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City of Wuxi trying its best to keep factories open amid COVID outbreak

South Korean chipmaker SK hynix has pitched hundreds of tents at its plant in Wuxi, China,…

Again warns investors that alterna-cash is a very risk proposition

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has hinted the city-state may soon impose more regulations on cryptocurrency.…

Upstart promises to tackle that old adage: Garbage in, garbage out

IBM says its acquisition of observability startup Databand will help it stop bad data from poisoning customers' machine-learning and analytics workloads and save countless hours of lost time in the process.…

Enlarge (credit: Apple)

Mercenary spyware is one of the hardest threats to combat. It targets an infinitesimally small percentage of the world, making it statistically unlikely for most of us to ever see. And yet, because it selects only the most influential individuals (think diplomats, political dissidents, and lawyers) sophisticated malware private companies sell to nation-state governments—many with documented human-rights abuses—has a devastating effect that’s far out of proportion to the small number of people infected.

This puts device and software makers in a bind. How do you build something to protect what’s likely well below 1 percent of your user base against malware built by companies like NSO Group, maker of clickless exploits that instantly convert fully updated iOS and Android devices into sophisticated bugging devices.

No security snake oil here

On Wednesday, Apple previewed an ingenious option it plans to add to its flagship OSes in the coming months to counter the mercenary spyware menace. The company is upfront—almost in your face—that Lockdown mode is an option that will degrade the user experience and is intended for only a small number of users.

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Enlarge / Mary Yong Cong, a Florida Department of Agriculture scientist, holds a giant African snail in her Miami lab on July 17, 2015. (credit: Getty | Kerry Sheridan)

Officials in Florida are again battling a highly invasive, extraordinarily destructive giant snail species that also happens to be capable of spreading parasitic worms that invade human brains.

The giant African land snail (GALS)—aka Lissachatina fulica—can grow up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) long and is considered "one of the most invasive pests on the planet," according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It ravenously feasts on over 500 plant species—including many valuable fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals—while prolifically spawning, pushing out several thousand eggs in its multiyear life span.

In late June, Florida state officials confirmed the presence of GALS on a property in Pasco County, on the west-central coast of the state, just north of Tampa. They have since set up a quarantine zone around the property and began snail-killing pesticide treatments last week.

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CISA, FBI, US Treasury warn Kim Jong-un's latest malware has hit healthcare orgs

For the past year, state-sponsored hackers operating on behalf of North Korea have been using ransomware called Maui to attack healthcare organizations, US cybersecurity authorities said on Wednesday.…

You wanted flying cars and robo-butlers. Instead, we're getting tooth-cleaning morphing nanoparticle bots

Experts in chemistry, dentistry, and engineering have developed a way to electromagnetically control iron oxide nanoparticles to clean plaque on human teeth.…

Greetings from the floor! Enjoy the worm’s eye view of our bedroom, and good luck finding a spot that isn’t reserved for floordrobe purposes or a single piece of furniture we’re proud to showcase. Once you're tired of the goblin-cave experience, we hope you’ll come with us on a Journey to the Center of the Earth (or at least, the internet) to find the best bedroom furniture that doesn’t cost a lot of money, but makes us feel Architectural Digest home video tour-ready.

Perhaps you’re a reformed grifter like me, and you’re looking to finally put down roots in your apartment with a dresser that doesn’t weeble when you wobble and a bed that doesn’t creak like an iron lung during your more intimate moments. We’re proud to say we’ve reached a point in our adult lives when we’d like to buy a bed frame, get a well-made mattress, and find pieces with the kind of storage for all of our clothes, errant papers, and soulful hobbies. We also don’t want to spend a lot of money, which is why we’ve sussed out the best bedroom furniture on Amazon to find the pieces beloved by actual human reviewers with opinions and needs.

Whether you need a new Clothes Purgatory Chair, bedroom bench, or an entire bedroom set that looks Restoration Hardware-level fancy (but costs about $1,000), here’s the best Amazon bedroom furniture that will ship fast, is easy to assemble, and will make Mom think you’ve got your life together.

The best bed frames

Your Tinder date, spine, and mother will all thank you when you finally buy an adult bed frame. If you're a bit intimidated by the idea of assembling one, you can rest assured that the fast furniture gods now make entire bedroom sets that look expensive, don’t cost a lot, and are as easy to put together as Lincoln Logs. The proof is in the pudding of my own bed frame, which is this 4.7-star rated, cherry-finished wood frame by Zinus that’s low-slung enough to make sure my room doesn’t feel claustrophobic, but high enough for storage (I can even fit small carry-ons under it). I am also a DIY idiot, but I was able to put it together in 20 minutes—without any tools.

Once again, Zinus has spoiled us with an affordable bed frame that makes us feel like we’re in the same tax bracket as Ina Garten, which is exactly what you want from a headboard. It has a 4.8-star average rating from over 11,400 ratings, which means a lot of internet people agree that it rocks—for many reasons. “If you're worried about how it will fare with ‘activities,’” writes one reviewer, “fear no more, it can handle it! I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this bed again.”

Months ago, one of Rec Room’s editors mentioned the joys of having a bench at the end of their bed, and it’s stayed with me ever since. I can’t stop thinking about how nice it would be for storage, putting on my shoes, or replacing my obligatory Clothes Chair. This quilted bench comes in six different colors, and has a 4.6-star average rating from over 7,300 reviews on Amazon. “I was very surprised by this bench,” writes one reviewer. “For the price, I figured it would be flimsy and/or cheap looking, but this thing is solid!”

The best nightstands

This cherry-finished nightstand by Decor Therapy is one of Amazon’s best-sellers in the category with a 4.5-star average rating from over 2,500 reviews, and it’s an easy and affordable way to level up from your other nightstand (the floor), because it has a charming mid-century modern design and a solid amount of storage for your fancy lubes.

If you want the same vibe, but with a drawer that runs even deeper, this nightstand is the way to go—without spending a bunch of money. Assembly is a breeze (you don’t even need a drawer pull/handle) and you have a cozy display section to peep those Taschen titles.

The best dressers

As a six drawer dresser, this piece by Henf will fit your entire life into its handsome, 16-inch deep compartments. It has a 4.7-star average rating on Amazon, and the kind of minimalist design that could blend into a bunch of different aesthetics, from effortless Japandi chic to industrial boy-boss-core.

What is it about caning? It’s like the garnish of the furniture world; the design flourish that elevates the most basic of dressers. This caned ebony dresser has a 4.5-star average rating on Amazon, and reviewers say it’s both study and lightweight. Best of all: It comes fully assembled.

The best accent chair

Ah, the obligatory clothes chair. Everyone deserves one, and the cooler it is, the less likely we are to let it become the detritus-collecting, sunken whale carcass of our bedroom. This button-tufted chair comes in a relaxing shade of cream, and reviewers say it’s easy to assemble. “I am not handy at all, and I was able to put this chair together in about five minutes! You just have to put the legs on.”

The best accent pillow

If you’re just out here looking for a wee zhuzh, try adding a new accent pillow into the rotation. Knot pillows are actually quite handy and versatile, and I use mine to support my neck, the side of my face, and my little size 10 feetsies. I might have to bring this checkered knot by Super Chilled Crew into the mix. Very Beetlejuice.

The best bedside lamp

Finding a bedside lamp isn’t as easy as you might think, because you need enough light to read/doomscroll and the kind of soft glow that will wind you down for the night. Murano glass mushroom lamps were a staple of every ambiance-packed 1970s home, and this 4.7-star rated incarnation is a great homage to the era that mastered the cozy-horny-chic blend best.

The best fluffy rug

Fresh from the shores of New Zealand, this sheepskin rug has a 4.6-star average rating on Amazon and is the perfect size for that weird space in-between your bed and the dresser/door/window. And while it’s hot outside right now, imagine how nice it’s going to feel to rub your toesies on this fluffernutter sitch in December.

The best bedroom furniture set

You did not come to play. If you’re looking for a complete, highly rated bedroom set that doesn’t feel too matchy-matchy, this throuple by Home Styles is the best on Amazon. It doesn’t look cheap, and for a little over $1,000, you get a bedframe, nightstand, and dresser in a very adult ebony colorway. Reviewers say the pieces are all well-packaged, and easy to put together. “I assembled all three items by myself in about five hours,” writes one fan.

Next stop: the linen department.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.

You know what we don’t have the budget for these days? Anything other than our own fingers up our own holes. Which is kind of a lie [pumps Aesop soap], but it is hard to part with money from the Let’s Feel Something Budget (cheese, poppers, breathable undies; booze, linen sheets, more poppers) for vibrators that can cost hundreds of dollars. That’s one piece of cheese you don’t get to taste-test before you buy it, jabroni. How do you know if you’re actually getting a whisper-quiet vibrator? Who told you to spring for USB-rechargeable sex toys? (I mean, we did. But I digress.)

The point is, we’ve tried loads of load-busters. We know which vibrators we’d take to the grave, and which ones are best to bring into the rotation when you’ve eaten at the saaaaame restaurant every night of the week. We know which sex toys are worth the hype, which ones we’re dying to try (link in bio to the Lelo clitoral vibrator that looks like Gonzo’s nose), and which luxury vibrators we’ll finally be ordering during Prime Day (sup, Billy 2).

Yes, Prime Day. The words typically conjur gumdrop dreams of Dyson vacuums, AirPods, and grills, but it’s also the one time of the year when the site becomes a weird, horny portal for big sex toy savings. The best sex toys on Amazon run the gamut, from advanced vibrating sex toys to those seeking first time vibrators, classic dildos, or an elaborate fuck machines. Here’s the best horny deals from the behemoth, and all the other sexual wellness retailers our wallets call daddi home.

You know what they say: Happy pubes, happy plebes! 

Amazon is offering savings on all kinds of toys, including Kegel vibrators, massage wands, dildos, and more for Prime Day, and there are already some epic sex toys on sale in anticipation of the big day.

PinkCherry is offering up to 80% off sitewide using the code SUMMER—including big savings on one of our all-time faves, the Satisfyer Pro 2, and newer icons to the sex toy game [TikTok-famous rose vibrator enters the chat].

Ella Paradis is throwing its second annual Christmas in July sale, and you can get up to 60% off sitewide with the code JULY on some of our favorite sex toys for humping and grinding, anal toys, and more.

Lovehoney is offering 60% off right now in its sale section, where you can scoop clitoral suction vibes from its best-selling collaboration with Womanizer, lingerie, penis masturbators, and more.

LELO is offering up to a whopping 40% off sitewide for its Prime Day sale (no code needed), so it’s the perfect time to try its gorgeous luxury toys. In the words of VICE staffer Angel Kilmister, the Enigma G-Spot and clitoral vibrator is  so banging, it’s “like if technologically advanced aliens designed a sex toy.

Womanizer is throwing a 50% off Summer Sale, and offering deals on individual best-selling vibrators as well as sex toy bundles where you can save hundreds of your hard-earned clams.

See you in the sex furniture aisle. 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.

Turn on the shower and crack those peepers, people, because the glorious three-day weekend is over, and while you might feel like five pounds of shit in a two-pound bag, you’ve still gotta meet the day. To make the post-holiday slump a little less awful, we’ve compiled some of the best 4th of July sales that are still going on.

That’s right—from sex toys and high-end cookware to summery wardrobe essentials, these 4th of July deals are still slappin’, despite only getting two hours of sleep due to firework-related tossing and turning. You’ll have to act fast, though: These sales and deals are gonna disappear faster than your last tinder date. 

Ella Paradis’ Light Up the Night sale

The sex-toy slingers at Ella Paradis are extending the brand’s Light Up the Night sale, and right now, shoppers can enjoy up to 85% off sitewide with code BOOM at checkout. There’s never been a better time to snag the viral Voodoo Beso Flower Power Clitoral Stimulator with air pulsation technology, or the Wild Flower Enby 2—one of our favorite toys designed for all bodies. 

Everlane’s Vacation Essentials sale 

Oh Everlane, how we love you and your high-quality threads. While our bodega-sandwich budget usually means we can only shop there from time to time, the brand’s Vacation Essentials sale is here to help us upgrade our wardrobe without breaking the bank. The ReLeather Tennis Shoe ($33 off) is a go-to shoe that goes with literally everything—we stan white sneaks—while the Track Pant (50% off) and Premium Weight Relaxed Tee ($20 off) are two summer standbys we can’t live without.

Mango’s summer sale 

While the brand doesn’t sell fruit, Mango’s summer sale is just as sweet. Shoppers can get savings of up to 50% off sitewide, including the minimalist-chic home section. Perhaps you’re in the market for a luxe bathrobe made in Portugal from organic cotton? Or, maybe these ultra-cute crocheted veggie coasters are tickling your pickle? 

Williams Sonoma’s Warehouse sale 

We’ve got an alert set for whenever Williams Sonoma has a sale on any of its top-tier wares, and lucky for us, the brand’s warehouse sale is still kickin’. Whether you cop a cult-fave KitchenAid stand mixer while they’re $100 off or a Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch oven with increased depth for $130 off, one thing’s for sure: You won’t regret the savings.

Happy hangover.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.

You know where we’d love to be right now, instead of affixed to The Bad Screen in our makeshift WFH “office?” A beer garden, sippin’ on a cold one in a lush, outdoor gathering space. We’d all love to get on a plane and jet over to Munich to lounge around the English Gardens and wash down giant pretzels with stein upon stein of delicious German beer, but not everyone (read: us) has the cash to hop on a plane right now. However, low-paying jobs and a looming recession won’t stop us from enjoying a few frosty pints in the small outdoor spaces that we do have. A DIY beer garden could be just the ticket to upgrading your balcony, patio, or backyard and making the most of summer and fall. 

That’s why we we called on our friends LeAnn Darland and Tara Hankinson, co-owners and founders of TALEA—the first woman-owned and -operated brewery and taproom in Brooklyn, and a personal favorite drinking spot of Rec Room editors—to help us outfit our (currently sad and lifeless) outdoor spaces with everything we need to turn our backyard into a summer beer garden. Darland and Hankinson like to focus on three things: Food, music, and shade, and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of stopping by the brewery for a pint and a charcuterie board, you know that they nail all three of those categories. From patio umbrellas and light-blocking koozies to drinking playlists that slap, here’s all the outdoor decor and accoutrements you need to get the party started this summer. Prost! 

Plan your outdoor decor around creating shade 

There’s nothing better than knocking back a few cold beers on a hot, sunny day—but shade is a priority when setting up a beer garden. “While we love drinking in the sun,” Darland and Hankinson explain, “beer can quickly be ‘skunked’ or ‘lightstruck’ when hops suspended in beer are exposed to light.” (Think that slight weedy, skunky smell of a sun-blasted Corona or Heineken.) They recommend drinking in the shade or gulping straight from the can with a koozie to keep your beer cold. “Invest in a big umbrella or a shade sail if you'd like to drink beer from a glass,” they suggest. We love this weather- and UV-resistant outdoor patio umbrella from the furniture lairds at West Elm, which provides 63 square feet of shade—slightly bigger than our current apartment. 

If you’d rather go the shade-sail route, snag this affordable, breathable canopy from Shade&Beyond, which has a 4.5-star average rating from over 5,300 reviews. Or, head over to Wayfair and pick up a few of these on-sale Triangle Shade Sails to give your outdoor space full, loungey coverage. “Well, they look great, and they were easy to set up,” one reviewer writes. “Absolutely recommend.”

Get an outdoor sound system that slaps (even if it’s just a Bluetooth speaker)

Chances are, you’ve regretted passing the aux to one or two past party guests—but that’s your fault, people, for not having a killer outdoor drinking playlist on hand. In fact, Darland and Hankinson have three different types of playlists: weekday daytime, weekday evening, and weekends. “Think of the different moods you'd like to channel and create various playlists to match the vibe,” they explain. “Our daytime playlists are a mix of electronic, indie pop, and classics—perfect for #WorkFromTALEA or #WorkFromYourBeerGarden. Our evening playlists are more upbeat electronic, top 40s, with a sprinkle of hip hop. Our weekend playlists are high-energy songs that make you want to sing, dance, and enjoy more beer.”

LeAnn Darland and Tara Hankinson / Photo Courtesy of TALEA

Unfortunately, not everyone has the same sweet speaker setup as TALEA—that’s why investing in a solid outdoor speaker is a must. Anything from industry leaders JBL, Anker, and Bose is going to slap, but our top picks are the SoundLink, Flip 5, and Soundcore, which are all Bluetooth-enabled and waterproof—perfect for both poolside lounging and surviving spilled beer. 

Take your charcuterie setup to the next level

Now, we know that if you’re setting up a backyard beer garden, you’re probably a seasoned, semi-professional drinker, but even the most iron-livered of us need to soak up the suds with some snacks. At TALEA, Darland and Hankinson love shareable plates with a mix of salty, tart, and sweet offerings. “We recommend pairing salty pretzels (we love Unique Snacks Splits) with a mix of cheeses like Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert for an indulgent, oozing cheese and Drunken Goat cheese for a fruity and smooth cheese,” the pair explain. (If you’re at the taproom, spring for the Cheese & Charcuterie Board—you won’t be disappointed.) Of course, you’ll need a respectable cheese board and some outdoor dining- and serving-ware to get started. A simple slate cheese board like this one from Williams Sonoma is a great and affordable place to start, especially when you match it with a stone-smooth set of melamine dinnerware and some faceted brass cheese knives. 

Or, go the more traditional route with this rustic board made from a slab of olive wood and a set of wood-handled cheese knives. 

Complete your setup 

You’re almost there, dear readers—you just need a few more must-have, Rec-Room-approved pieces to complete your at-home summer beer garden setup. First, get yourself (and your guests) some cozy bench seating. It doesn’t have to be fancy; in fact, you’re going to want something that can take a beating. Whether it’s inclement weather, spilled beer, or drunken guests, none will faze this six-person picnic table from Highland Dunes, which is built to last—and it goes with any color scheme.

Once your seating situation is taken care of, you’ll want some good glassware from which to guzzle. We recommend staying away from American shaker pints, since they don’t do anything for head retention, aroma concentration, or aesthetics. Classic beer garden steins are a stalwart for a reason, because in addition to looking sweet, you won’t constantly be refilling your glass. 

However, there are, in fact, some times where you’d prefer not to knock back a liter of lager at a time. While we know that’s hard to believe, these Belgian beer glasses are another great choice for smaller (but not too-small) servings, and the tulip shape helps your beer’s foam stick around and concentrates its aromas. 

Now, the picture we’ve painted involves a lot of daytime drinking, but you’ll also need to shed some light on the situation once the sun goes down. For that, we like these affordable, no-fuss outdoor string lights, which have a 4.5-star average rating from over 48,000 reviews on Amazon. 

The most important piece of all? Keeping your beer cold. While not everyone has a kegerator—though they do rock—who needs one when you’ve got a killer outdoor cooler to fill with your favorite cans of TALEA beer? (Al Dente and Weekender for me, please.) This YETI Tundra 45 Cooler will keep ice for wayyy longer than you’ll need for an outdoor beer sesh, and you can’t go wrong with a classic Coleman cooler. (There’s a reason you’ve seen them at every cookout you’ve ever been to.) 

All that’s left to do is put your Crocs up, and make a toast. 

TALEA Beer Co. is located at 87 Richardson St. in Brooklyn, NY—we'll see you there. (Or at the new taprooms in Cobble Hill and Grand Central.)

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.

Enlarge / Virgin Spaceship Unity and Virgin Mothership Eve take to the skies on their first captive carry flight on September 8, 2016. (credit: Virgin Galactic)

Nearly a full year has passed since Virgin Galactic last flew its SpaceShipTwo vehicle into space, but the company says it is progressing toward a more rapid cadence of flights.

On Wednesday, Virgin Galactic announced a deal with Boeing-owned Aurora Flight Sciences to design and manufacture two next-generation motherships. A mothership carries the Virgin Galactic spaceship to an altitude of about 15 km before releasing it, after which the spaceship fires its rocket engine and flies above 90 km.

In a news release, Virgin Galactic said it expects to take delivery of the first of the two new motherships in 2025. The company presently has a single carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, that made its first flight in 2008. Virgin has not said how long this vehicle will be able to fly missions, nor how much refurbishment it will need as it begins flying more frequently.

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The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini at 1:54 AM, inspiring a sweet, flirtatious atmosphere! The moon connects with serious Saturn in Aquarius at 3:18 PM, finding us focused on our responsibilities. The moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn at 9:04 PM, which could stir up intense emotions…

All times ET.

Stay in the cosmic loop with the VICE horoscopes newsletter. Get horoscopes straight to your inbox when you sign up here!

Aries: March 20, 2022 - April 19, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini, inspiring a fun, flirtatious atmosphere! Future plans can be explored as the moon mingles with Saturn in Aquarius. The moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn, which may find you examining themes like power and responsibility on a deep level.

Taurus: April 19, 2022 - May 20, 2022

A gift or financial blessing could come your way as the moon in Libra connects with your ruling planet Venus, now in Gemini. An intense conversation may take place as the moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn.

Gemini: May 20, 2022 - June 21, 2022

The moon in fellow air sign Libra connects with Venus, which is now in your sign, Gemini, inspiring a fun and flirtatious atmosphere! Intense feelings can be discussed as the moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn.

Cancer: June 21, 2022 - July 22, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Saturn in Aquarius, encouraging you to set boundaries at home and in your relationships. Power struggles may arise as the moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn: Work with the energy by focusing on your responsibilities and letting go of the past.

Leo: July 22, 2022 - August 22, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini, inspiring a fun, friendly atmosphere! Solid future plans can be discussed as the moon connects with Saturn in Aquarius. The moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn, encouraging you to kick an old habit.

Virgo: August 22, 2022 - September 22, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini, which could bode well for you financially! A gift may be on the way. The moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn, challenging you to get your finances in order.

Libra: September 22, 2022 - October 23, 2022

The moon is in your sign today, Libra, and it connects with your ruling planet Venus, which is now in fellow air sign Gemini, creating an easygoing and romantic atmosphere! Exciting opportunities may come your way!

Scorpio: October 23, 2022 - November 22, 2022

Emotional security and creating a safe space for yourself can be a focus today as the moon moon in Libra makes a harmonious connection with Saturn in Aquarius. An intense conversation may take place as the moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn.

Sagittarius: November 22, 2022 - December 21, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini, inspiring an easygoing, romantic atmosphere that’s lovely for connection! Plans for the future can be discussed as the moon mingles with Saturn in Aquarius.

Capricorn: December 21, 2021 - January 19, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini, which can find you feeling quite popular and appreciated for your talents! The moon mingles with your ruling planet Saturn, now in Aquarius, and you’re reorganizing your budget.

Aquarius: January 19, 2022 - February 18, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini, inspiring a fun, creatively inspired, and romantic atmosphere! The moon also connects with your ruling planet Saturn, which is currently in your sign, finding you feeling especially confident and focused.

Pisces: February 18, 2022 - March 20, 2022

The moon in Libra connects with Venus in Gemini, bringing a warm atmosphere at home—but intense conversations or situations may arise in your social life as the moon squares off with Pluto in Capricorn.

• 

  The screen on Apple's new MacBook Air. [credit: Samuel Axon ]

According to a new blog post by the company, Apple will begin taking orders for its newly redesigned 13.6-inch MacBook Air this Friday, July 8, at 5am PDT. The laptop will arrive at buyers' doorsteps and become available for same-day retail purchase one week later on Friday, July 15.

It will be the second Mac to launch with Apple's second-generation M2 system-on-a-chip, which follows 2020's M1 with substantially faster memory bandwidth and graphics and moderately improved CPU performance.

It's the same chip as that found in the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro, which we recently reviewed. We found that the M2 offered 10 to 15 percent improved CPU performance compared to the M1 and as much as 40 percent faster GPU performance with the 10-core GPU configuration. Unlike the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air defaults to an eight-core GPU configuration with an optional 10-core upgrade.

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Enlarge / Sodium metal will react with something in just about any environment it encounters on Earth. Here, a fresh cut shows how extensive its reactions with air are. (credit: Getty Images)

Lithium-based batteries are great, with different electrode chemistries allowing them to be slotted into a variety of use cases. The problem with them has nothing to do with their performance. The challenge we face is that we want to make a lot of batteries; if all of them use lithium, we're undoubtedly going to face supply crunches.

One potential solution to that is to simply replace the lithium with a different ion. Alternative batteries may not be as good as lithium variants in all the different places we currently use them. They just have to be good enough at one task to take away some of the need to stick lithium everywhere.

That's the reasoning behind some interest in sodium-based batteries. Sodium is very plentiful and correspondingly cheap and can be made to behave a bit like lithium when used in a battery. But sodium batteries always carry risks associated with sodium's tendency to react explosively. But a recently developed solid electrolyte suggests that at least some of the challenges associated with sodium could be overcome.

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Amazon’s annual Prime Day is right around the corner—the question is, are you ready??? The mega sales event has a chokehold on shoppers every year with its jaw-dropping discounts across the kitchen, home, tech, and apparel categories, resulting in low-as-you’ll-see-them prices on laptops, furniture, and more. We’re talking about viral kitchen appliances, bougie tech, and impeccable massage devices.

This year, we’ll be blessed with two full days of killer deals—July 12 and 13—but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in pre-Prime-Day deals with the array of A+ products that are already on sale. We found some absolute bangers to get the party started, because it’s never too early to save some dough. Make a snack, blast some 80s bops, and let's fill up those virtual shopping carts. 

Satisfyer Pro 2 Clitoral Stimulator

The Satisfyer Pro 2 is the top-selling vibrator we’ve featured many times over on Rec Room (including in this in-depth review), and for good reason: It’s truly the best bang for your buck when it comes to oral-sex-simulating clitoral-stimulation toys. Get off on non-contact pulsation and suction pressure for discreet solo play with 11 intensities to play around with, and right now, enjoy 20% off.

 COSORI Air Fryer Oven Compact

Air fryers have taken over TikTok, our kitchens, and our snack-making routines, and if you know where to look, you can find a solid one for under 100 bucks, like this COSORI model that’s loaded with features and has more than 7,000 tasty reviews from happy buyers. Reduce food’s oil content by up to 85%, roast, crisp, and bake (50% faster than a traditional oven) for just $99.99.

Bose SoundLink Wireless Headphones II

Bose is the boss when it comes to audio, which is why the brand’s headphones are forever faves for our readers (and everyone who cares how their playlist sounds). Bump to all your favorite tunes with this wireless, over-the-ear Bluetooth-equipped set that offers up to 15 hours of playtime on each charge. The best part? They’re 25% off right now.

Olsky Massage Gun 

We love our beloved Theragun, but this dupe also has a special place in our hearts. With nine speed levels and 12 different massage heads, you get an all-star massage for a quarter of the price of Therabody’s massagers—grab one right now for just $49.99 and blast your limbs with percussive therapy to your heart’s content.

RENPHO Eye Massager 

RENPHO’s vibrating eye massager is our absolute favorite device for relieving our tired, strained eyes. ​​The heated pads caress your weary sockets and replicate a top-notch face massage by squeezing and kneading away all the stress in your upper face. A massage for 31% off? Not too shabby. 

TORRAS Coolify Portable Air

Keep cool all day long on the sweltering subway platforms (and be the envy of your fellow commuters) with this ultra-handy cooling neck fan, which is currently 25% off. It includes 36 air vents to provide an “immersive cooling experience” for all your sweaty needs—and we love it.

Honeydew Scrumptious Side Sleeper Pillow 

Side sleepers, gather round. FYI, this pillow not only offers the crazy-good neck support you didn’t know you needed, but it cured our staffer’s problem with waking up in the middle of the night sweating and having an existential crisis. Plus, we want to slumber on anything “scrumptious” that resembles a huge marshmallow. This pillow has cooling copper gel and is filled with memory foam, and is ready to upgrade your sleep experience for $99.99. It’s a great alternative for another  bedding favorite that we hope will hit the sale rack this Prime Day—the Casper Foam Pillow with Snow Technology—and it’s $40 cheaper.

DASH Rapid Egg Cooker

Want to know what’s better than a bacon-egg-and-cheese when you’re hungover? An egg cooker that does all the work for you. This TikTok-famous egg-cooking device by Dash is capable of hard- and soft-boiling, scrambling, poaching, and making omelets, and right now the already affordable appliance is marked down an extra 6% (and we’ll be for sure keeping an eye on any additional price drops for Prime Day). 

Ninja Professional Blender 

We love cooling off with smoothies, but hate spending our paychecks on massively overpriced smoothies from the juice bar. This highly rated blender from Ninja, known for its powerful blending powers, can fit 72 ounces worth of liquids, blast ice into a snowy texture, and create delectable dips, soups, sauces, and, of course, smoothies that you would have paid $14 for at Equinox. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe and has a wildly good 4.7-out-of-5-star rating from nearly 40,000 reviews—and it’s already on sale for 30% off. 

Adjustable Standing Desk

Your work-from-home setup deserves to be state-of-the-art. Step one is to have a desk that you actually want to sit at—or stand at, and finding an adjustable standing height desk that isn’t clunky can be tough—but we love this one that gives you the best of both worlds with its height-adjusting motor and enough room for two monitors, for 29% off.

Amazon Fire 4K 50” TV

Popping a squat on the couch and flipping on trashy reality television (Love Island, whisk us away) will always be one of our favorite hobbies when it comes to de-stressing, managing hangovers, or just indulging in some good old-fashioned escapism. A smart TV makes it way easier to flip between your favorite garbage programming, which is why Amazon’s Fire 4K TV—sure to be marked down heavily for Prime Day—is a top choice. It will heavily upgrade your binging experience with its 4K Ultra HD screen that supports HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus sound, all of which which delivers a clearer, more vibrant picture with brighter colors and enhanced sound—and you can grab it for 45% off. 

Apple AirPods Pro

Ah AirPods Pro, the earbuds we all resisted for looking kinda weird and easy-to-lose, but have now come full circle on and can’t live without. You really can’t go wrong with their noise-cancellation technology, water-resistance, and in-case, fast-charging abilities. And for 20%, grabbing a new (or extra) pair looks even more inviting. Plus, if you don’t own an iPhone or MacBook, they also connect to Android devices and the Google Pixel. 

Soak up the deals now, or hold on to your carts until July 12 and 13—but either way, if you’re looking for deals, don’t miss these ones. Don’t have a Prime membership? It’s not too late to grab one and bask in bodacious bargains and two-day shipping for time immortal. And if you’re Amazon-averse but love saving bucks, we’ve got alternative sales and price-matched deals coming soon. See you in the Prime Day chaos, and you can thank us later for the recs.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.

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  A scene from Forza Horizon 5 on xCloud as seen with a Windows User-Agent string...

Microsoft's xCloud game streaming appears to dip to a lower visual quality setting when running on Linux. The apparent downgrade across operating systems was noted by a Reddit user over the holiday weekend and confirmed in Ars' own testing this morning.

To compare how xCloud handles a Linux machine vs. a Windows machine, an Edge extension was used during testing to force the browser's User-Agent string to present itself as a Linux browser:

• Windows User-Agent tested: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/103.0.5060.66 Safari/537.36 Edg/103.0.1264.44
• Linux User-Agent tested: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/102.0.5005.27 Safari/537.36 Edg/102.0.1245.7

Tests were conducted on the latest version of Microsoft Edge (Version 103.0.1264.44, 64-bit) running on a Windows 10 PC. All tests were run on a wired Internet connection registering download speeds of 120 Mbps and ~9 ms latency, according to spot tests at Fast.com.

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In this excerpt from her upcoming book, writer and historian Alyse Knorr talks about some of the design decisions that made Goldeneye 007 stand out from other '90s first-person shooters, and why that design endures to this day. The book is currently looking for backers on Kickstarter.

When [game designer David] Doak first joined the team at the end of 1995, GoldenEye’s levels were just barebones architecture—no objectives, enemies, or plot. After designing the watch menu, he and [game designer Duncan] Botwood started creating a single-player campaign that followed and expanded upon GoldenEye the movie’s narrative—a difficult task, considering the fact that the film’s dialogue about Lienz Cossack traitors and Kyrgyz missile tests went over the heads of quite a few 12-year-olds. Doak and Botwood’s job was to tell this complicated story using rudimentary pre- and post-mission cutscenes, pre-mission briefing paperwork, in-game conversations with NPCs, and mission objectives, which proved the most powerful way to allow players to experience the story themselves.

The biggest inspiration for GoldenEye’s objective design was not another first-person shooter but rather Super Mario 64. “I studiously tried to learn what Nintendo was,” [game designer Martin] Hollis said in 2015 of his years at Rare. “I played Link to the Past from beginning to end—I got all the hearts and all but two of the quarter hearts. I could write a thousand pages about that game. Then [an early version of] Mario 64 came out during the development of GoldenEye, and we were clearly influenced by that game. Ours was much more open as a result.” Hollis took from Super Mario 64 the idea of including multiple mission objectives within one level. For instance, in the Control level, the player must protect Natalya, disable the GoldenEye satellite, and destroy some armored mainframes.

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Cupertino is so sure of Lockdown Mode it's offering $2m to bug hunters to break it

Apple's latest security feature won't be used by most of its customers, but those who need Lockdown Mode could find it to be a literal life saver.…

Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images)

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, advocates for privacy and reproductive health have expressed fears that data from period-tracking apps could be used to find people who’ve had abortions.

They have a point. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the federal patient privacy law known as HIPAA, does not apply to most apps that track menstrual cycles, just as it doesn’t apply to many health care apps and at-home test kits.

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