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Shop our best picks from Best Buy's Labor Day sale:
Best Buy Labor Day Sale Deals Best tech deal 2021 Apple iPad (A13 Bionic chip, 64GB SSD, WiFi) $199 at Best Buy (Save $130) Get Deal Best TV deal Sony 2024 77-inch Class Bravia 8 OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV $2,899.99 at Best Buy (Save $1,000) Get Deal Best appliance deal LG Side-by-Side Refrigerator $1,299.99 at Best Buy (Save $422) Get DealLabor Day weekend is here, and it's time to rack up the savings. You've likely already spied some of the best Labor Day sales at the retailers that have already kicked their deal events into overdrive. Now, Best Buy has joined in on the festivities, and that means even more chances to save.
From now through Monday, September 2, you can shop deals on tech like tablets and laptops as well as TVs, home appliances, and much more. That means if you find something you like, you should go ahead and jump on it before it's gone. But sifting through everything Best Buy has to offer can be a bit of a chore. That's why we've gone ahead and taken care of all that for you.
Below, find some of our favorite picks from the Best Buy Labor Day Sale. There's no promo code required. All you need to do is add to cart and save hundreds. You can thank us later.
Best tech deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Our pick: 2021 Apple iPad (A13 Bionic chip, 64GB SSD, WiFi) $199.00 at Best BuyIf you're in the market for a new tablet, you can't go wrong with a vanilla iPad, especially a 9th generation model. This one is paired with 64GB of storage, and you can get it for less than $200, which is almost unheard of when it comes to iPads. It can handle streaming, gaming, browsing, video calls and just about anything else you might demand of it, all in a fun, slim package. It also includes Touch ID and a powerful A13 Bionic chip, so it can multitask with the best of them. For the price, you're getting a robust tablet that works fantastically with the iOS ecosystem, if you've already got one established at home.
More tech deals:LG Gram Laptop — $2,099.99 $249 (save $900)
HP Envy 2-in-1 14-inch Laptop — $599.99 $1,049.99 (save $450)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE — $349.99 $449.99 (save $100)
This gorgeous Sony Bravia TV is one of the most crisp displays you'll find in this price range, and this big discount makes it worth splurging on. Thanks to its over 8 million self-lit pixels, it serves up an eye-popping array of bright whites and deep, darker shades as well as Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X audio support. There's a lot to like about this newly-released model, and that's not even accounting for its massive 77-inch size. It's the perfect option for football season and everything else you want to watch in your living room.
More TV deals:Samsung 55-inch Class S90D OLED TV — $1,399.99 $1,899.99 (save $900)
Samsung 65-inch Class DU7200 Series Crystal 4K TV — $469.99 $529.99 (save $60)
This side-by-side Samsung fridge is an attractive, modern-looking appliance with a stainless steel finish that resists fingerprints. It has plenty of room for your groceries thanks to its 27.2-cubic foot capacity, and it comes with an ice maker so you can even enjoy chilled drinks and water any time you want. If you've been rocking with a traditional fridge and have been looking for a significant upgrade, this is an excellent choice that has a spacious interior. Plus, it should go with everything in your kitchen, as it avoids the "black or white" appliance design trap.
More appliance deals:GE 4.5 Cubic Foot High-Efficiency Top Load Washer — $559.99 $799.99 (save $240)
Samsung 31 cubic foot 3-Door French Door Smart Refrigerator — $1,699.99 $2,339.99 (save $640)
LG - 24-inch Front Control Built-In Stainless Steel Tub Dishwasher — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)
OpenAI and rival company Anthropic have signed agreements with the U.S. government to have new models tested before public release.
On Thursday the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that its AI Safety Institute will oversee "AI safety research, testing and evaluation" with both companies. "These agreements are just the start, but they are an important milestone as we work to help responsibly steward the future of AI," said Elizabeth Kelly, director of the AI Safety Institute in the announcement.
SEE ALSO: Sam Altman just teased 'Project Strawberry' on X: Everything we know about the secret AI toolIt's no secret that generative AI poses safety risks. Its tendency to produce inaccuracies and misinformation, enable harmful or illegal behavior, and entrench discrimination and biases is well documented at this point. OpenAI has its own internal safety testing, but has been secretive about how its models work and what they're trained on. This is the first instance of OpenAI opening up access to third party scrutiny and accountability. Altman and OpenAI have been vocal about the need for AI regulation and standardization. But critics say the willingness to work with the government is a strategy to ensure OpenAI is regulated favorably and stamps out competition.
"For many reasons, we think it's important that this happens at the national level. US needs to continue to lead!" posted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on X.
Tweet may have been deletedThe formal collaboration with NIST builds on the Biden Administrations AI executive order that was signed last October. Amongst other mandates that tapped several federal agencies to ensure the safe and responsible deployment of AI, the order directed requires AI companies to grant access to NIST for red-teaming before an AI model is released to the public.
The announcement also said that it would share findings and feedback in partnership with the UK AI Safety Institute.
Check out the best Labor Day weekend sales on outdoor gear from retailers like REI, Amazon, and Home Depot.
These are the best Labor Day sale outdor deals: Best camping deal REI Co-op Magma 30 Sleeping Bag $265.29 at REI (save $113.71) Get Deal Best emergency preparedness deal Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets $6.99 at Amazon (save $6) Get Deal Best backyard deal Traeger Pro 575 Wifi Pellet Grill and Smoker $599 at Home Depot (save $200) Get DealLabor Day weekend is finally upon us. Before you clock off and hit the road for whatever adventure awaits you, you'll want to check out some of the biggest outdoor gear sales. Whether you need to stock up on essentials or score that major piece of gear you've been missing, this weekend is a great time to shop everything you need to support you in the pursuit of the great outdoors from retailers like REI, Amazon, and Home Depot.
While there are plenty of outdoor deals on Amazon leading up to the long weekend, retailers are also running official savings events to celebrate the long weekend. At REI, you can save up to 40% on Labor Day sale items (and clearance). Meanwhile, at Home Depot, the sale features seriously slashed prices on grills, appliances, outdoor furniture, and more.
Check out some of the best finds from these sales.
Best camping deal Opens in a new window Credit: REI Our pick: REI Co-op Magma 30 Sleeping Bag $265.29 at REIA good quality sleeping bag that will keep you comfortably warm even in low temperatures can be pretty expensive. That's why REI's Labor Day sale is a great time to buy. Normally almost $400, the REI Co-op Magma 30 Sleeping Bag is on sale this weekend for $265.29, making the investment much more tolerable. Weighing under 2 pounds and designed to fit inside a small stuff sack, this is the ultimate sleeping back for backpacking trips where every square inch saved in your pack counts.
More camping dealsSiesta Hooded 20 Sleeping Bag — $97.29 $139 (save $41.71)
GO Hydration Water Jug - 11 Liters/2.9 Gal — $55.89 $70 (save $14.11)
Skyward 6 Tent — $223.83 $449 (save $225.17)
Compressible Pillow — $22.09 $36.95 (save $14.86)
Go Travel Coffee Press — $37.39 $49.95 (save $12.56)
Flexlite Print Camp Chair — $55.89 $79.95 (save $24.06)
DeepSleep 7.5 Sleeping Pad — $113.89 $189.95 (save $76.06)
Spot 400-R Rechargeable Headlamp — $48.69 $64.95 (save $16.26)
If you're trekking out into the woods, some emergency preparedness items are simply a must-have, including Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets. Mylar Thermal Blankets help you conserve body heat in emergency situations, and they can also be used for ground cover, shade, or shelter thanks to their waterproof and windproof composition. These blankets are reusable and sold in packs of four. This weekend, they're 46% off, taking the price down to $6.99, or just $1.75 per blanket. It's a good time to stock up!
More emergency preparedness dealsSurvival Kit — $32.89 $79.99 (save $47.10)
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter — $13.30 $19.95 (save $6.65)
Woolly Mammoth Merino Wool Blanket — $54.99 $89.99 (save $35)
Solar Charger — $19.54 $29.99 (save $10.45)
Two-Way Radios for Adults — $23.99 $42.99 (save $19)
NOAA Emergency Weather Radio — $25.99 $33.99 (save $9)
PREPARED4X Emergency Rain Poncho with Mylar Blanket Liner — $19.99 $24.99 (save $5)
Home Depot's Labor Day sale is one of the best times to score big-ticket items for less - especially grills. While there's no shortage of grills on sale, Traeger Pro 575 stands out for its versatility. Not only is it a pellet grill, but it doubles as a smoker. If you love real wood-smoked flavor, then there's no better addition to your backyard. Plus, it's WiFi-enabled for more precise temperature control. Normally $799, the Labor Day sale saves you $200.
More backyard dealsTraeger Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill — $499 $699.95 (save $200.95)
Weber Spirit II E-310 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $519 $569 (save $50)
LOCO 26 in. 2-Burner Classic SmartTemp Propane Flat Top Grill/Griddle — $269 $299.99 (save $30.99)
Nexgrill Daytona 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill 36 in. Flat Top Griddle — $299 $449 (save $150)
Weber Spirit II E-310 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $608.49 $658.49 (save $50)
Crossridge 30 in. 50,000 BTU Antique Bronze Gas Fire Pit — $149 $219 (save $70)
Nuu Garden 2-Piece Swivel Steel Sling Outdoor Patio Dining Chairs — $172 $257 (save $85)
Nuu Garden Black Square Metal Outdoor Patio Dining Table with Umbrella Hole — $93 $116.10 (save $23.10)
9 ft. Aluminum Outdoor Market Patio Umbrella with Hand Crank Lift in Sand — $39 $52.99 (save $13.99)
The North Face — 30% off select items, ends Sept 2
DICK'S Sporting Goods — up to 50% off, ends Sept 2
Patagonia — up to 50% off sale styles
Congrats on making it through another month of 2024. Your reward, besides a three-day weekend, is a bunch of awesome deals at Amazon. Some of our favorite brands like Apple and Samsung have discounted their devices in honor of Labor Day weekend. And lucky for you, we've rounded up the best of the best.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Aug. 30. If none of these speak to you, be sure to check back at our deal picks from Aug. 28 and Aug. 29. Many of those are still live — including an Apple iPad mini back at its Prime Day price and a $90 price drop on one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers.
Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTags 4-pack $74.99 at AmazonA single AirTag would typically cost you $29, which means it would run you about $116 to buy four separately. This four-pack deal is just $74.99 instead — essentially getting you one and a half for free. Investing in this set of Bluetooth trackers can help you keep track of your luggage, keys, bike, tools, and anything else you'd rather not lose. As long as there's an Apple device with Find My nearby, you can track their location, rather than relying on Bluetooth alone. Save 24% this Labor Day weekend and snag an AirTags four-pack at just $2 shy of its record-low.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-inch ViewFinity S9 Series 5K monitor $800.60 at AmazonUpgrade and extend your workspace with Samsung's ViewFinity S9 Series monitor while it's half price. With 27 inches of 5K resolution, 600 nits of brightness, HDR 600 support, a 4K Slimfit webcam, versatile compatibility, smart TV apps, and a tilt and height-adjustable stand, it not only outshines Apple's Studio Display, but also doubles as a gorgeous mini TV replacement. Usually an eyebrow-raising $1,599.99, you can grab this 5K monitor for only $800.60 as of Aug. 30. That's 50% in savings and its lowest price to date.
Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) $99.99 at AmazonSee who (or what) is at your front door, no matter where you are, with Google's Nest Doorbell. It packs built-in intelligence that will notify you if a person, package, animal, or vehicle is approaching and send alerts directly to your phone. Download the Google Home app, and you can check in from anywhere and see what happened in the last three hours. Unlock even more video history when you subscribe to Nest Aware, which starts at just $8 per month. As of Aug. 30, you can grab the battery-powered version for only $99.99 at Amazon — that's a savings of 44% and the lowest price on record.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (256GB) $499.99 at AmazonIf you're not one to pay full price for the latest iteration of a Galaxy phone, this deal on the Galaxy S23 FE might be more your speed. It's essentially a more basic version of the flagship phone at a more budget-friendly price. Its specs are still pretty solid, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chip (the same that powers the Galaxy S22 phones), tri-camera system, 6.4-inch matte aluminum build, and 4,500mAh battery. Our friends at PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) called it "one of the best midrange Android phones on the market." As of Aug. 30, you can grab the 256GB option for only $499.99 instead of the usual $659.99. That's its lowest price on record.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
GET 35% OFF: Shop Solawave's Labor Day sale and get 35% off select products with the code LABORDAY35. The sale ends Sept 4 at midnight.
Opens in a new window Credit: Solawave Solawave Labor Day Sale Get 35% off select products Shop NowIf the summer heat's making your skin feel lackluster or you’re just really into your self-care routine, you’ll be happy to know that Solawave (the brand behind that celeb-favorite skincare wand) is offering 35% off during its Labor Day sale.
SEE ALSO: We tried the celeb-favorite Solawave skincare wandAs of Aug 30, you can get your hands on the Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand & Activating Serum Kit for $66 less than its usual price, making it just $122 — a steal, considering the kit typically retails for $189. Or, if you prefer to purchase the wand by itself, you can snag the Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand for $109 (originally $169). The promo code is LABORDAY35, but the savings will auto-direct to your cart, so you don't actually have to type in a code.
The sale runs through Sept 4, so you have a few days to decide what to get. There are a few exclusions, though, including the Radiant Renewal 2-in-1 Skincare Mini, Youthful Glow Skincare Kit with Red Light Therapy, and Radiant Renewal Eye Recovery Pro, so you'll want to double-check the product details before you check out.
Apple Intelligence is upon us, but not every company that owns a major website is a fan of Apple scraping its data to train AI.
A new report by Wired found that several widely recognizable online brands have chosen to opt out of training Apple's AI bot. Among those who have deliberately turned it off are Facebook, Instagram, the New York Times, Craigslist, and Condé Nast. If the opt-out request is truly honored, Apple Intelligence cannot and will not get any data from those sites until, or unless, any of them enter into official business agreements with Apple for the use of their data.
SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly investing in OpenAI — Microsoft’s rival wants in on the ChatGPT maker, tooWired's report goes into the nitty gritty technical details of how these data scraping bots work, but the main thing to know is that it's similar to how Apple has trained things like Siri over the years, but now with an extra layer of possible copyright infringement that has made companies wary. Apple, to its credit, started offering a tool to opt out of data scraping months ago, so it's not like these companies had to figure out a way to do it themselves.
Considering so many major companies are turned off by the proposition of feeding data to Apple's AI, and the fact that Apple needs to give its AI literal pep talks to stop it from making things up, one could reasonably wonder if maybe we jumped into this lake a little too early.
A smarter version of Amazon's Alexa is coming — but it might not be powered by Amazon's tech.
According to a new report by Reuters, the new version of Alexa will "primarily" be powered by Anthropic's Claude AI models, instead of Amazon's own AI.
Anthropic is an AI company founded by ex-OpenAI employees, which claimed that Claude 3's Opus model, which launched in March this year, was in some ways more powerful than comparable models from OpenAI and Google. Amazon is a big investor in Anthropic, having invested $4 billion into the company (Google is another investor, having thrown at least $2 billion into Anthropic itself).
The new, AI-powered Alexa is internally referred to as "Remarkable," and it will cost between $5 and $10 when it launches in October, Reuters reported in June. Classic Alexa – the one that can perform basic tasks but cannot chat with you nearly as well as OpenAI's ChatGPT can – will remain free.
When asked about this, Amazon gave Reuters a canned response, saying it "uses many different technologies to power Alexa," though it did say it will continue to use its own Titan model, future Amazon models, "as well as those from partners."
The report sounds quite a bit more damning than that, with Reuters' sources claiming that Amazon's attempts to build the new Alexa with in-house software had it "struggling for words," and that it was painfully slow, sometimes taking "six or seven seconds to acknowledge a prompt and reply." Ouch.
SEE ALSO: Amazon Alexa can tell you about Prime Day deals before they go liveAlexa is a very important part of Amazon's ecosystem, given that it powers the vast number of smart devices in Amazon's lineup. And yeah, with Google making its things smarter via Gemini and Appel preparing to supercharge Siri, Amazon's Alexa could probably use some AI-based sprucing up.
Google's AI arm is reportedly tapping into "bioacoustics" — a field that blends a combination of biology and sounds that, in part, help researchers gain insights on how pathogen presence affects human sound. As it turns out, our sounds convey tell-tale information about our well-being.
According to a Bloomberg report, the search-engine giant built an AI model that uses sound signals to "predict early signs of disease." In places where there is difficulty accessing quality healthcare, this technology can step in as an alternative where users need nothing but their smartphone's microphone.
How does Google's bioacoustics AI work?Google's bioacoustics-based AI model is called HeAR (Heath Acoustic Representations). It was trained on 300 million, two-second audio samples that include coughs, sniffles, sneezes, and breathing patterns. These audio clips were pulled from non-copyrighted, publicly available content from platforms like YouTube.
One example of such content is a video that recorded sounds of patients in a Zambia-based hospital where sick individuals came in for tuberculosis screenings. In fact, HeAR has been trained on 100 million cough sounds that help detect tuberculosis.
According to Bloomberg, bioacoustics can offer "near-imperceptible clues" that can reveal subtle signs of illness that can help health professionals diagnose patients. Plus, the AI model can detect minute differences in patients' cough patterns, allowing it to spot early signs of a sickness' amelioration or deterioration.
Google is partnering with Salcit Technologies, an AI healthcare startup based in India. Salcit has its own AI model called Swaasa (which means "breath" in Sanskrit) — and the Indian collaborator is using Swaasa to help HeAR improve its accuracy for tuberculosis and lung health screening.
Swaasa offers a mobile app that allows users to submit a 10-second cough sample. According to Salcit’s co-founder, Manmohan Jain, the app can identify whether an individual has a disease with an accuracy rate of 94 percent
The auditory-based test costs $2.40. This is much cheaper than a spirometry test, which costs about $35 in an India-based clinic.
HeAR doesn't come without challenges, though. For example, Google and Salcit are still trying to navigate problems with users submitting audio samples with too much background noise.
Google's bioacoustics-based AI model is nowhere near the "ready-for-market" stage, but you've got to admit, the concept of using AI in the medical field, combined with sound, is arguably innovative and promising.
If you see a video ad of Tom Hanks promising you a miracle cure for something, the man himself wants you to know it's a fake.
On Thursday night, the actor took to Instagram to issue a PSA about AI-generated videos popping up on social media that are using his image.
SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly investing in OpenAI — Microsoft’s rival wants in on the ChatGPT maker, too"There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting miracles cures and wonder drugs," reads Hanks' post. "These ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI."
View this post on Instagram"I have nothing to do with these posts or the products and treatments, or the spokespeople touting these cures," Hanks continues. "I have type 2 diabetes, and I ONLY work with my board certified doctor regarding my treatment. DO NOT BE FOOLED. DO NOT BE SWINDLED. DO NOT LOSE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY."
This isn't the first time Hanks has issued a warning like this. Last October he shared a screenshot of an AI-generated video of himself "promoting some dental plan" (for some reason Hanks appears to be a go-to for medical-themed AI hoaxes) along with a warning that he has "nothing to do with it".
AI misinformation is already a growing issue. It seems likely that as the technology becomes more advanced, widespread and accessible, the problem is only going to get worse.
Online privacy is in short supply, but that doesn't make it any less important. Your data is seriously valuable stuff, and you should be doing everything you can to protect it when navigating the online world. And if you watch porn, you should be even more vigilant.
We're going to take a wild guess that you'd prefer to be protected from the prying eyes of advertisers, your internet service provider (ISP), and your roommates when you're visiting porn sites. If that is indeed the case, you should consider investing in a VPN. These cybersecurity services provide everything you need to unblock porn sites and stream anonymously.
What is a VPN?VPNs provide powerful protection for your data and identity when you're online. VPNs offer this online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address (digital location), making all of your activity untraceable and secure.
SEE ALSO: AdultFriendFinder is basically a porn hookup site that needs a refreshThis concept can be difficult to grasp, so it can be helpful to think of VPNs as encrypted tunnels through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware. It's all about anonymity and cybersecurity, and that's particularly important if you're watching porn.
Do you need a VPN for porn?There are two key reasons to consider a VPN for porn: anonymity and access.
The first reason is perhaps the most important. If you're concerned about your ISP, housemates, landlord, or someone totally random accessing your data, you could probably benefit from using a VPN. Any sort of activity on an unsecured WiFi network leaves your private information and browsing habits exposed to the world, unless you're using a VPN. Even porn sites can track your activity if you're unprotected. Pornhub tracks IP addresses for example, which means it has the potential to collect information about your site usage. But with a VPN, your IP address will always remain hidden.
Remaining private and anonymous is the key argument for using a VPN for porn, but there's another point to consider concerning access to your favourite sites. If you're in a location that has a firewall up to block access to porn sites, you'll need to use a VPN to bypass these restrictions. VPNs hide your real IP address and connect you to a server in another location, meaning you can bypass firewalls to stream on your favourite sites from anywhere in the world.
What features should you consider when selecting a VPN?There are a number of things you should consider before selecting a VPN for porn. We have highlighted a selection of the most important VPN features to help you make a decision:
Connection speed — VPNs generally produce a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept anything significant. Make sure you opt for a VPN that doesn't negatively impact your connection speed to the point that you can'tstream porn without disruption.
Encryption — There are different levels of encryption, and whilst it's important to take note of the grade provided by your VPN, the best services will all offer powerful protection for your data. This is obviously vital when navigating porn sites because you need to know that your data is secure.
Number of connections — Leading VPNs let you connect an unlimited number of devices with the same account, whilst others limit you to just a single device. Prioritise services that offer multiple simultaneous connections so you can stay secure on all your devices at the same time. You might stream porn on a number of devices, so it's best to secure everything with the same account.
Privacy policy — This is something that some users might take for granted, but you need to pay special attention to the data-handling, storage, and usage practices of a VPN. These practices should be clearly laid out in a privacy policy, and if they aren't, you should not subscribe. Most VPNs require access to your IP address, online transactions, and browsing history, plus your personal details when you sign up. Your favourite VPN should not store these details under any circumstances, as that would make the whole anonymity thing redundant.
Server network — The best VPNs provide access to literally thousands of geographically diverse servers. This is useful because you should always be able to find a stable and speedy connection for streaming porn.
You also need to consider things like price and subscription plans, but these features are a good place to start with your selection process. Once you've picked a favourite option, you can consider the wide range of subscription plans on offer from leading services. There should be something that suits everyone.
Should you use free VPNs?The big question when it comes to watching porn securely is whether you need to pay for a VPN. The bad news is that, just as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with these cybersecurity services.
There are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs, and free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. The catch is that free versions usually come with limited data usage, meaning you can't really do any streaming or downloading. Free trials come with everything you get in a paid plan, but they obviously don't last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.
Considering all of this, the best option for unblocking porn sites and streaming anonymously is with a paid subscription to a VPN. To gain access to advanced security features without limitations on usage, you will need to cough up the cash.
What is the best VPN for porn?There are a lot of services out there offering similar packages, making it difficult to find the best VPN for you. We have tried to make your life a little bit easier by tracking down everything on offer and lining up a selection of the very best VPNs for porn. We have tried to find something for everyone and every budget, and you can find popular services like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN in this list.
These are the best VPNs for porn in 2024.
If you've actually read The Iliad, Metamorphoses, The Aeneid, or The Odyssey; devour myth-inspired fiction like Circe; played every minute of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and Hades; and regularly quote Disney's Hercules, you'll watch Netflix's Kaos with serious knowledge (and probably alone, like me). But if you've been elsewhere doing other things, don't worry. As ill-fated narrator Prometheus (Stephen Dillane) says at the beginning of the show, "Some of you may have heard of me. Don't worry if you haven't."
In Charlie Covell's Greek mythology-based series, Prometheus gives you a one-liner introduction to each figure and location, but the show's not Greek Mythology 101 by any means — there's narrative progression afoot and whatnot. So if you'd like a little more context to get the most out of Kaos, here's a basic (and I mean it) guide, from the mighty gods to the Earthly human heroes.
SEE ALSO: 'Kaos' review: Can Netflix’s Greek myth series go the distance?For the record, my sources here are Edith Hamilton's Mythology, Barry B. Powell's Classical Myth, Stephen Fry's Mythos, Mary Beard's Women and Power, Emily Wilson's translation of Homer's The Iliad, Charlotte Higgins' Greek Myths, Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, Liv Albert's Greek Mythology, and David Raeburn's translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Yeah, I dug out my uni textbooks for this.
Reader beware, there are SPOILERS in here for Kaos.
The gods and mythical beingsZeus (Jeff Goldblum) King of the gods. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixThe king of the gods and big cheese of the weather. The series constantly incorporates Zeus' signature weapon, the lightning bolt, it's sewn into his clothing and linens, and you'll spy a giant bolt under glass in one of the palace rooms on Olympus. Kaos also makes more than a few references to Zeus' infidelity and constant impregnating of human women, notably leaving out the constant assault element for the show (same goes for Poseidon and Hades).
Hera (Janet McTeer) Queen of the gods. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixThe queen of the gods; goddess of women's sexuality, fertility, and marriage; and Zeus' wife (and sister, as Kaos reminds us). Hera holds a grudge and will often seek brutal vengeance against Zeus' lovers, but she contains multitudes. As Fry writes, "It is easy to dismiss Hera as a tyrant and a bore — jealous and suspicious, storming and ranting like the very picture of a scorned harridan wife (one imagines her hurling china ornaments at feckless minions)…" Luckily, McTeer gives Hera more to do than throw decorations at staff.
But what's with the bees? In Mythos, Fry also writes of the Greek myth about how the bee got its sting: At Zeus and Hera's wedding, a competition for "the best and most original wedding dish" saw a small, buzzing, winged attendee, Melissa, present them with honey. For her efforts, Zeus bestowed her with a cruel sting that would kill her if used. Lovely wedding.
Poseidon (Cliff Curtis) God of the sea. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixGod of the sea and earthquakes, Zeus' brother, also Hera's brother. Rules the oceans, often depicted in art with a trident. In Kaos, Hera and Poseidon are lovers, but I believe this is a creative addition to their stories separate from the myths; in myth, he's married to sea nymph Amphitrite. Perhaps she'll turn up in Season 2.
Hades and Persephone (David Thewlis and Rakie Ayola) King and queen of the Underworld. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixThe king and queen of the Underworld. Zeus' brother Hades was assigned to run Hell after the Olympians won a major battle over the Titans (Zeus got the sky, Poseidon the sea, Hades the Underworld). Powell writes of Hades: "He commanded legions of demons. A pitiless master, he never willingly allowed any who came to him to return to the land of the living." Persephone, in myth, was kidnapped by Hades and tricked into being trapped there with a tempting offer of six pomegranate seeds — so she must spend six months of the year in the Underworld, six months on Earth. In Kaos, Covell rewrites this situation as a tale of actual love between Hades and Persephone, and the myth as one of bad PR spread by Hera. "Every kid on Earth, when they learn about the Underworld, they think I'm there against my will," Ayola's Persephone says in Kaos.
Dionysus (Nabhaan Rizwan) God of wine. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixThe party fiend of Olympus, Dionysus is the god of wine, hedonism, pleasure, and madness. The name "Dennis" apparently derives from what you call a follower of Dionysus, and it's notably the name of the kitten the god adopts in Kaos.
As Prometheus mentions in the series, Dionysus' mother was mortal, a Theban princess named Semele whose fate was pretty awful in Greek myth. Powell writes that she slept with Zeus appearing "in all his glory, burning Semele to a crisp, Hermes saved the fetus and carried it to Zeus, who sewed it into his thigh. Three months later he removed the stitches, and Dionysus was born again." (Stay with me?) In Kaos, Semele was turned into a bee offscreen by Hera (the fate of all Zeus' human mistresses in the show,) but Semele is indeed burned by an angry Zeus in the Season 1 finale.
In Greek mythology, Dionysus is also the husband of Ariadne — and in the final episode of Kaos, it becomes clear Dionysus has spotted his future mortal love. We leave him standing outside the palace of Knossos. So, maybe Season 2?
Prometheus (Stephen Dillane) Our guy! Credit: Daniel Escale / NetflixOur humble narrator, a bearded Titan suspended in shackles from a cliff face, is Prometheus (played by Stephen Dillane). He and Zeus made humans out of clay, then he pissed off his stormy pal by giving them fire, so he's doomed to have his liver pecked out by an eagle every day. Though it's a legendary move by Covell, Prometheus' love for Charon is only in the show.
Medusa (Debi Mazar) Justice for Medusa. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixDespite appearances, Medusa has a tragic tale in Greek myth. Known as a Gorgon with snake hair, her story is best told by Mary Beard in Women and Power: "There are many ancient variations in Medusa's story. One famous version has her as a beautiful woman raped by Poseidon in a temple of Athena, who promptly transformed her, as punishment for the sacrilege (punishment to her, note), into a monstrous creature with a deadly capacity to turn to stone anyone who looked at her face. It later became the task of the hero Perseus to kill this woman, and he cut her head off using his shiny shield so as to avoid having to look directly at her."
In Kaos, she's middle management in the Underworld. Justice for Medusa.
Charon (Ramon Tikaram) Ferryman of the Underworld. Credit: NetflixCharon is the ferryman to the Underworld, bringing the spirits of the dead across the River Styx (named for "Hate") and Acheron (or "Woe). Fry writes, "There the grim and silent Charon held out his hand to receive his payment for ferrying the souls across the Styx. If the dead had no payment to offer they would have to wait on the bank a hundred years before the disobliging Charon consented to take them." Folks like Eurydice and Caeneus in Kaos haven’t money to pay Charon (their loved ones stole the coins they were buried with), so they’re sent to the Centre for the Unresolved.
Charon's crew in Kaos has regular-sized sniffer dog versions of the great three-headed dog of the Underworld, Cerberus. Plus, Charon speaks of the Scylla in the series, a sea creature that chomps on Orpheus' fellow Underworld adventurer. In myth, the Scylla is a beast who was once a sea deity — but pissed off the sorceress Circe. Also, Charon's parents are Erebus (personification of darkness) and Nyx (goddess of night), so his emo tendencies are hereditary.
The Furies (Natalie Klamar, Cathy Tyson, and Donna Banya) If you've done nothing wrong, you'll never see them. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixThe trio known as The Furies (also called The Erinyes) exist to punish evildoers. Called Tisiphone, Megaera, and Alecto, they cruise around in Kaos exacting justice, though it might not appear that way. Hamilton writes, "The Greek poets thought of them chiefly as pursuing sinners on the Earth. They were inexorable, but just." Kaos thankfully leaves out The Furies origin story: They're said to have sprung from the blood on the floor after the primordial god of the sky Ouranos was castrated by his own son Cronos. Yikes.
The Fates (Sam Buttery, Suzy Eddie Izzard, and Ché) Your fate is in their hands. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixClotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, the three prophecy-makers of Kaos, are known collectively as The Fates. They're a key trio in Greek mythology, writing prophecies and declaring that "knowing is our whole thing." As Graves writes, Clotho is the "spinner," Lachesis (or Lachy in Kaos) is the "measurer," and Atropos is one "who cannot be turned or avoided" — yeah, they wield the badass scissors of fate. As we see in Kaos, Zeus' relationship with The Fates is tempestuous. Graves writes, "Zeus, who weighs the lives of men and informs the Fates can, it is said, change his mind and intervene to save whom he pleases, when the thread of life, spun on Clotho’s spindle, and measured by the rod of Lachesis, is about to be snipped by Atropos’s shears." But he also writes that "Zeus himself is subject to the Fates."
Polyphemus (Joe McGann)The cyclops Polyphemus comes in the form of an eye-patched bar owner called Poly in Kaos. Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon and the Oceanid Thoosa, and his big role comes in The Odyssey, when he captures Odysseus' crew in his Sicilian cave when they find it full of sheep. In Metamorphoses, Ovid describes him as an "inhuman host, who made his bloody feasts / On mangl’d members of his butcher’d guests." Yeah, he eats some of them, then falls asleep (but not before blocking the exit with a boulder). Odysseus outwits Polyphemus by getting him pissed and blinding him, and the crew tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep in the cave, who then walk on outta there. None of this happens in Kaos, which is a real shame.
The humansEurydice and Orpheus (Aurora Perrineau and Killian Scott) Eurydice's death in myth is awful. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixPreferring "Riddy" in the series, Eurydice is the leading lady of the artist-beloved Greek myth in which she dies on her wedding day. As the story goes, minor god Aristaeus attempted to assault Eurydice; she ran, stepped on a poisonous snake who bit her, and died. It's awful. Her grieving husband Orpheus (a guy with musical superpowers and/or a really good lyre from sun god Apollo) travels to the Underworld to get her back. Graves writes that Orpheus "not only charmed the ferryman Charon, the Dog Cerberus, and the three Judges of the Dead with his plaintive music, but temporarily soothed the tortures of the damned." This guy must be good.
No lyre in "Kaos" for Orpheus. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixHaving won over Hell with his tunes, Orpheus makes a deal with Hades (Higgins writes that it was Persephone's idea) to play her out of there as long as he doesn't look back. Spoiler: he does. Eurydice is a passive soul lost forever in the myth, unlike in the series, where she's given her own agency in the Underworld and allowed to return to Earth (thanks to Persephone).
Caeneus (Misia Butler) Look at the liiiiitttlle Cerrrrrberuuuuus eeeeee. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixIn Kaos, Caeneus is a trans man who had to leave his home with the female warrior group the Amazons, but was then murdered by them, declared a "traitor" to their tribe. It’s an awful, TERF-driven story of hate. In myth, Caeneus is indeed a trans man, but not of the Amazons. Graves writes that Caeneus, a nymph, requested to have his sex changed by his lover Poseidon.
Ariadne and Theseus (Leila Farzad and Daniel Lawrence Taylor) Just wait for Ariadne to meet Dionysus. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixTwo figures inherently interlinked in Greek mythology, Ariadne and Theseus are most famously associated with the tale of the Minotaur — the same goes for them in Kaos. The daughter of King (not President) Minos, Ariadne doesn't have a twin in Greek mythology, but her half-brother is the Minotaur — more on that below. (Kaos names her brother Glaucus, for a sea god.) Theseus, sometimes referred to as the son of Poseidon, is recruited to slay the Minotaur in the labyrinth beneath Minos' palace at Knossos.
In Kaos, Ariadne has a crush on Theseus, but he's in love with Nax. In Greek mythology, Theseus abandons Ariadne on an island called Naxos after she helps him slay the Minotaur (rude). In the myth, Ariadne eventually marries Dionysus — which the show indicates in the final episode is where next season might head.
Pasiphaë (Shila Ommi) Pas has a secret... Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixKnown as Pas in Kaos, the First Lady of Krete is King Minos' wife in myth. Pasiphaë is actually the mother of the Minotaur — something Covell cleverly adapts for Kaos. Hamilton describes the Minotaur as “half bull, half human, the offspring of Minos’ wife Pasiphaë and a wonderfully beautiful bull. Poseidon had given this bull to Minos in order that he should sacrifice it to him, but Minos could not bear to slay it and had kept it for himself. To punish him, Poseidon had made Pasiphaë fall madly in love with it." Bing, bang, boom, you've got a Minotaur — and a king set to imprison the beast with the help of an inventor…
Daedalus (Mat Fraser)The great inventor, designer, and architect, Daedalus is at the beck and call of King Minos. Hamilton writes about the labyrinth he was commissioned to build to contain the Minotaur as “a place of confinement for him from which escape was impossible." Sadly, when Daedalus and his son Icarus were imprisoned in the labyrinth, Daedalus' escape plan of constructed wings went awry when Icarus flew too close to the sun. This is mentioned in Kaos, but in the show, Daedelus says Icarus built the wings to escape the palace after realising his father's role with helping Minos imprison the Minotaur. In the myth, a group of young Athenians were sacrificed to the Minotaur in the maze on the regular, so Theseus is called in to kill the Minotaur (Ariadne helps him, with Daedalus’ assistance). In Kaos, it's Minos who kills the Minotaur, his own son in an effort to thwart his own prophecy.
Hecuba and Andromache (Gilian Cally and Amanda Douge)The two women summoned to President Minos' palace in episode 3 are Hecuba and Andromache. They're the most powerful women of the Trojans, both enslaved after the Trojan War — in Kaos, they're living in the same abysmal conditions without rights as the rest of the Trojan refugees. Andromache is a Theban princess married to the Trojan prince Hector, who dies by Achilles. Their son, Astyanax, features in Kaos as a Trojan rebel and Theseus' lover. In myth, he's thrown from the walls of Troy as a baby (in Kaos, though he makes it to adulthood, he's executed and hung from the Knossos palace wall). Hecuba is the Queen of Troy, married to King Priam, and Hector's mother.
Nax (Daniel Monks)As well as Hecuba and Andromache, there's a lot of Trojans in Kaos, reeling from the events of the Trojan War. They're branded by the line on their nose in the series and viciously persecuted by the Kretians. Astyanax, a Trojan prince and son of Andromache and Hector, is called Nax in the series, forced to live with the Trojans in the crumbling refugee suburb of Krete called "Troytown," with no citizens rights. He's Theseus' lover in Kaos and responsible for the literal shit pile on the gods' statue. He's the leader of the Trojan Seven, as they're called in the series, a vigilante group demonstrating against oppression by the Kretians — and they're publicly executed by the president. It's a callback to the children thrown from the walls of Troy by the Greek army during the sacking of the city.
Cassandra (Billie Piper) No one listens to Cassandra. They should. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixA prophet and princess of Troy, Cassandra was given the gift of prophecy by a thirsty Apollo — including visions of the whole Trojan War and horse deal (Billie Piper's character mentions this in episode 1). Cassandra wouldn't go on a date with the god or something (ugh, entitled men), so Apollo made sure no one would believe her premonitions. "She shrieked and shouted out through all the city," Homer writes in The Iliad of Cassandra warning the Trojans about the coming violence. Turns out the Ancient Greeks already knew the agony of women not being believed.
Hippolyta and Crixus (Selina Jones and Slavko Sobin)In Kaos, Ariadne and Theseus attend the Munis, a Mad Max-style cage fight to the death. The fighters are named Carl Crixus of Sparta (named for the gladiator from Gaul) and Hippolyta (named for the Queen of the female warriors known as the Amazons, and daughter of Ares' god of war, who is associated with the story of the 12 Labors of Heracles). In Kaos, Hippolyta's also the one who murdered Caeneus.
The locationsMount Olympus Family barbecue, anyone? Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixHome of the gods. That's all you need.
The Underworld Hadestown, one might call it. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixThere's a lot of geography covered in Kaos when it comes to the Underworld. When Eurydice first arrives, she's put on the large ferry across the River Styx (se Charon for more on that). Then, the Asphodel port in Kaos is named for the Asphodel Fields, meadows of ghostly flowers in the first area of the Underworld, as Graves describes, “where souls of heroes stay without purpose among the throngs of less distinguished dead that twitter like bats."
Then there's the River Lethe, which also appears in Kaos as the body of water people swim across to get to The Frame. In myth, the Lethe (named for "forgetfulness") is a river in the Underworld in which people can quite literally wipe their memories. Hades and Persephone's palace is another region of the Underworld, and in Kaos, it's a mid-century modern testament to middle management.
One thing Kaos doesn't mention is that the Underworld has a Good Place and a Bad Place: Elysium and Tartarus. Maybe Season 2?
Krete and the Palace of Minos at Knossos King/president same diff. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixIn myth, King Minos' great palace at Knossos on Krete was home to a subterranean labyrinth where a Minotaur roamed — and it's where most of the action in Kaos is set. See above for the story of Ariadne and Theseus.
Villa ThraceEurydice and Orpheus' home in Krete in Kaos is named for Thrace, a region north of ancient Greece associated with Orpheus.
PanopeusThe nightclub we meet Dionysus in, seen in episode 1, is named Panopeus. According to Fry, Panopeus could have been the place where Zeus and Prometheus decided to source the clay to build humans: "History does not agree on exactly where Prometheus and Zeus went to find the best clay for realising the plan. Early sources, like the traveller Pausanias in the second century AD, claimed that Panopeus in Phonics was the place."
The Cave Poly's cave, but make it a dive bar. Credit: Justin Downing / NetflixThough it's said that the entrance to the Underworld was, in fact, a cave, in Kaos, the biggest correlation between Greek mythology and this dive bar venue is its owner. Check the Polyphemus section above for the story of Odysseus and Poly.
Tyndareus GasolineIn Kaos, you'll see a petrol station called Tyndareus Gasoline. It's named for the king of Lacedaemon who married Aetolian princess Leda, who was impregnated by Zeus in the form of a swan, resulting in Helen of Troy (artists love Leda). Tyndareus and Leda also had Clytemnestra, who married King Agamemnon, the big Greek commander in the Trojan War. A lot of Trojan connections here.
Notable mention: The cereal aisleShout-out to the set designers of Kaos, who've stocked an entire cereal aisle full of Greek mythology references:
Gaea's Granola: a wholegrain cereal named after the goddess of Earth.
Achilles' Heels: foot-shaped cereal for the Greek hero whose mother missed a spot when she dipped him in immortality.
Spartan Crunch: Made with 10-percent Olympus honey, a cereal named for the ancient enemy of Athens.
How to watch: Kaos is now streaming on Netflix.
Bluesky is finally about to add video.
The decentralised social media platform flagged the coming update on Friday in a post. Bluesky first announced it would be adding video in May, along with DMs.
Now might be a good time to announce that our next major app update will have video. 👀 More details soon!
— Bluesky (@bsky.app) Aug 29, 2024 at 22:23Bluesky didn't specify exactly when the video feature will roll out or what it will look like, promising "more details soon," but in May, the company said "it’s looking like the v1 of video integration on Bluesky will be 90-second clips that you can share on your posts."
SEE ALSO: 5 of the best — and worst — social media apps in 2024 (so far)Bluesky also announced some "anti-toxicity" features this week, including the ability to detach quote posts, hide replies, and the ability to filter your notifications to only receive updates from people you follow.
Earlier this year, Bluesky added a "stackable approach" for content moderation, which lets users essentially run their own independent moderation services.
In its most recent report, Bluesky says it's sitting at 5.8 million users, offering an alternative for users on competitor X (formerly Twitter). The platform, which was invite-only for its launch, already had 3 million sign-ups before opening up to everyone in February. Meta-owned competitor Threads said at the beginning of August it crossed the 200 million user mark.
You know that feeling when you just know there's an email hiding in your inbox, containing some precious bit of information, but you just can't find it? It happens to me every week day hour.
Now, however, Android users who happen to be paying for Google's One AI Premium package can make Google's AI assistant Gemini do the hard work for them.
SEE ALSO: Google Gemini now lets you create AI-generated images of people — but there's a catchTo do so, tap the black Gemini star at the top right of your Gmail app on Android (or from the "summarize this email" chip), and then ask it questions. Some examples of things you can ask include "What was the PO number for my agency?", "How much did the company spend on the last marketing event?", or "Catch me up on the emails about quarterly planning," per Google's blog post.
OK, where the HELL is that funny cat video I know I sent a month ago? Credit: GoogleAll of this has recently been introduced to the web version of Gmail, and Google says it'll also be coming to iOS "soon." The feature is rolling out to Android gradually, so it might take two more weeks until you see it in your Gmail app.
Google has lately been steadily adding Gemini features to Gmail, including the ability to help you write emails, summarize them for you, as well as polish your drafts. All of this, however, is currently only available for people paying for Gemini for Google Workspace or Google One AI Premium.
TL;DR: Stream the NRL 2024 for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Where would we be without weekly doses of top-level sport from around the world? Life can be particularly tough from time to time, but you know what really helps? Sitting back and watching athletes at the top of their game doing battle in a desperate attempt to claim victory.
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When is the NRL in 2024?The 2024 NRL season is the 117th season of professional rugby league in Australia. This season will run from March 2 to Oct. 6.
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Access 9Now to stream the 2024 NRL season by following these simple steps:
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According to the law of conservation of energy, energy is “neither created nor destroyed” — it just changes forms. The energy you produce by moving (your kinetic energy), therefore, could be passed on to something else — something useful to you — if only you were able to easily harness it.
That’s where the LifeSpan Ampera Bike ($999) comes in. While it looks like an office chair you might find on the set of Star Trek, this under-desk bike uses the power of your pedaling to charge up your devices.
Specs and setupThe Ampera Bike is an upright, stationary bike designed to be used at your desk. Its standout feature is that it can charge your devices wirelessly or using the included USB-C port. But you don’t have to plug it in. In fact, you can’t. Your pedaling provides the energy needed to charge your devices (and also to turn on the ring lights around each pedal, which can be set to 12 different colors).
SEE ALSO: Logitech's Casa Pop-up Desk makes working away from my home office a dreamThe bike also features easy, lever-activated height adjustment and several resistance levels to add a bit more challenge (and calorie burn) to your desk workouts.
It looks really sleek too, although at first glance it does border on futuristic-looking to the point of being a little bit silly. I love the glacier white color that I received (although it’s also available in space gray), and I think the leather-look detail on the handle and the fabric and trim on the seat are nice touches that make the bike look much less clinical.
My Ampera Bike was professionally assembled, but looking through the owner’s manual, the setup appears to be a pretty straightforward process. The installer was in and out in under one hour.
Cycling while I workUsing this bike could not be more straightforward. You get on, you start pedaling — just like any old-school workout bike. If you want to use the charger, just plop your phone on the wireless charger or plug it into the USB-C cord and keep on pedaling.
The pedals were a bit stiff and almost sticky (not to the touch, but they felt a bit resistant to pedaling) at first, but this resolved after just a few minutes of pedaling.
I found it very easy to focus on work while slowly pedaling away. Although my extremely pregnant belly kept me from being able to bring the bike as close to my desk as I would like, I was able to reach my keyboard easily and type with a very high level of accuracy.
I was able to get a low-impact workout in while I worked. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / MashableThe lowest resistance levels also provided plenty of resistance while working, in my opinion, although I could see increasing the resistance for an added burn if I were streaming video or mindlessly scrolling social media.
The seat is also comfortable enough that it can double as a permanent office chair for focused work that needs to be done while completely stationary. With no seat back and the firm bike seat below my bum, it kept my posture dialed in even when I wasn’t pedaling — which was a productivity boost in and of itself.
Overall, I still prefer my treadmill setup, but I’ve never really been a “bike” person. I know so many people who would salivate at the very idea of this bike, and it’s also an excellent option for people who need something that’s more low-impact and easy on the joints.
Pedaling to charge my devicesOne of the coolest features of this bike by far is the whole "charge your devices using your own energy" thing, and it works flawlessly. The bike comes equipped with a wireless charger as well as a USB-C port, both of which make it really easy to charge a phone. I prefer using the USB-C port since I have to take my phone out of its case to charge it wirelessly, and my phone desperately needs the protection offered by its case.
When I plug in my phone, just a few seconds after I start pedaling I hear the “ding” notifying me that the phone is being charged. I’m able to charge it a full percent after just a few seconds of consistent, fast, focused pedaling — however, it naturally charges more slowly while working because I’m pedaling more slowly. According to the LifeSpan website, it can charge a device from zero to 50 percent in just 30 minutes (but you really gotta be pedaling to accomplish this).
If you wanted to up the stakes and use the bike to charge your work laptop, you’d need to have or buy an appropriate USB-C converter for your laptop cable. A bit of a challenge for us Stone Age folks who still aren’t using a Macbook — but it could definitely be done.
I also appreciate the slight degree of gamification that the charging option adds. It’s motivating to be able to pedal your phone battery up, but not distracting. And you could easily set up some incentives or benchmarks to make it more fun, like taking a coffee break or giving yourself some “reading for fun” time after charging your phone by an additional 25 percent
An OK app that needs improvementTo connect to the LifeSpan app, you’ll need to be pedaling so that the bike is “powered on” and therefore able to appear in the list of available devices.
I was able to connect the bike easily to the app repeatedly, although the app controls are a bit clunky. Still, in order to adjust the resistance and change the color of the lights around the pedals, you’ll need to use the app — so I was glad I didn’t experience any connectivity issues.
The app has very poor reviews, unfortunately, mostly from users who have had repeated issues connecting their LifeSpan devices. However, the entire app experience for the Ampera bike seems like a great improvement over my experience using the app with the other LifeSpan device I tested, the TR1200-GlowUp under-desk treadmill. I was able to view and save workout data and make adjustments as needed to the resistance quite easily.
To be honest, I found the color-changing lights cute but overall not worth fooling with too much. I work alone in a home office and I can’t see the lights myself while I’m pedaling (which is the only time they are on), so I’d really only be doing it for the vibes.
Comfortable enough to sitThis bike is also surprisingly comfortable to use (and this is coming from someone who’s heavily pregnant and has a very low tolerance for any kind of pelvic pressure at the moment). It has a wider seat than the standard bike seat that comes equipped on most exercise bikes, so it’s much more supportive and comfortable for longer periods of sitting.
No banana seats here. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / MashableIt’s too tall to be used comfortably with a standard-height desk, however, so you’ll also need either an adjustable desk or a bar-height desk.
Is the LifeSpan Ampera bike worth it?This is not a rinky-dink set of desk pedals — it’s a legitimate piece of fitness equipment that just happens to be particularly well-suited for your desk. But with a price point just under $1,000, it does require a significant financial investment.
I recommend it most to people who already enjoy biking, people who require something that’s more low-impact and joint-friendly than a treadmill, or people who are looking for something that can double as an office chair for stationary, seated work.
Overall, this is a really well-made, comfortable, easy-to-use bike that can help you stay active during the workday while keeping your phone charged, too. That’s a win-win-win.
LifeSpan Ampera office bike $799.00 at AmazonIt’s 2024 — everybody knows how terrible it is to sit hunched over at your desk for hours and hours at a time, yet many of us still do it almost daily. Standing desks are a much-needed improvement, but even then you’re still limited to, well, standing.
Enter: the under-desk treadmill. These treadmills have grown insanely popular over the past few years, especially since the events of 2020 paved the way for more people than ever to work from home. These treadmills are popular because of their size, portability, low price compared to full-size treadmills, and compatibility with standing desks.
I recently had the opportunity to try the LifeSpan TR1200-GlowUp Under Desk Treadmill ($1,799.00). Here’s how it performed and how it helped me perform — both physically and mentally.
The LifeSpan treadmill is sturdy and has a 350-pound weight limit. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable Price and specsThe TR1200-GlowUp Under Desk Treadmill is a $1,799 treadmill — comparable in price to many high-end, full-sized treadmills.
However, this compact treadmill is made to be used with a standing desk so it lacks blazing speeds and resistance options. Still, it’s well-built — featuring a 2.5 HP motor, a 20-inch x 50-inch walking surface, a max speed of 4.0 mph, and a generous weight capacity of 350 pounds.
It’s also fully pre-assembled, making setup a breeze. And it comes with an Omni-Hub Console, a small touchscreen display that sits on your desk and allows you to set and control speeds and view workout metrics.
You can see all your stats at a glance. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / MashableThe high price is definitely an outlier in the under-desk treadmill sphere, and while the treadmill does have higher-quality features than other walking pads, we've still docked its Bang for the Buck score because of its price. And luckily, we've seen the TR1200-GlowUp go on sale.
Safety, controls, and performanceI have considered buying an under-desk treadmill for a while, but looking online I wasn’t impressed with the options. A lot of them were inexpensive, flimsy-looking Amazon models. While the prices were great, they looked underpowered and lightweight, and they had LOTS of mixed reviews. Many of them seemed like they wouldn’t last very long or that they wouldn’t be very reliable.
SEE ALSO: The TikTok girlies are right: You need a standing desk and treadmillThat’s why I was SO impressed when I first saw the specs for the TR1200. This treadmill weighs 100 pounds, which is pretty heavy compared to similar under-desk treadmills — but it also makes for a very sturdy walking surface (it’s also easy to maneuver around thanks to the wheels, even for me by myself). It feels extremely secure when I’m walking on it – there’s no wobbling or shaking, and the belt doesn’t catch. It’s also very quiet. These are complaints I saw frequently in reviews for less expensive under-desk treadmills.
It also has a much more generous maximum weight limit than most under-desk treadmills. It can accommodate people weighing up to 350 pounds, while most other models have an upper weight limit of 220 to 250 pounds. This makes the TR1200 a much more accessible option for people who are larger, or people who simply want a treadmill that’s a little more sturdy.
The controls on the Omni-Hub display are also really easy to use, once you get used to them. I appreciate that it includes three presets (0.4 mph, 1.2 mph, and 3.0 mph) so that I don’t have to begin at the bottom speed and use the arrows to scroll up to my desired speed every time I start walking.
Like most treadmills, it comes with a safety key that stops the treadmill if it gets pulled out of place. Mine is mounted to my desk, although I never remember to clip the other end to myself before I start walking.
In addition, the treadmill automatically powers down if you stop walking on it for 20 seconds.
The app is a bustUnfortunately, the Lifespan app leaves a lot to be desired. On the Google Play Store, it has only a 1 out of 5 stars with 18 reviews. I had no trouble connecting my treadmill to it via Bluetooth during the initial setup, but was never able to successfully connect to the app again. This was a common thread in customer reviews. And while I thought the app may be useful for setting my default speed or starting and stopping the treadmill, it actually just tracks metrics. For such a great treadmill, I’d love to see improved functionality and more robust features on the app.
Activity and productivityNow for the good stuff: How did this treadmill affect my productivity?
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the massive increase in my productive work time (and my average daily step count) that I experienced using this treadmill.
I had to start slowly, getting used to working while walking at 1.0 mph (which is essentially standing still) before increasing the speed any further. However, within just a few days I was able to work up to 2.0 mph and still be productive and efficient.
As a writer, I did experience some issues with typing accuracy while walking — mostly because I’ve been in my third trimester of pregnancy while testing this treadmill. My belly bumps against the desk with every step I take, causing it to wobble and making it difficult to hit keys quickly and correctly. However, I wouldn’t expect this to be a huge issue for people who aren’t pregnant or who don’t have a large belly. Still, it’s much easier to walk while completing tasks that don’t require a lot of typing.
Walking while working, even though it was slow, really helped me to stay more focused on the task at hand. It also helped to combat the fatigue I feel in the afternoon or when I’m doing something for work that’s not particularly mentally stimulating.
Also, the fitness benefits are great. Although I wouldn’t consider slow treadmill walking a substitute for my regular workouts, it really helps boost my daily step count and prevent the soreness and stiffness that come along with sitting for hours at a time. Generally, I’m able to clock roughly 800 to 1,000 steps per 10 minutes of walking — which means I can hit my daily step goal by walking at my desk for just one hour in addition to my standard daily steps.
For a great setup that allows for sitting and walking easily at an adjustable desk, I’d also like to recommend my setup – I’m pretty pleased with it. When I need to sit, I lower my adjustable desk and sit at my weight bench with a balance ball seat placed on top of it. The weight bench is extremely lightweight and easy to maneuver, and the legs provide plenty of clearance for me to leave the treadmill in place without needing to move it each time I want to sit. I’ve also seen some people use an exercise ball directly on top of the treadmill as a seat, which also allows them to leave the treadmill in place.
I can keep the treadmill in place if I want to switch to sitting on my weight bench. Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable Is the LifeSpan TR1200-GlowUp under-desk treadmill worth it?I highly recommend the TR1200-GlowUp. I have been so pleased with this treadmill, and feel confident that it will last a while thanks to its solid construction. While I totally understand purchasing a less expensive option, I think it’s worth paying a bit more for this one — especially if you’re a larger person and you can’t find another under-desk treadmill that will accommodate your weight.
Not to mention, the productivity boost from using an under-desk treadmill has been so fantastic I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to just sitting at a regular desk.
Now, the price tag is pretty steep — especially considering other under-desk treadmills are often available under $500. However, this treadmill offers a more powerful motor, a larger walking deck, a higher max speed, and a more generous weight limit than most others, so it may be worth spending more for. However, for casual desk walkers, consider a cheaper option like the WalkingPad P1 or EgoFit Walker Plus, which have both been tested and approved by Mashable writers.
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