Jan. 19 — just be quick, because the sale ends at 2:59 a.m. ET on Jan. 6.

Opens in a new window Credit: Naughty Dog 'The Last of Us Part I' $39.89 at PlayStation Direct (save $30.10) Get Deal

The Last of Us had a huge 2023 thanks to the massive success of the HBO drama of the same name. While the second season is still pretty far off, The Last of Us' momentum is showing no signs of stopping: The Last of Us Part II Remastered is launching in just two weeks on Jan. 19, featuring never-before-seen levels and a brand-new roguelike survival mode called No Return, among other graphical and quality-of-life updates.

The cherry on top? The Last of Us Part I is on sale ahead of the remaster's release, so now's the perfect time to jump in if you haven't already. From now until Jan. 6 at 2:59 a.m. ET, you can get a copy of the game for just $39.89, or 43% off the original price of $69.99.

SEE ALSO: It's confirmed: 'The Last of Us Part II' will span multiple seasons of TV

Whether you've played the original game or are a newcomer who enjoyed the TV adaptation, The Last of Us Part I is a must-play. This isn't a simple remaster with graphical improvements — it's a full, ground-up remake built for the PlayStation 5 generation, with gameplay mechanics that more closely resemble The Last of Us Part II, DualSense controller support, better controls, and an expanded suite of accessibility options. And of course, it looks better than ever.

Pick up your copy before the deal ends at 2:59 a.m. ET on Jan. 6, and prepare yourself for the release of The Last of Us Part II Remastered on Jan. 19.

Apple has pulled the iOS 17.3 beta 2 update after reports of putting iPhones in a "boot loop."

The second iOS 17.3 beta was released on Tuesday of this week, and by Friday the update had been "withdrawn temporarily," according to the release notes. Spotted by Macworld, users who had installed the latest version of iOS 17.3 experienced an issue where the iPhone kept restarting without ever updating to the new system. The iPadOS 17.3 beta has also been pulled. The update no longer appears as a beta option in Software Updates.

SEE ALSO: Here's what's coming to iOS 17.3 (so far) Tweet may have been deleted

The release is expected to two new features called Stolen Device Protection and Apple Music collaborative playlists. Stolen Device Protection is a security feature that protects users if a thief learns their passcode. If the device is at an unknown location, it requires Face ID authentication to access sensitive information. This comes after reports of scammers peeking at people's passcodes in bars then taking their phones, per The Wall Street Journal.

If you've already installed the update, you can revert to the previous version by forcing a factory reset or entering Recovery Mode, which takes to you to the latest backup. In the meantime, keep an eye out for the de-bugged version of iOS 17.3 which will hopefully be rereleased soon.

You've had enough time to completely lambast your mates with Spotfify Wrapped and your audio streaming personality by now, but there's plenty more listening data where that came from.

Spotify has brought back its "Playlist in a Bottle" feature a year after it launched on Jan. 5, 2023. The truly long-game tool lets you make a small time capsule of the music you're listening to right now, which you'll only get to look at exactly 12 months later.

SEE ALSO: Monzo's version of Spotify Wrapped shows us who we really are

The feature asks you three song-inspired prompts, which generates your unique Playlist in a Bottle, before Spotify locks it away for a year. If you made a playlist last year, you can now claim it, and if you didn't you can make one for next year, only to be opened in 2025.

How to make your Spotify "Playlist in a Bottle" Total Time

• 5 mins

What You Need

• Spotify app and subscription
• desktop browser
• smartphone

Step 1: Open the Spotify Playlist in a Bottle website

You can open the website on your smartphone or open it on your desktop (and scan the QR code using your phone).

Step 2: Select the object for your time capsule.

You can pick from the following: a snow globe, a wheelie bin, a rice cooker, a flip phone, a bird's nest, or the more traditional bottle.

Credit: Spotify/Mashable edit

Step 3: Answer Spotify's questions and pick your songs.

These will range from "a song you'd play for aliens if they visited Earth" to "a song you need to hear live in 2024" to "a song you'd bring to a desert island." You can randomise it or start typing in your answer as a song title, and Spotify will populate with search results. Press the + button to lock it in, and hit "Next."

Credit: Spotify/Mashable edit

Step 4: Hit "I'm done".

Step 5: Leave a note for your future self.

You can use your finger to draw in the square or your mouse on desktop.

Step 6: Take one last look at your playlist then tap "Lock in."

If you need to, you can make edits here by hitting the little "x" in the circle next to each song.

Step 7: Hold your finger on the fingerprint icon to save your playlist.

Step 8: Wait one year until Spotify sends you a heads up.

If you make a Playlist in a Bottle, Spotify will email you when it's ready in 2025.

Until then, there are plenty more sites to get deep on your Spotify listening data.

Young love and a penchant for robbery fuel the trailer for Marmalade, starring Stranger Things' Joe Keery, Daisy Jones and the Six actor Camila Morrone, and Black Adam star Aldis Hodge.

Directed and written by Keir O'Donnell, the romantic heist film valiantly channels a True Romance-lite vibe, following a pair of lovers and would-be criminals who decide to rob a bank — in creepy papier-mâché masks no less.

Keery trades Scoops Ahoy for romance and conspiracy as Baron, a small-town guy working for the post office and caring for his ailing mother. He falls for eponymous newcomer Marmalade (Morrone), a spirited rebel with Big Crime Plans. It doesn't go well for Baron, as he's telling his tale to his prison cellmate Otis (Hodge). With jailbreak plans afoot, however, there could be a reunion yet.

Marmalade is coming to cinemas and video on demand Feb. 9.

In the trailer for Pablo Berger's Robot Dreams, the real treasure is absolutely, positively, the home-delivered, DIY friends we literally made along the way.

Set in '80s Manhattan and based on Sara Varon's graphic novel, the Spanish director's dialogue-free, animated film follows a lonely dog who decides to order and build himself a buddy. A tale of inseparable bond between canine and robot through the streets of New York, Robot Dreams gifts this unlikely pair the summer of a lifetime.

One thing about summer though? It always comes to an end. (Ooft, good feeling's gone.)

Robot Dreams premiered at Cannes Film Festival last year, then hit the Toronto International Film Festival. It's streaming on Paramount+ (with the Showtime plan) on Jan. 19.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for January 5 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for January 5

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Jan. 5, 2024:

AcrossBlubber

• The answer is fat.

Famed export of Cuba

• The answer is cigar.

Flavor similar to licorice

• The answer is anise.

Flavor similar to licorice

• The answer is latke.

Discreet alcohol container

• The answer is flask.

DownImportant end-of-term exam

• The answer is final.

Feeling of anxiety

• The answer is agita.

Things that need to get done

• The answer is tasks.

Baby cow

• The answer is calf.

Smell terribly

• The answer is reek.

If you haven't heard of the Magdalene Laundries, you need to watch The Woman in the Wall.

Led by Ruth Wilson and Daryl McCormack, the BBC's psychological horror/crime caper series was written by Calm with Horses' Joe Murtagh, with director Harry Wootliff at the helm. After critical praise in the UK, it's finally soon coming to streaming in the U.S. on Showtime.

Blending genres to move beyond historical drama, the series is set in a small town in West Ireland, where present day crimes connect with the dark secrets of the country's recent past — and especially the experiences of the survivors of the Magdalene (pronounced as "maudlin") institutions, including the Church's mother and baby homes (you can read more about them on Mashable.)

How to watch: The Woman in The Wall is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK and will be streaming on Showtime in the U.S. from Jan. 19.

By the time 2024 dawned, looking at headlines had become a grimly emotive experience. War and conquest, death and famine: the four horsemen are all back and stalking Ukraine and the Holy Land like they never left. It's the apocalyptic reunion tour the planet never asked for, with a fifth horseman — disinformation — billed as the warm-up act.

But apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how do you like the play? Our entire human drama still has plenty of inspired, uplifting patches of light in it. Too much focus on daily headlines can obscure that. For example, you may not have heard anything good in the news on climate change lately: the COP28 summit was criticized as being "grossly insufficient" for the scale of this global crisis.

SEE ALSO: So, how hot will Earth get?

Ironically, though, focusing on one conference is like looking at the weather … not the climate. In 2024, cause for hope that we will limit the rate of our warming planet has never been more realistic. Here we present the reasons, plus many more positive trends kicking in as the year ticks over. Hopefully, they're all harbingers.

Four horsemen, meet the 24 horsemen.

1. Solar power is smashing all records.

It's official: the human race is hooked on clean, green, solar energy. The capacity of new installations in 2023 hit 413 GW by year's end, according to a preliminary Bloomberg analysis. To give you some idea of how big that is, last year's version of this story trumpeted the installation of 295 GW in 2022 — itself a 45 percent increase on 2021's total — and projected 319 GW for 2023.

Turns out we overshot. Installations grew by 58 percent, meaning that even the most optimistic industry analysts are scrambling to update their models. If this exponential growth of installed panels keeps going, we could double the entire solar capacity of the planet in 2024 alone. 

Featured Video For You Why aesthetics are the secret weapon we need to popularise solar energy

This is happening because the cost of solar power installation is plummeting. Polysilicon, the raw material that makes panels, is cheaper by 70 percent now than it was a year ago. In the U.S., a generous federal tax credit is slicing 30 percent off installation costs. Globally, some analysts are predicting the cost of new installations will drop to 10 cents for every watt of capacity this year — something that wasn't supposed to happen until 2030. 

2. China's carbon emissions should go into decline this year.

A good chunk of all that renewable power was being built where it can do the most good — in China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. China built 300 GW of solar and wind power in 2023, far more than any other country; it committed to installing 1,200 GW by 2030 and looks set to hit the target by 2025 or earlier.

It had better, because the country also has more coal plants (and more plans to build coal plants) than any other. The breakneck rise of solar and wind is starting to make those plants look obsolete, however, and that could bring the country to a tipping point. The international Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) says current economic conditions "all but guarantee" a decline in carbon emissions in 2024 — and that if that happens, fossil fuel power in China will go into "structural decline" from which it will never recover. 

Again, that wasn't supposed to happen until 2030. Seeing a trend here? Despite the doom and gloom on climate change, we're about six years ahead of schedule on arresting one of its leading causes. 

3. Other big polluters are kicking the carbon habit too.

Overall, the planet is on course to see its first emissions drop, outside of the pandemic, in 2024. Whom else other than China should we thank? First, let's hear it for Australia, one of the world's top five exporters of coal, where rooftop solar is now providing more of the country's power than that nasty little fossil fuel. With luck, a little structural decline will set in over the whole industry: keep it in the ground, down under.

SEE ALSO: What if windows could generate solar power?

The EU was largely dependent on oil and gas from Russia until 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. In 2023, Europe fought back against the fossil fuel-rich rogue state with massive investments in renewables and heat pumps. Now it's reaping the rewards: a decline in CO2 emissions of roughly 2 percent a year, soon to be accelerated by a steep reduction in the carbon credits available to EU polluters in 2024. 

4. Yes, Virginia, the U.S. is going green too.

The U.S. did a little better than Europe last year, in that carbon emissions dropped by three percent (again, driven by a drop in coal consumption). That's not where the U.S. government needs to be to meet its Paris climate agreement goals; we need more like six-percent-per-year drops to keep temperatures from climbing even further. But it is a decline that happened alongside economic growth — something we weren't sure could happen. And it too is accelerating (the drop was 2.5 percent in the first three quarters of the year). 

This is the year we should see the infrastructure funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, America's largest ever piece of climate legislation, start to make a dent in emissions numbers for the first time. Meanwhile, 12 states have now passed laws that require a transition to 100 percent clean electricity. In California, one of the worst emitters, two thirds of energy sold across the state in 2024 is set to be carbon-free. 

5. The U.S. oil industry just agreed to stop emitting its most harmful gas.

The general lack of progress at the COP28 climate summit in December may have eclipsed this news, but don't sleep on the fact that the Biden Administration just started cracking down on the most damaging greenhouse gas molecule, methane. The major players of the oil and natural gas industries have agreed to tough standards designed to slash emissions by 80 percent or 90 percent in the next six years, with annual international assessments beginning in ... 2024. 

6. EVs are taking off ...   

OK, so power generation is getting way cleaner in 2024. What about transportation, the second leading cause of CO2 emissions? Good news here too. Forget any misleading articles you might have read about electric vehicle sales slowing down; overall, globally, the number of EVs sold rose by 36 percent in 2023. 

Again, the U.S. is catching up nicely, with an EV sales bump of 50 percent last year. And in 2024, when more than 40 kinds of EV will be available in American dealerships for the first time, many of them qualifying for a generous federal tax credit, that growth shows no signs of stopping. 

China, meanwhile, looks likely to reach a tipping point this year where half of all cars sold will be electric (again, years ahead of schedule). That is in large part thanks to the success of BYD, a low-cost EV maker that is now outpacing Tesla. BYD's Seagull EV costs just $12,000, and the company is churning out so many — a record 200,000 in one year — that BYD is spreading its seagull gospel to the vast new car markets of India and Brazil sometime this year. 

7. … as are electric planes.  The Volocopter air taxi, seen here in Singapore, is ready for its grand Olympic debut. Credit: Ore Huiying/Getty Images

The global transition away from fossil fuels is happening in the heavens as well as on Earth. The Paris Olympics this July will showcase Volocopter, the world's first fully functioning electric air taxi service. Five "Vertiports" are under construction for the drone-like two-seater vehicles. It's not just an Olympic summer trend; some 1,900 flights are expected by years' end. Meanwhile, another European electric plane maker, Lilium, plans to challenge Volocopter's rotor-based system with a battery-powered jet design. 

8. Batteries are about to get exponentially better.

Two things that would supercharge both the EV and the electric plane markets: a major expansion in battery capacity, and a massive reduction in charging time. Luckily, one technology that marries both is on the way. 

Expect 2024 to be the year of the solid-state EV battery, a quantum leap ahead of regular old lithium-ion. Solid state boasts 40 percent more energy density, not to mention, ahem, a much reduced chance of catching fire. 

The race is on to deliver the first one to the EV market. Toyota is working on a solid-state battery with a range of 900 miles, almost double the current record, which would be enough to get you from New York to Chicago without stopping. Better yet, the company says, you can charge it up in just 10 minutes. One expert calls the Toyota prototype "the holy grail of battery vehicles."

Toyota's tentative release date is 2025, but that may be accelerated by news that Schaeffer, one of its suppliers, is showing off a solid-state battery of its own at CES 2024. Volkswagen and Mercedes are racing to release their own solid states. And as ever, there's a Silicon Valley upstart in the mix: QuantumScape, which just demonstrated a solid-state battery that can go from zero to 80 percent capacity in 15 minutes. 

Tesla isn't officially in this race yet – but as of 2024, Tesla's 15,000 supercharger stations are opening up to non-Tesla vehicles (in some cases via an adapter). That means Elon Musk's company will start inadvertently assisting its bigger-battery rivals. 

9. We've got all the raw materials we need for the clean energy transition. 

OK, but what about all the supposedly rare earth metals we need for all these EVs and batteries? We've got that figured out too. The prices of nickel, cobalt and lithium are plummeting as new extraction methods come online. We've got more than we need for current EV growth, and new reports say we can get to net zero without exhausting more than a third of the world's supply of these metals. So stop feeling guilty about that EV, and start thinking about what else the world can create with its coming surplus of solar electricity.

10. The U.S. economy is bouncing back.

Hey, remember that recession that almost every economic expert predicted would start before 2024? It's now viewed as unlikely, if not impossible. Stronger than expected holiday sales are raising estimates for the new year. Bloomberg now predicts GDP growth, not decline, of 2.8 percent in 2024. In our age of war and instability, when the global economy in general is feeling creaky, that's no mean feat.   

11. Inflation is actually under control, for now. 

The U.S. Federal Reserve has set a target of two percent inflation by the end of 2024. Most economists now agree we'll hit or even come in below that target. The Fed is so optimistic that it's signaling it will cut interest rates up to three times in 2024: good news for those of us with loans and mortgages. And, given the positive reaction of the stock market so far, good news for retirement plans too.

12. Salaries are rising in real terms.  

Good news also for those of us with wage packets: 2024 is set to be the first year since 2021 in which wages grow faster than inflation. In the middle of last year, economists thought it might take until the fourth quarter of 2024 for this tipping point to be reached; in fact, we arrived there when the economists were making their doom and gloom predictions. 

What did happen in January 2024, though, is that the minimum wage was raised in 20 states. A majority of the U.S. now offers a minimum wage higher than the $7.25 federal minimum wage (unchanged since 2009), while eight states will guarantee more than double the U.S. minimum. It isn't anywhere close to the social safety net we need, but again, here's proof we have more than enough cash sloshing around the system to reward its poorest workers while still growing the economy. 

13. The world's largest, longest Basic Income experiment is yielding results. Grace, seen here age 65, uses her Basic Income payment to buy food and medicine to treat her swollen leg. Credit: YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images

Speaking of social safety nets, remember Universal Basic Income? The idea of the government just giving a living wage to everyone, no matter what their means, instead of complex bureaucratic welfare payments? It was all the rage during the pandemic, and hey, it's not like automation became less of a threat to jobs in the past few years. Proponents point to small-scale experiments, which seem to show people spend their handouts wisely. 

SEE ALSO: Here's what you need to know about Universal Basic Income

But there's no experiment as large as the one run by GiveDirectly, a nonprofit that has been giving around $20 a month to 6,000 people in one Kenyan village since 2016, and will continue to do so until 2028. Researchers just released their first tentative results — and it turns out if you give people the money as a lump sum, rather than monthly, they don't waste it. They spend more money on starting small businesses, or educating themselves. Now can we start seeing UBI as an investment in people rather than a handout? 

14. We may be turning the tide on the obesity epidemic. 

Effective weight loss injections, as Ozempic and Wegovy appear to be, aren't just a matter of TikTok trends. For the two in five Americans who are clinically obese — a condition linked to a greater chance of dying from diabetes and cardiovascular disease among other things — a treatment that curbs your hunger could add many years to your life. Not to mention helping to unburden our overworked healthcare system.

In 2024, the weight loss treatment boom will ramp up significantly. Get ready for a third injection that sounds like a superhero/villain: Zepbound, from Eli Lily. We need to do a better job of improving access; making sure all insurance companies cover them is a good start. And we certainly need to be cautious about the side effects. But obesity is the second largest cause of preventable deaths in the world, after smoking. It kills nearly 3 million humans a year. If injections like these work, you can't put a price tag on saving that many lives. 

15. We've got a bunch of other diseases on the run. 

Three cheers for the malaria vaccine, our best shot in the war against a disease that kills more than 500,000 children every year. The World Health Organization started distributing one in Africa last year, and just approved another, cheaper version that is rolling out as you read this. 

And that's just one of dozens of public health success stories breaking out around the planet. Polio (yes, it's still a thing) is one step closer to total eradication now that even the Taliban has joined the fight against it in Afghanistan. Tuberculosis, still the planet's deadliest infection, is on borrowed time thanks to a new vaccine and a new cheap generic drug. AIDS infections have fallen to levels not seen since the 1980s. 

And then there's CRISPR, the gene editing tool that is currently in its first year of treating sickle cell disease, but setting its sights much higher. Its inventor now hopes to cure asthma via subtle changes to bacteria in your gut.  

16. Extreme poverty is on the way out again.

As we noted in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to decades of progress on extreme poverty (which the World Bank now defines as living on less than $2.15 a day). We're still not on track to meet the U.N.'s sustainable development goal, that of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. But the economy did start trending in the right direction again in 2023, with India and most countries in southeast Asia pulling their poorest out of the tailspin. 

If you want a shot of hope in 2024, go look at the World Poverty Clock website. At time of writing this visualization tool a net 7,000 stick figures running away from the $2.15 line every day — and gives the total number of extreme poor people in the world at under 630 million, or more than 80 million less than at the most depressing moment of 2020. 

17. Two words: Fewer. Plastics.

Good news for those of us who groan at the thought of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: it, along with all the collections of debris in our ocean, is smaller than we thought. A major study last year estimated that half a million metric tons of plastic ends up in our seas every year – which isn't great, but it's also 7.5 million tons below the previous estimate. 

More importantly, the war on plastic waste is gearing up. A hundred countries now ban plastics in some form. The EU just banned export of plastic waste, forcing its members to deal with the problem themselves instead of farming it out to poorer countries. 

SEE ALSO: Why are we sending a plastic-eating enzyme to space?

By June 2024, the EU is also required to finish what's known as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Despite a name only a bureaucrat could love, this is the world's biggest attempt yet to crack down on microplastics leaking into the environment, and it's shaping up to be a doozy. Some kinds of packaging will just be outright banned. All packaging must contain recycled material by 2030, and be recycled "at scale" by 2035. Your move, U.S. and China.

18. The Amazon rainforest is less threatened.

The world's lungs started 2024 ... well, not quite breathing easier, but close. Under Brazil's new eco-minded president Lula, deforestation in the Amazon is at the lowest level it's been in five years; under his predecessor, it was at its highest level in 15 years. Lula just announced a $204 million reforestation fund, and aims to end all illegal burns by 2030. We'll get a better look at the situation on the ground across the Amazon this summer, when Brazil's space agency releases a full report based on satellite data. 

18. More lands and waters are being preserved and restored ... The Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala, where local communities are fighting off ranchers Credit: JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images

It isn't just the Amazon. We're preserving forests all over the world (like Alaska's newly protected Tongass National Forest) and creating new ones – as in Africa, where reforestation efforts have created a stunning 400,000 square kilometers of new growth; just this year, Mali is aiming to fill 40,000 square kilometers more. 

Same goes for our waterways. Some 44 countries just joined in a massive effort called the Freshwater Challenge, which aims to restore 300,000 square km of rivers by 2030 along with 350 million hectares of wetlands. 

And in February 2024, the EU (yeah, them again) will finally rubber-stamp a historic, ambitious Nature Restoration Law, after two years of wrangling. Member states agreed to restore 30 percent of listed habitats to "good condition" (defined by neutral inspections) by 2030, then 60 percent by 2040, and 90 percent by 2050. Better get cracking. 

19. … as are more species. 

Though over 1,500 endangered or threatened species remain on the Fish and Wildlife Service's list, it's worth perusing the formerly endangered species that have recently joined the recovery list thanks to painstaking conservation efforts. Try to think of a more iconic bunch. There's the African lion and elephant, the American bison and Bald eagle, the blue whale and the humpback whale, the monarch butterfly, the mountain gorilla, the grey wolf, the sea otter, the snow leopard. No word yet on whether the conservationists and their ever-improving tech can actually get a species of phoenix to rise from flames, but no doubt they'll give it a go once they've saved all the others. 

20. Crime keeps coming down … as more prisoners go free.

The U.S. started its new year safer than it has been this century, even if it didn't feel that way. Murder was down by roughly 13 percent in 2023, according to preliminary figures, which will if confirmed be one of the largest one-year drops ever. Violent crime and property crime are both down to 1960s levels. 

Oh, and look what else is happening: the prison population is in a long slow decline since 2011. It's almost like the prison-industrial complex wasn't keeping us safe in the first place! The prisons may empty a little more once thousands of people convicted for using cannabis on federal lands apply for their pardons, as the Biden Administration announced in December. 

21. AI is actually being useful.

If 2023 was all about AI hype and AI-generated content of varying usefulness and controversy, then 2024 may be the year the unseen algorithms settle down and start finding new useful – if slightly more pedestrian – things to do. 

SEE ALSO: 5 ways AI changed the internet in 2023

One great example is Google's Project Green Light, unveiled in Jan. 2024. The company is working with cities around the world, using its AI to … time traffic lights for more effective traffic flow. According to Google, that could reduce overall levels of stop-and-go traffic by 30 percent — which should be one small step for the environment, and one giant chill pill for road rage.

22. Abortion rights are winning everywhere.

You probably noticed the political ground shift after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Reproductive rights are winning election after election, and abortion is officially now protected or expanded in 17 states. Petitions for further ballot measures are now out there in 11 states, so the 2024 election situation is wide open. Campaigners can be buoyed by the recent victory in Mexico, where a more enlightened Supreme Court recently declared – unanimously! – that penalizing any woman, pregnant person, or health worker over abortion is unconstitutional. 

23. LGBTQ rights are winning (mostly) everywhere.

It can be easy to miss the ongoing patchwork success of expanding legalized marriage. But if you wanted to book a same-sex wedding in Bulgaria, Estonia, Peru, Hong Kong, Romania or Thailand, well, 2024 is the first full calendar year in which you can. Look for the ground to shift further and wider this year, now that Pope Francis has given his blessing to priests blessing same-sex couples — a godsend for marriage rights activists in many Catholic countries. 

Meanwhile, transgender rights legislation has recently succeeded in Germany, Spain and Finland. And even if 2023 was also a banner year for anti-trans legislation in the U.S., there are several pro-trans initiatives on the ballot in several states in 2024. 

24. The largest experiment in democracy is about to begin.

Thanks to the collision of several electoral calendars, the sheer number of human beings heading to the polls in 2024 will very likely make it the most democratic (if not necessarily Democratic) year in history. It's not just the U.S., it's also the UK, the European Union, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Taiwan. (Let's not insult anyone's intelligence by including the Russian presidential elections, though millions will be heading to the Putin polls there too.) 

It's also shaping up to be the most consequential year of ballots in history. The result in Taiwan, where pro- and anti-China parties are squaring off, could hasten a long-feared invasion that might lead to a U.S.-China war. Modi may consolidate his Hindu nationalist grip on India, and then go head to head with a new Pakistani president. The UK's Conservative party may be annihilated for a generation, if the last year of polls are to be believed.

And apparently the U.S. election might end democracy in America, or save it for another generation, or something like that? 

All of which might not be the lightest note to end on, but here's what we need to remember: none of these elections are foregone conclusions. This is absolutely all in the balance. No outcome is set in stone. Everything depends … well, on you, dear readers with votes. We hope you are more encouraged to use them now. Because if there's one thing 2024 and this list has proved so far, it's that there is most definitely a chance in hell. 

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed a complaint against SpaceX on Wednesday, accusing it of unfair labour practices and unlawful dismissal. Now, SpaceX has responded — by filing a lawsuit claiming that NLRB's entire structure violates the Constitution. 

The Elon Musk-owned company sued the NLRB in a Texas federal court on Thursday, arguing that the government agency is unconstitutional because the U.S. President does not have a "constitutionally required degree of control" over its administrative law judges (ALJs). 

SEE ALSO: SpaceX charged with unlawfully firing employees critical of Elon Musk

Specifically, SpaceX claims that the President should be able to remove the NLRB's judges without cause because the Constitution requires that the President use executive power to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." In SpaceX's apparent view, this responsibility should include more complete control over who is executing said laws.

"[T]he ALJs are removable only for cause, by officials who themselves are removable only for cause," read SpaceX's complaint. 

SpaceX also argues that the NLRB violates the separation of powers by serving simultaneously as prosecutor and adjudicator, exercising legislative, executive, and judicial powers in its administrative proceedings. Further, the company claims that adjudication by the NLRB's administrative law judges violates its Seventh Amendment right to a trial by jury.

"Even after acting as prosecutor by charging SpaceX with violations of federal labor law before an Article III tribunal, the same NLRB Members would then issue the agency's ultimate order on whether SpaceX has violated federal labor law," the complaint read.

SEE ALSO: Lawsuit against major social media companies moves forward

If the unlawful dismissal case against SpaceX goes ahead, it would first be heard by a NLRB administrative judge, then a five-member board appointed by the President. This decision wouldn't necessarily be final though, with the respondent still able to appeal in federal court. 

Even so, SpaceX is clearly disinterested in letting it get that far. The company has requested that the court stop the NLRB from proceeding with the charges, as well as declare NLRB's structure unconstitutional and permanently prevent it from bringing unfair labour practice charges against SpaceX until this is rectified.

Mashable has reached out to SpaceX for comment. The NLRB declined to comment. 

Notably, SpaceX did not provide any further response to NLRB's specific allegations that the company violated the National Labor Relations Act. SpaceX has been accused of unlawfully firing employees who criticised CEO Musk, as well as interrogating, intimidating, coercing, and implicitly threatening others. 

One would think that directly addressing such allegations would be easier than attempting to undermine an 88-year-old government agency. However, considering that the NLRB didn't find SpaceX's defence compelling enough to dissuade it from filing charges, the company may not have much faith in its ability to win with more conventional arguments.

Best deals on robot mops this week

• iRobot Roomba Combo i5 Robot Vacuum and Mop — $297.99 (List Price $349.99)
• iRobot Braava Jet M6 Ultimate Robot Mop — $249.00 (List Price $449.99)
• Eufy Clean X9 Pro CleanerBot With MopMaster Cleaning — $649.99 (List Price $899.99)
• Roborock S8 6000Pa Robot Vacuum and Mop — $599.99 (List Price $749.99)
• Roborock Q Revo Robot Vacuum and Mop With Self Empty Base — $749.99 (List Price $899.99)

Despite the enthusiasm of actors in Swiffer commercials, few people are foaming at the mouth when they think about the prospect of manually mopping their floors. We've already got so much on our plate that pulling out a handheld device and then having to drag said handheld device around rightfully earns a collective groan.

It's as if robot vacuum companies heard our groans from afar and decided to make our lives a little easier, by adding mopping to their menu of offerings. Since 2020-ish, countless companies have added at least one hybrid model to their lineup, with prices ranging from $100 to well over $1,000. Price is one thing, but whether the wet mopping feature does much more than create a puddle is a whole other story. Often, you end up getting a mediocre vacuum and a mediocre mop for twice the price — and we know you deserve only the very best.

Fortunately, there are some robot mops that excel at making dry floors gleam. Below, we’re outlining some of the best robot mop combos on the market right now — including detailed explanations of the standout features that set them apart.

So put that manual mop back in the closet. It's somehow 2024, after all, and you need a break.

As the saying goes, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. In the decade that I’ve been working out, trying new diets, tweaking macros, and experimenting with new weight lifting plans I’ve come to learn that tracking progress is key to moving forward in your fitness journey. That’s where a fitness tracker comes in. Ideally, a fitness tracker is a set it and forget it situation: You slap it on your wrist, and it quietly records helpful biometric data in order to translate it into easy to read information when you’re ready. 

That’s where the Fitbit Inspire 3 comes in. It sits easily on the wrist, and compared to other wearables it’s relatively small. The watch counts steps, tracks heart rate, and measures calories burned, among other metrics, and, in combination with Fitbit app, converts all that information into data you can use to inform your workouts. 

SEE ALSO: 10 of the best fitness trackers for monitoring heart rate

The Fitbit Inspire 3 fit seamlessly into my existing workout routine, and seeing some analytics even pushed me to work harder in some cases. Some features, like hourly reminders to get up and get some steps in, felt a bit extra — particularly on days I knew I’d be going to the gym in just a few hours — but could certainly be helpful for someone hoping to more regularly include low impact activities, or for someone hoping to make fitness more of a routine. 

What features are included?

As a fitness band, the Fitbit Inspire 3 offers a surprisingly large amount of features and apps. First and foremost, it’s a pedometer; it counts your steps, and logs the miles you’ve walked or run. It also has a heart rate monitor which keeps track of your pulse, and in turn the calories you’ve burned in a day. It also tracks your sleep cycles, as you shift between light, deep, and REM sleep throughout the night. 

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has a slim profile but is packed full of features. Credit: Sam Stone / Mashable

It can automatically categorize your activity — it senses when you’re on a bike ride versus when you’re on a run for instance — and records your blood oxygen level, too. There are options to log stress levels, complete mindfulness sessions or guided workouts, and log menstrual cycles. It tracks your breathing rate, skin temperature, and heart rate variability. You can log the foods you’ve eaten to track calories, and log your weight in. It vibrates on your wrist when your phone receives texts or calls, and to top it all off the thing is waterproof up to 50 meters. 

After a few days of calibration, it really feels like the Fitbit Inspire 3 tracks nearly every major metric of your fitness — and that’s a good thing. I found that these functions were genuinely helpful in feeling better, and getting more out of my workouts. Sleep analysis can help you figure out which factors are preventing you from waking up refreshed (for me it was phone time before bed), and features like the Readiness Score, available with the app’s premium subscription for $10 per month, can help you know when to focus on recovery or get in a hard workout. 

Most functions work perfectly

From the moment I put it on my wrist, the Fitbit Inspire 3 seamlessly became a part of my fitness routine. I especially appreciate that it automatically recognized the activity I was doing, and after a particularly hard workout it was kind of vindicating to check out how high my heart rate had been.

I found the watch’s left/right swiping and up/down scrolling incredibly intuitive, and, although the app has a lot of different menus and screens to display the myriad data the Fitbit has collected, I’d mastered it by the third time I opened it. 

Almost every feature worked flawlessly. That being said, during my testing, as I went from long runs, to hard cross training, to leisurely bike rides I found a few small flaws that are worth mentioning. Most notably, the heart rate monitor becomes inaccurate, recording a lower heart rate, during intensely sweaty workouts. Sweaty wrists mean that the sensor can’t work correctly, and records the wrong heart rate. I noticed this only once or twice during particularly long and hard workouts, and I wouldn’t call it major flaw.

I also found that the Smart Wake feature, which purports to wake you up with vibration when you’re at the lightest phase in your sleep, didn’t work as advertised. I’d hoped to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day, but I woke up groggy every time. Sleep metrics from any fitness tracker may not be exactly accurate, though, and I didn’t mind skipping over this feature. 

SEE ALSO: Tempur-Pedic’s smart bed frame taught me I’m bad at sleeping There are some small downsides

There are, however, a few issues that are worth knowing about before buying. Namely: notifications. There are a lot of them. For the most part, they’re customizable, but I found it annoying to find the right screen in order to switch them off again and again. I didn’t love getting a buzz on my wrist urging me to get up and take 250 steps every hour while I was focusing on work. I was not crazy about getting a buzz on my wrist in the midst of a workout to tell me that I was logging Active Minutes — Fitbit's metric for minutes with an elevated heart rate. I straight up didn’t care to know that I’d met my daily calorie goal. 

The battery life, too, was a bit less than advertised. The tracker is supposed to have 10 days of battery life (dependent on use, as the Fitbit website reads), but I found it to be closer to six or seven days, instead. Since it’s charging time is just less than two hours, I definitely did not mind throwing it on the charger for a while every week. And it sure beats the Apple Watch's battery life.

Is the Fitbit Inspire 3 worth the price?

This fitness tracker has an impressive amount of features, apps, and customizations available. Sure, there are one or two kinks that could be worked out, but overall it’s an incredible device that is super helpful for someone hoping to get into a fitness routine, or push themselves that much further at the gym. This Fitbit model is priced just under a hundred dollars, and with the monthly $10 charge for premium features, still feels like an absolute steal. For anyone new to fitness or any dedicated gym rat, the Fitbit Inspire 3 gets you more than you pay for.

The iPhone 15 Pro was missing something major from its Pro Max counterpart. It sounds like the iPhone 16 Pro won't have the same problem.

According to a new report from reliable Apple tipster Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 16 Pro might get two fairly major camera upgrades when it launches this fall that could make the iPhone 15 Pro's camera look worse by comparison. First up is a tetraprism lens, which the iPhone 15 Pro Max used to produce excellent optical zoom photos that the iPhone 15 Pro couldn't match. The second is a 48MP ultra-wide lens, a big boost from the 12MP ultra-wide lens on the iPhone 15 Pro.

SEE ALSO: 3 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra leaked features that beat iPhone 15 Pro Max

Kuo's reporting on the tetraprism lens matches previous reporting from the likes of MacRumors. The iPhone 15 Pro couldn't have a tetraprism lens due to size constraints, so Apple is reportedly bumping up the display size on the iPhone 16 Pro from 6.1-inches to 6.3-inches. The bigger size should allow for better camera tech inside the iPhone 16 Pro, but as always, we'll have to wait until the fall to find out.

As for the new 48MP ultra-wide lens, Kuo noted that the camera will still shoot photos in a 12MP format. However, photos taken with that lens should look better than they did on the iPhone 15 Pro.

Only eight more months until we find out whether all of this is real.

TL;DR: As of January 5, get The All-in-One 2023 Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundle for only $39.97 — that's 96% off.

There may be a steep learning curve for working in the cybersecurity industry, but you might not have to wait for formal classes to start studying. If you want a comprehensive look at the basics, try this ethical hacking course bundle. This eLearning course covers 132 hours of material on the foundational tools and skills used in ethical hacking, and it has been marked down for the new year. Start 2024 with a new skill you can build on later, and get this cybersecurity training bundle for $39.97 while you still can. 

Start your cybersecurity training

There's more than one way to ethically hack, and there's a lot to learn. This bundle covers both the broad theory about cybersecurity and ethical hacking, along with different types of hacking and different skills you may have to take advantage of. Want to learn a bit about coding? Study applications for Python in ethical hacking. Or you can try your hand at penetration testing, server security, bug finding, and a whole lot more. 

All course materials are available for life and can be viewed as many times as you'd like. Courses are taught by professionals like Amit Huddar, a software engineer and founder of a company that develops products for wearables and other gadgets. 

Save on this course bundle

Don't miss your chance to start your ethical hacking education on your own terms and at your own pace.

January 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the deadline to get this ethical hacking bundle on sale for $39.97. No coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Oak Academy The All-in-One 2023 Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundle $39.97 at the Mashable Sho[ Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 5, get the 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzle, a two-pack of puzzles, or a 10-pack at a discount.

Puzzles have long been a way to relax, unwind, and decompress. And what better treat to get when you're finished solving the puzzle than some money? The 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzle takes the puzzle-solving experience to a new level, blending intrigue and excitement into the mix. And you can get one for just $29.99.

All you need to do is put together the 500-piece puzzle to reveal a large QR code. Scan the code to reveal your winnings, from one dollar up to $1 million. The reason it's called a 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzle is because there are two $1 million prizes to be won. It should be noted that the redemption deadline to scan your code on the completed puzzle is February 28, 2024.

If you enjoy puzzles and the thrill of a low-risk gamble, this could be the thing for you. And if you are in need of a unique gift for a housewarming party, delayed holiday gathering, or birthday gift for that fun-loving person in your life, it is like an amped-up lottery ticket that you know will win something, even if it's a dollar.

Available as a single puzzle or in multi-puzzle packs, grab one of these puzzle options to exercise the mind and add an extra layer of excitement this winter, with a redemption deadline of February 28:

• 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzle for just $29.99

• Two-pack of 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzles for just $49.98

• Ten-pack of 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzles for just $99.98

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: MSCHF 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzle $29.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: MSCHF The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle (2-Pack) $49.98 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: MSCHF Ten-pack of 2 Million Dollar Prize Puzzles $99.98 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 5, get this MagPRO Smartwatch for just $49.99 — a 66% discount.

A smartwatch can be a useful tool to have on hand for everything from staying connected throughout the day to keeping an eye on your fitness while you're working out. They can also be pretty expensive, at least they are if you're looking at Apple Watches. However, the MagPRO Smartwatch comes with many of the same features as an Apple Watch for a fraction of the cost, and the price has been dropped even further for the new year. For a few days more, you can get this budget-friendly smartwatch for only $49.99. 

Don't break the bank with a new smartwatch

The MagPRO Smartwatch has functions for fitness and productivity. Keep an eye on your activity throughout the day with step tracking or hit the gym and take advantage of sports tracking. This watch claims to be sweatproof and waterproof, and you could even use it to keep an eye on things like your heart rate and blood pressure. Just keep in mind that this smartwatch isn't medical equipment, so readings may work better as an estimate. 

The black magnetic band is a great look, but that's not the only aesthetic this watch has to offer. Check out hundreds of built-in watch backgrounds, or you could even create your own. 

Fully charged, the MagPRO could last for up to two days of constant use. On standby, it could last up to 20 days before needing to recharge. 

Save on a smartwatch that gets the job done

Until January 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get the MagPRO Smartwatch on sale for $49.99. No coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Tech Essential MagPRO Smartwatch with Magnetic Band & Activity Tracker (Black) $49.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 5, get a 10-Year .ART Domain Name with Site Builder for only $69.99 — that's 45% off.

Establishing a memorable online presence is important no matter what your field may be in. When you are an artist trying to make your mark as a professional artist, it can be indispensable to solidify your artistic venture with a domain name that immediately lets people know that they are entering an official creative space. This offer gets you ten years of a .ART domain name with a site builder for just $69.99 (reg. $128.80) when you purchase through January 7.

A domain name with .ART can be a powerful tool for showing your work and getting your name out there. A smart choice for artists working in any medium, photographers, painters, and graphic artists alike will find a valuable space to elevate their passion.

You'll get access to a free .ART website builder to start you off on the right foot, getting your online presence online quickly and easily. And with over 250,00 other .ART artists and institutions — such as the Institute of Contemporary Arts London — in this online community, you can empower your identity while allowing your art to be seen.

On the more business end of things, a .ART domain can amp up SEO results so your creations get out there more. It can also be a fun way to play around and get creative with your brand, and an easy way for people to remember how to find you online while networking.

Jump on this chance to get a 10-year .ART domain name with site builder for $69.99 (reg. $128.80) when you order by January 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: ART 10-Year .ART Domain Name with Site Builder $69.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal