Pop Culture & Current Events

The New York Times Games App Just Got a Social Makeover—and If You’re as Competitive as I Am, You’re Gonna Love It

The New York Times Games app just added something that’s bound to fire up your group chats and put your puzzle prowess to the test: a shiny new in-app multi-game leaderboard. As of today, you can now see how your daily scores stack up across Threads, Spelling Bee, Connections, and more—so get ready for some friendly competition (or full-blown bragging rights) with friends, family, and that one coworker who swears they’re the fastest at Wordle.

Events, News

The Iconic LAVA Lamp Has Just Turned 60, and It’s Still the Coolest Thing in the Room!

What do a science experiment, a piece of pop art, and a relaxing meditation aid have in common? If you guessed a LAVA Lamp, you’re already glowing in the right direction. April 5 is lighting up in a big way this year—not only is it National LAVA Lamp Day, but it’s also the 60th anniversary of the iconic brand. That’s six decades of swirling wax, ambient glow, and unapologetic retro charm. Whether you grew up with one on your nightstand or just discovered its hypnotic magic, now’s the perfect time to celebrate the glow that never goes out of style.

News

UGREEN and Genshin Impact Collaborate to Power Your Adventures with a Limited-Edition Charging Collection

If your idea of a perfect gaming session involves hours of adventuring through Teyvat, battling elemental foes, and uncovering the mysteries of Genshin Impact, then you probably know the struggle of watching your battery life dwindle at the worst possible moment. Enter UGREEN, the tech brand that actually understands the plight of gamers, and their new collaboration with Genshin Impact. The result? The UGREEN and Genshin Impact collection of limited-edition charging accessories that are as stylish as they are functional. Launching today across 14 countries, this co-branded lineup brings a little Natlan flair to your everyday tech!

Deals

Xfinity’s Wicked Black Friday Deals Are Downright Magical!

Are you excited for Wicked Part One? At a minimum, it’s generated plenty of off-screen drama and at least one collector’s item box, but it’s also inspiring cross-marketing sales. Xfinity is jumping on the Wicked/Black Friday wave with big sales on Xfinity mobile devices!

Limited Edition NFL Echo Pop showing the Carolina Panthers

Gear Bits

Score Big with Amazon’s Limited Edition NFL Echo Pop: Your Team Spirit, Alexa Smarts, and Game Day Ready!

NFL season is here, and Amazon has dropped something perfect for football fans who want to bring their team spirit into their everyday life. The limited edition NFL Echo Pop smart speaker is now available, featuring designs for all 32 NFL teams. Whether you’re decking out a dorm room, adding some flair to your apartment, or creating the ultimate game day setup, these devices are a fun way to represent your favorite team at home.

WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye: 2024 Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber Single Barrel

Gear Bits

WhistlePig Teams up with Sauber F1 for a Limited Edition PiggyBack Rye and a High-Stakes $1.77M Bet

WhistlePig has a new limited edition whiskey that combines the thrill of Formula 1 racing with the art of slow whiskey-making. Their latest release, the WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye: Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber Single Barrel, has been chosen by the Sauber F1 team as their official whiskey, bringing a bit of racing spirit to your glass.

Editorials, Game Diary

DO NOT Pre-Order Star Wars Outlaws

I beg you. Do not pre-order Star Wars Outlaws. That’s it, article over. Jokes aside, I can guess that some of you may have seen that a Star Wars action-adventure game was set to be released, and the ol’ nostalgia brain chemicals may have fired immediately. Not to be a wet and crusty towel on your potential hope and excitement, but this news scared me for a few reasons.

Gear Bits

TCL Enlists AI to Make the Movie, “Next Stop Paris,” and We Have a Few Concerns

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but TCL’s new movie trailer for Next Stop Paris is suspicious. It’s apparently part of TCL’s push for AI-generated content, and it’s been made by a mix of human writing, actors in motion capture, and generative AI. It’s also the best argument I’ve ever seen for not being worried that AI will replace real actors anytime soon!

Astronaut holding Astronaut Food freeze dried ice cream on the moon

Gear Bits

Astronaut Foods Can Make Your 2024 Eclipse Safe and Tasty

Get ready to mark your calendars because a rare celestial event is on the horizon! The last time North America witnessed a solar eclipse was back in 2017, and we won’t get another chance until 2044. But on Monday, April 8th, skygazers in parts of the US will be treated to an awe-inspiring sight. What better way to get kids interested in science and space exploration? Astronaut Foods, known for its freeze-dried ice cream and fruit, is stepping up to make this celestial celebration one to remember.

Editorials

Dbrand and Zack Nelson of JerryRigEverything File Copyright Lawsuit Against CASETiFY Over Stolen Teardown Designs

It’s not always easy to prove that someone has stolen your work, but that doesn’t appear to be the case (pun intended) here. Dbrand and Zack Nelson from JerryRigEverything have just filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against CASETiFY, a global smartphone case-making giant. Zack Nelson has laid a compelling outline of how CASETiFY has been ripping off dbrand and JerryRigEverything’s Teardown line of skin and case designs. What’s going on? Read on to find out.

Reviews

The 6′ Tall Dunkin’ Spider Donut Inflatable is a Halloween Crowd Pleaser

Nothing says Halloween like a donut, right? Well, Dunkin’ thinks so, and every Fall, my kids look forward to the seasonal emergence of the Spider Donut. This year, they’re helping us celebrate at home with the new 6′ Dunkin’ Spider Donut Inflatable! Complete with a built-in fan and LED lights; it’s a fun way to decorate for Halloween.

Game Diary, News

Street Fighter 6 Launches June 2nd with a Chipotle X Capcom Collaboration That You Won’t Want to Miss!

Now this is news I didn’t expect in my inbox. In the leadup to the much-anticipated video game Street Fighter 6, Capcom and Chipotle have announced that coinciding with the game launch on June 2nd, for a limited time, Chipotle will be the first restaurant brand to give Street Fighter 6 players the opportunity to earn Fighter Coins through digital entrée purchases made on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com and through the Chipotle Rewards Exchange.

Editorials

PSA Regarding Facebook: They May Owe You Part of a $725 Million Settlement

$725 Million is how much Facebook is having to pay to settle multiple data breach lawsuits to make them go away. $725 Million. Let that sink in for a moment. And if you live in the US and used Facebook at any point in the last 16 years, you may be entitled to a portion of it.

Privacy and Security in Mobile Health Apps

Editorials, Health and Fitness

We Need to Talk About Protecting Your Privacy When Using Health Apps

Privacy has become a big discussion point these days since it feels like every app wants permission to use your camera, access your microphone, and track you all over the place. Ensuring that your private information is securely kept becomes especially relevant when considering apps that track your health, particularly those that track your reproductive health. Do you really need to be concerned about your privacy when using health apps? For many reasons, the answer is yes.

Editorials

Pride 2022: The Fight for Equal Rights Still Isn’t Over

A few years ago, I ranted about how commercialized Pride has become. That hasn’t changed; if anything, “rainbow capitalism” has tripled in the last four years. Unfortunately, so has discrimination, and there’s been a rise in legislative actions designed to chip away at the rights of the LGBTQ community.

Editorials

How to Avoid Misinformation and Scams While Trying to Help Ukraine

As the heartbreaking situation continues to unfold in Ukraine, it feels like there’s a lot of information flying around and a lot of organizations saying they’re there to help. If you’re not sure what news is legitimate or which charities and groups are actually getting resources to Ukraine, you’re not alone. We’ve put together a resource with verifiable organizations working to help Ukraine and resources to help determine fact from fiction in a very chaotic situation.

Editorials

Think Before You Share That “Deep” Quote on Facebook

Recently my attention was drawn to an issue on social media that I have a feeling many of us may have experienced. A friend of mine had reposted a statement that resonated with them on their Facebook page. Someone else attempted to rebut that statement by using a quote that they misattributed to Voltaire when in fact, the quote came from a neo-Nazi. Here’s the statement that started the exchange.

Editorials

Freedom Phone Is a Dumb Purchase, but You Do You

Here’s a fun fact for you: Toyota designs their Lexus and Toyota logos to be the same size; it’s so they can easily swap the designs. Yes, a Lexus will be nicer, but why design two different steering wheels if the same dimensions can work for both brands? At the same time, you’d probably feel pretty dumb and angry if you bought a Lexus from a dealer only to discover they had charged you Lexus prices for an old Corolla with a Lexus badge. And if that sounds far-fetched, well, just ask anyone who was suckered into buying a Freedom…

Gear Bits

You Never Know Where Master & Dynamic’s Amazing MW65 Headphones Will Show Up

Greg reviewed the very first pair of Master & Dynamic headphones. He swore by them and, in the years since, Judie and I have also become fans. The company’s MW65 Over-the-Ear headphones are among the best ANC headphones I’ve tried. It’s why they are one of only a few items we have ever designated as a Gear Diary Editor’s Choice. Apparently, we aren’t the only ones who appreciate them.

Gear Bits, Events

Led Zeppelin Pinball Sounds Like a Great Way to Rock Out in 2021

Sometimes you don’t think of two things as complementary, then when you see them together, it all clicks. The first person to combine peanut butter and jelly probably got some odd looks, and we all know bacon makes everything better. Another combo you might not consider, but that works surprisingly well? Led Zeppelin + Stern Pinball = Led Zeppelin Pinball!

Editorials

Parler CEO Fails to See the Bigger Picture Beyond His Own Failure

One of the most important things kids are taught these days in school is that words and emotions matter. My son was being taught as early as kindergarten about healthy ways to express how he felt and why his choice of words mattered. It appears similar training may be needed for John Matze, the CEO of Parler.