Display technology has come a long way in recent years. OLED and LCD screens are brighter, more colorful and responsive than ever before, but at some point, they all still succumb to dust, dirt and grime. What’s worse is that there are a plethora of cl…
Black hole ‘quantum hair’ might solve a decades-old scientific paradox
Black holes have long been problematic for physicists — the general theory of relativity suggests information never comes out of them, but quantum mechanics wouldn’t allow that to happen. There might finally be an explanation that satisfies both camps, however. Researchers speaking to BBC News claim to have resolved the paradox with a theorem that black holes have “quantum hair,” or imprints in their gravitational fields left by components of the stars that formed them. This lets the information that went in also come out without violating either relativity or quantum mechanics.
The apparent solution came about after University of Sussex professor Xavier Calmet and others devised new mathematical techniques to approach the dilemma. It’s billed as the “yes hair theorem” in contrast to Prof. John Wheeler’s “no hair theorem” from the 1960s, which suggested that black holes were ‘bald’ entities that had no physical features beyond charge, mass and spin.
This new theorem doesn’t put a definitive end to debates. However, Calmet believes it might represent a key step in linking relativity to quantum mechanics and ending the conflict between the two theories. If so, it could prove highly valuable to both astrophysicists and the broader scientific community — they might not have to worry as much about theories breaking down in extreme situations.
Samsung’s Galaxy A53 offers 5G and a 120Hz screen for $450
Almost a year after Samsung revealed the Galaxy A52 (and the rest of the 2021 Galaxy A family), the company is back with even more phones. While the foldables and the Galaxy S22 line might grab the headlines and raise the bar for specs, the Galaxy A ph…
Amazon completes its $8.45 billion takeover of MGM
The James Bond, Rocky and RoboCop movies are now owned or co-owned by Amazon. The company has closed its $8.45 billion takeover of storied movie and TV studio MGM.
European Union antitrust regulators unconditionally approved the deal this week. They determined there wasn’t a great deal of overlap between the two companies, and that “MGM’s content cannot be considered as must-have” compared with other studios.
Amazon had reportedly given the Federal Trade Commission, which was said to have been reviewing the buyout, a deadline of mid-March to challenge or approve the acquisition. If the agency didn’t file a legal challenge by then, Amazon would have been free to move forward with the purchase.
MGM “will complement Prime Video and Amazon Studios’ work in delivering a diverse offering of entertainment choices to customers,” Amazon said in a press release. The studio has more than 4,000 films and 17,000 episodes of TV to its name, along with 180 Oscars and 100 Emmy Awards. MGM movies include classics such as Thelma & Louise, The Silence of the Lambs, The Magnificent Seven and Raging Bull.
Amazon will still release James Bond movies in theaters instead of hanging onto them as Prime Video exclusives. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bond reading by the pool with a Kindle in his next outing, as long as franchise co-owner Eon Productions gives the OK for that product placement.
It’s likely that the vast majority of MGM movies and TV shows will wind up on Prime Video following theatrical runs and after agreements with other streaming platforms expire.
Update 3/17 12:03PM ET: Noting that Amazon co-owns the James Bond franchise rather than owning it outright.
How to organize your desk at home
A healthy work from home environment is more than just setting up a laptop on a desk. If you want a more functional space, you should try to keep it neat and clutter-free as well. Here are a few recommendations from our staff that will help you organize your desk and hopefully be more productive as a result.
Monitor risers
Amazon
We suggested getting an external monitor in a previous WFH guide, too, and for good reason. It seriously increases your screen real estate and is oftentimes easier on the eyes. However, not all monitors are height adjustable and they do take up quite a bit of desk space. A monitor stand or riser is a way to resolve that. A simple yet effective one is the Amazon Basics model, which has stackable legs for your desired height (up to 4-⅞ inches) plus an 11-inch wide storage space underneath to store your laptop or other knick knacks.
If, on the other hand, you want something a little more stylish, this bamboo monitor stand from SONGMICS is a particularly attractive one. It comes with compartments designed to fit your phone, coffee mug, stationary, notepads and more. There are also well-placed cut-outs to help manage your cords and cables. We should note that the height isn’t adjustable, but in my experience its 3.35-inch range was enough to raise our monitor to eye level. This particular model also works well as a laptop stand thanks to three holes designed for optimal heat ventilation.
If you really don’t want a monitor on your desk at all, consider a monitor arm. This is an especially good choice if you’re restless and need to change your monitor position frequently. One of our favorites is the Jarvis monitor arm by Fully, which features a 360-degree swivel. It has a removable VESA plate and a clamp mount, plus the option of mounting the arm to grommet holes if your desk has them. It accommodates 13- to 32-inch monitors and can support a max weight of 19.8 pounds.
Buy Amazon Basics monitor rise at Amazon – $18Buy SONGMICS stand at Amazon – $52Buy Jarvis monitor arm at Fully – $129
Laptop stands
Will Lipman Photography
If you’re using your laptop as-is on your desk or on your lap, you’re doing it wrong. Hunching your shoulders to look at your screen is harmful for your posture, which can lead to back, neck and arm pain if you’re not careful. Instead, you’ll want your screen to be at eye level, and if you don’t have an external monitor, that means elevating your laptop with a stand. This has the added benefit of giving you more desk space as well.
We particularly recommend the Rain Design iLevel2. The height is easily adjustable thanks to a front slider, and its tilted design is also great for keeping your laptop cool. Alternatively, a slightly more affordable option is Rain Design’s own mStand, which has a fixed height and a cable organizer in the back that helps keep wires tucked away. Plus, it’s available in four different colors: black, gold, silver and space gray.
A slightly more affordable option is the Amazon Basics Laptop Stand, and though it has a fixed height, there’s a cable organizer in the back that helps keep wires tucked away.
If you do own an external monitor but don’t have a lot of extra space, we recommend a vertical stand. This one from Omoton can hold your closed laptop upright, which goes a long way in keeping your desk organized. It has an adjustable width varying from 0.55 to 2.71 inches, which should fit most laptops. The stand itself is made from scratch-resistant anodized aluminum alloy and has a wide, heavy base that will prevent your laptop from tipping over.
Buy Rain Design iLevel 2 at Amazon – $70Buy Rain Design mStand at Amazon – $40Buy Amazon Basics laptop stand at Amazon – $40Buy Omoton vertical stand at Amazon – $27
Laptop dock
CalDigit
Most laptops only have a limited number of ports, which could mean juggling multiple cables and cords. A dedicated docking station can help fix the clutter — we’ve recommended CalDigit’s TS3 Plus in the past, and now the company came out with an updated version of it: the Thunderbolt Station 4. It looks quite similar to the TS3 Plus from a design perspective, but there are a number of differences in its connectors. The TS4 supports up to 98W charging for your host machine and includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports, five USB-A ports, a 2.5GbE Gigabit Ethernet connector, microSD and regular SD card slots and more. The USB-C port on the front of the device supports 20W power, so you can connect something like an iPhone wireless charger and get the fastest charge possible. Some of its USB ports also support offline charging, which means they can power up phones and tablets even when the TS4 isn’t connected to its host device. It’s steep at $359, but it’s worthwhile if you want a highly capable docking station.
Another solid, and more affordable, option is the Lention 11-in-1 docking station. We like it because you can tuck it away beneath your laptop so it’s out of sight, and it gives a bit of a height boost as well. The Lention has ports for HDMI, VGA and DisplayPort, SD and Micro SD card readers, four USB ports (one USB-C, two USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0), Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Buy Thunderbolt 4 Station at CalDigit – $360Buy Lention 11-in-1 docking station at Amazon – $120
Phone chargers
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
A dedicated phone stand is a great way to keep your desk clutter-free while charging your handset at the same time. If you have a phone without wireless charging, we recommend the Lamicall stand, as it has a feeder hole for the charger cord on the back. The stand is made from a high-quality aluminum alloy and the cradle can be tilted back and forth for different viewing angles. If you like, you can position your phone horizontally to watch videos.
If you do have a phone with wireless charging, we strongly recommend using a wireless charger so you don’t have to mess around with pesky cords. The Anker PowerWave Stand is a good option as it supports 10W high-speed charging with the latest Samsung Galaxy handsets and 5W charging with the iPhone 12. We especially like how affordable it is ($16 as of this writing), though keep in mind that you need to supply your own power brick.
If you want to charge an iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once, consider a multi-device charger. One of our favorites is the Mophie 3-in-1 wireless charging stand, thanks to its compact form factor. We like that it has a small divot that was designed perfectly to hold an AirPods case so that there’s no risk of misalignment. Another excellent choice is the Logitech Powered 3-in-1 Dock, which could potentially be great for couples or those of you who own two handsets. That’s because the flat surface area for the AirPods case can also be used to charge a second phone.
Buy Lamicall stand at Amazon – $13Buy Anker PowerWave Stand at Amazon – $20Buy Mophie 3-in-1 charging stand at Amazon – $140Buy 3-in-1 dock at Logitech – $130
For those with an iPhone with MagSafe capabilities (the iPhone 12 or higher), we also like Belkin’s 3-in-1 Wireless Charger. The iPhone attaches to it automatically without the need for alignment, and you can swivel it from portrait to landscape. Plus, it offers up to 15 watts of fast wireless charging.
If you want something more affordable, this Anker MagGo charging station is a solid option as well. It only has a single magnetic charging pad on the front for your phone, but it does have a bunch of ports – three AC outlets, two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports – for charging other devices.
One way to really save some space is to get a lamp with a wireless charger built into the base. The IKEA Hektar has a classic look with a 5W induction charger, plus an extra USB port so you can charge two devices at once. Alternatively, this LED desk lamp by AFROG packs in a lot of features in a relatively small footprint. It has a wireless charger, a USB charging port, five lighting modes with seven levels of brightness plus a 30 or 60 minute shutoff timer.
For a more futuristic design, the Taotronics LED desk lamp’s slim style might be more your speed. It supports fast charging up to 7.5 watts (for iPhones) or 10 watts (for Samsung Galaxy phones) an extra USB port on the side; five different color temperatures; and an option for a one-hour dimmable desk lamp timer that’ll turn off when you go to bed.
Buy Belkin 3-in-1 charging stand at Amazon – $110Buy Anker MagGo charging station at amazon – $110Buy Hektar at IKEA – $75Buy AFROG lamp at Amazon – $29Buy Taotronics desk lamp at Walmart – $70
Standing desk converter
Fully
For those who want to get into standing desks but don’t have the money or space, a standing desk converter is a great alternative. It can convert any table into a work space, plus it provides additional storage underneath. The Cora from Fully is one that we like a lot, thanks to its sturdy aluminum frame. Lifting or lowering it is as easy as pressing the handles on either side, and it’s super lightweight so you can easily move your workspace out of sight at the end of the workday.
A slightly more affordable alternative is the Flexispot 31-inch standing desk converter. It’s not quite as attractive as the Cora, but it’s still pretty sturdy. Plus, it comes with a removable keyboard tray, which not only frees up space on the desktop, but also improves your posture when typing either when standing or sitting.
Buy Cora desk converter at Fully – $159Buy Flexispot desk converter at Amazon – $120
Cable management
Cable Clips
Like most people, you probably have a mess of cords dangling behind your desk. A simple way to overcome that is with a few simple cable management tools. The easiest would be to use either twist ties or Velcro wrap ties like these, which are strong, reusable and affordable.
Another option is to use a cord management organizer like these cable clips. They let you organize seven cables with a single clip, which you can then attach to your desk or wall with a self-adhesive backing. You’ll never have to worry about the cord falling behind the desk.
One common eyesore in most homes are those overflowing power strips with cables strewn all over the place. A cable management box like this one from D-Line can help keep all of it contained in one attractive unit and make areas under your desk easier to clean. The box comes in white or black, has three cord entry and exit points and is large enough to fit most power strips.
Buy Velcro wraps at Amazon – $12Buy cable clips at Amazon – $8Buy D-Line cable management box at Amazon – $20
Headphone stands
Lamicall
Over-the-ear headphones provide superior sound, but can take up a good deal of space on your desk when not in use. Instead, try hanging them on a headphone stand which, aside from keeping your space tidy, can also protect your headphones from getting scratches. This affordable one from Lamicall is made out of aluminum and ABS plastic and has a low center of gravity, which makes for a more stable base. It also has a simple and stylish “bird-shaped” look that will add a nice touch of flair to your desk space.
Alternatively, you can also choose to keep your headphones out of sight entirely with an under-desk hook like the Anchor, which has space for two sets of headphones. It’s made out of premium silicone and secures safely to your desk with 3M adhesive strips. There are optional screw mounts if you want to make the placement a little more permanent.
Buy Lamicall headphone stand at Amazon – $16Buy Anchor headphone hook at Amazon – $15
Apple Watch Series 7 is back to an all-time low price of $339
Want an Apple Watch Series 7 now that spring is making outdoor exercise easier? Now might be a good time to get one. Amazon is once again selling the 41mm Series 7 in Midnight aluminum for $339, an all-time low price we haven’t seen since December. Other shades are also discounted to around $349. Blue, green and red 45mm aluminum models are down to a record-low $369 if a larger case looks better on your wrist.
Buy Apple Watch (41mm) at Amazon – $339Buy Apple Watch (45mm) at Amazon – $369
Apple Watch Series 7 remains a solid value half a year later. It’s a subtle evolution of Series 6, but the larger screen is easier to use and better for quick glimpses during a meeting or workout. A dustproof design might prove crucial during hikes. You might also appreciate the faster charging, particularly if you use sleep tracking and want a full battery before you start work. Add a strong app ecosystem and tight integration with Apple offerings like Fitness+ and it’s an easy choice if you’re an iPhone owner.
The usual caveats remain. Android users need not apply, for a start. The built-in sleep tracking is lackluster, and dedicated athletes may want a fitness watch. And while the battery life is stronger than before, you won’t find the days or weeks of use you get with some alternatives. Still, the Apple Watch is considered the gold standard of iPhone-friendly smartwatches for a reason — it’s a good all-rounder.
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Apple Mac Studio review: Big Mac mini
If you think you need the sheer power of the Mac Studio, then you probably need the Mac Studio. That’s all you really need to know about Apple’s squat little desktop. It fits neatly into the company’s current offerings: The Studio delivers more performance than the M1 Max-powered MacBook Pros, but it costs significantly less and gives you access to all the ports you’d want from a desktop. It’s basically the super-powered Mac Mini many have been waiting for. The only question for the Mac faithful: Should you get one, or wait for the Mac Pro revamp that’ll surely blow it out of the water?
The answer, naturally, will depend on your budget. The Mac Studio starts at $1,999 with the M1 Max chip and jumps to $3,999 if you want to go full beast mode with the M1 Ultra. But while those prices may seem high, they’re in line with PC workstations meant for editing 4K and 8K video. If it’s not clear by now, the Studio isn’t really targeted at mainstream consumers – that’s what the Mac Mini is for. Its purpose lies in its name: It’s a diminutive desktop meant for creative professionals working in something akin to a studio (or a swanky home office).
Here’s what’s really exciting, though: The Mac Studio is within reach for many professionals. It’s more practical than the ill-fated iMac Pro, which started at $4,999 when it launched in 2017. (At the time, even we were genuinely confused about its intended audience.) That machine was unceremoniously discontinued last year, to no one’s surprise. The Studio is also far more approachable than the long-awaited Mac Pro Apple introduced in 2019, a feat of industrial design with a $5,999 entry price (which could easily scale to tens of thousands of dollars). The Mac Pro was certainly an impressive beast, but it was so far removed from consumers that Apple never sold it in their retail stores.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
The Mac Studio has some benefits that are obvious even before you turn it on: It doesn’t take up much floor or desk space; it’s easy to move around (clocking in at either 5.9 pounds for the M1 Max model or 7.9 pounds for the M1 Ultra); and its curvy aluminum case looks like something you’d find at MoMa. It’s not meant to disappear into the background like the Mac Mini. No, the Studio deserves a prominent spot on your desk, a symbol that you’ve become a true creative professional.
Also, you’d definitely want it on your desk to get easy access to all of its ports. So many ports! Up front, there are two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C connections and an easily accessible microSD card slot. On the rear, they’re joined with four more Thunderbolt 4 USB-C sockets, two USB Type-A connections, a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI and a headphone jack. I was shocked Apple even remembered USB Type-A exists, but I’m sure plenty of customers will be pleased that they can still use their old gear.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
My only quibble is the rear headphone jack/line out connection: It’s fine if you’re using speakers, but it’s annoying for people who constantly need to plug and unplug their headphones, especially since it’s right beside the power button. (I know several video editors who’ll be particularly peeved by this.)
Apple sent along two Mac Studio models for testing: one with an M1 Max chip and 64GB of RAM, and another with the M1 Ultra chip and 128GB of RAM. (I can say with certainty there’s never been this much RAM on my desk at once.) The M1 Max is pretty much the same chip that was featured on the new MacBook Pro: It has 10 CPU cores (8 8 performance cores, 2 for efficiency), a 24-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for AI processing.
In all practical respects, the M1 Ultra is basically two M1 Max chips joined together with Apple’s “UltraFusion” die-to-die interconnect. That means you can just double all of those stats: It has a 20-core CPU, 48-core GPU and a 32-core Neural Engine. The M1 Ultra can be equipped with up to 128GB of unified RAM with 800 GB/s of memory bandwidth (again, double what’s possible on the M1 Max).
While Apple’s custom processors were miraculous on laptops — delivering speed and power efficiency like we’ve never seen before with x86 CPUs — desktop workstations are a far greater challenge. AMD has been able to cram 64 cores into the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X, a monstrously powerful chip with a power-hungry 280-watt TDP (thermal dynamic profile). But then again, that chip can cost well over $8,000.
Apple’s more direct competition is the Intel Core i9-12900K. While the company didn’t offer specific details on its chip thermals, it noted that the M1 Ultra can reach up to 90 percent higher performance in the same power envelope as the “fastest 16-core PC desktop chip available.” That’s most likely the 12900K. Apple adds that the Ultra can match that PC chip’s peak performance while using 100 watts less power.
|
Geekbench 5 CPU |
Cinebench R23 |
Disk speed (top reads/writes) |
|
|
Apple Mac Studio (M1 Ultra) |
1,785/23,942 |
1,537/24,078 |
9.86 GB/s / 6.39 GB/s |
|
Apple Mac Studio (M1 Max) |
1,715/12,642 |
1,534/12,314 |
9.23 GB/s / 6.36 GB/s |
|
Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M1 Max) |
1,783/12,693 |
1,524/12,281 |
5.1 GB/s / 6.2 GB/s |
|
Intel NUC 12 Extreme (Intel Core i9-12900, NVIDIA RTX 3080) |
1,762/13,371 |
6.1 GB/s / 5 GB/s |
The big takeaway: You can expect the Mac Studio to deliver a lot of performance without generating much heat or fan noise. And, for the most part, that’s what I found during my testing. The M1 Ultra-powered Mac Studio achieved the highest Geekbench 5 and Cinebench R23 multithreaded scores we’ve ever seen, all without spinning up its fan or working up a sweat. The M1 Max model, meanwhile, scored the same as the Max-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro, and well above other 10-core systems. Intel’s 14- and 16-core 12th-gen chips scored slightly higher than the M1 Max in multithreaded performance, but the M1 Ultra trounced them completely.
I’m not a professional video editor, and I don’t work with complex 3D models regularly. So I relied on a few Apple-provided projects to get a better sense of the Mac Studio’s real-world performance: an 8K video edit in Final Cut Pro, and a 54-million voxel CT scan in Horos Mobile. I was able to export an 8K version of that 34-second video in 23 seconds on both Mac Studios (the M1 Max model took 0.2 seconds longer). There was a slightly bigger difference when exporting to 4K: the M1 Ultra Mac Studio took 23.5 seconds, while the M1 Max took an additional two seconds.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Both systems also let me rotate and explore that massive Horos Mobile CT scan without any major slowdowns. Apple’s unified memory architecture is particularly helpful for large files, since it gives the GPU direct access to all of the system’s RAM. PC GPUs, meanwhile, are limited by their onboard memory. NVIDIA’s flagship RTX 3090 packs in 24GB of VRAM, but our Mac Studios could give Horos Mobile, or any other app, access to a big chunk of their 64GB or 128GB of RAM if necessary. That alone could make them tempting for editors working with feature-length 8K videos.
So sure, the Mac Studios can deliver a ton of performance. But there are plenty of downsides when compared to PC workstations. For one, since they’re Macs, there aren’t many games to play when you need some R&R. Apple Arcade titles are decent distractions, and there are a handful of older and indie Steam games that run on the Mac Studio, like Hitman and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. But you can give up hope on playing new titles like Elden Ring, or using PC VR headsets. Apple’s M1 chips are based on a mobile ARM architecture, so you can’t install Windows on the Mac Studio like you could with Intel-based Macs. External GPUs are also out of the question, since Apple’s Silicon depends on having direct access to GPU hardware (an eGPU would just be slowed down by the Thunderbolt interface).
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
You can’t upgrade the Mac Studio either, which is a bummer if you wanted to jump to faster SSDs in a few years. Their RAM is built right into the M1 chips, which means there’s no physical way to expand the memory either. I’d wager many creatives wouldn’t have much of a reason to upgrade anyway, though. The M1 Max model comes with 32GB of RAM by default, while the Ultra configuration has 64GB. The SSDs on both systems are also incredibly fast, delivering almost 10 Gigabytes per second read speeds and over 6 GB/s in writing performance. Those are the highest figures we’ve ever clocked on SSDs.
As great as the overall Mac Studio experience is, it’s hampered a bit by Apple’s accessories. The Magic Keyboard is fine to type on, but I’d still like more key depth. And the Magic Mouse is, once again, a disastrous design. You can only charge it from the bottom, and it’s simply too small for me to use comfortably. Instead, I gravitated towards the Magic Trackpad, which feels more like using one of Apple’s laptops. If you’re a PC user jumping ship to Macs, I’d recommend bringing over your favorite Logitech hardware instead.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
If you just want a powerful Mac desktop, and you’re fine with the lack of upgradability, the Mac Studio will serve you well for years. But if you’re concerned you may outgrow it soon, you’ve also got plenty of PC workstations to choose from. Intel’s NUC 12 Extreme (above) is a bit larger, but it can be equipped with a full-sized graphics card and you can upgrade the RAM and SSDs as much as you want. That machine only comes as a DIY kit, but you’ll be able to buy pre-configured models from third-party retailers eventually. Alternatively, you could always go for a pre-built small-form-factor PC from builders like Origin, but expect to pay more than the cheapest Mac Studio.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
As I mentioned up top, Apple’s revamped Mac Pro could be a compelling option for power-hungry creators. But it would likely cost well over $6,000 at a minimum, based on the pricing for the last model and the fact that the $4,000 Mac Studio exists. At this point, the Mac Pro seems like it’s only meant for production houses or people with seriously deep pockets.
Unlike the iMac Pro, it’s easy to tell who the Mac Studio is for: People who demand power, ports and reasonably priced hardware. It’s taken a while, but now Apple finally has a Mac desktop that can go toe-to-toe with PC workstations under $5,000.
‘Discovery’ fully clicks into the philosophy of Star Trek with its fourth season finale
The following contains minor spoilers for season four, episode 14 of ‘Star Trek: Discovery.’
Season four has been an interesting one for Star Trek: Discovery. The show finally embraced a more episodic format, only to slide back into an ongoing storyline in the back half of the season. But today’s finale once again promises a return to the things that make Star Trek, well, Star Trek. And, while Discovery also made those promises at the end of last season, there’s more reason to believe that this time the changes will stick.
It starts with the fact that while the major threat this season began as a spatial anomaly (known as the Dark Matter Anomaly, or “DMA”), it was discovered to be merely a harvesting tool used by a previously unknown species, one the Federation calls the 10C. It may have seemed harmless to the 10C in its role as farmers, but the Federation found itself in the role of a rabbit in front of a plow. The DMA destroyed Kwejian; both Ni’Var (née Vulcan) and Earth were next.
CBS
In previous seasons this would have shifted Starfleet into action hero mode, and some characters did advocate for a more assertive and violent approach. But instead of merely jumping into the fray we got lots of… arguing. This may not sound exciting, but it’s always been one of the things Star Trek does best: people discussing conflicting ideas. Some advocated for a peaceful solution and that was ultimately the course decided upon, since it was closest to the Federation ethos of peace and exploration. In other series this might seem like a terrible idea, but Trek is supposed to be, in theory, a utopia. This kind of thinking is one of the cornerstones of the franchise.
There are those who disagree, spearheaded by Cleveland Booker and Ruon Tarka. But while their actions turn them into antagonists, they don’t become villains. We’ve seen this in previous shows like The Next Generation and Voyager, where terrorists like the Maquis were treated with empathy. In Discovery it’s even more at the forefront given Book’s status as a main character, but also the series’ ethos as the Star Trek show that’s all about feelings. While the show sometimes takes flak for all the crying, here the emotional elements feel well balanced, with everyone’s motives clearly articulated both to each other and to the audience. It’s easy to understand each character even if you disagree.
And understanding is the lynchpin of the plot here; the 10C are not carbon-based lifeforms and they don’t communicate like humanoids do. It’s a classic Star Trek problem, as seen in episodes like “Darmok” or “Amok Time.” So last week’s episode was dedicated to the crew and assorted ambassadors methodically working through mathematical and chemical solutions to build a working bridge language. They managed to establish to the 10C that there were problems with the DMA, opening up the door to further negotiation in this week’s episode.
“Coming Home” has a lot of meanings in the context of the actual episode. There’s the threat of the DMA heading toward Earth, there’s a number of scenes set in our solar system involving returning character Sylvia Tilly, and reconciliation between Michael Burnham and her lover Cleveland Booker, the person who grounds her in the 32nd century.
CBS
But there’s also meaning in that the episode is where Discovery finally reconciles itself as a Star Trek show, making its highest point of drama not the struggle to evacuate a doomed planet, or the attempts to stop Tarka’s plan, but the actual face-to-face (so to speak) discussion with the 10C. It’s nothing like the action-based approach of the Abrams films or even earlier seasons that dealt with war and time travel and evil sentient computers. It’s diplomacy. It’s a lot of talking, and sitting around and talking about feelings.
And some of those feelings are what you’d call… environmentally minded. It isn’t enough that the 10C merely stops destroying planets that house sentient life. The fact is, the DMA also creates pollution and that needs to be stopped as well. With Earth in immediate danger it seems like an unreasonable ask at the moment, but it’s also very much in the ethos of Star Trek to consider one’s general societal and galactic impact as well. The core of Star Trek is humanism and social justice, and so many classic episodes deal with issues of identity, civil rights, and environmental issues. Discovery has spent so much time dealing with one huge violent crisis after another that it hasn’t had time to do simpler humanist metaphors, and bringing that in at the end here seems to indicate a desire to deal with those issues more in upcoming seasons.
The entire denouement makes that promise: The Federation is growing in strength, the Discovery crew is taking some time off for themselves, and a very special guest toward the end seems to be the show making its politics clear to those segments of the audience who love to decry “woke Trek.” Star Trek has always been woke, but Discovery has only dipped its toe into the water in previous seasons. With its fifth season on the horizon, it’s ready to plunge fully in.
Roomba robot vacuums gain Siri voice support as part of big update
iRobot’s latest software update gives its Roomba robot vacuums and Braava jet robot mops the ability to respond to Siri voice commands. The Genius 4.0 Home Intelligence update adds Siri Shortcut Integration to the iRobot Home app, allowing iOS users to connect their devices to Apple’s voice assistant. Similar to Google Assistant and Alexa users, they can set up their custom phrases or simply say “Hey Siri, ask Roomba to clean everywhere” to start the vacuum.
Genius 4.0 also gives users the capability to create customizable smart maps for the Roomba i3 and i3+ models, which they can access if they want their devices to clean specific rooms in the house. They can also create custom cleaning routines based on their schedules, automatons and the rooms they want to send the vacuum to. These particular features are now available in the Americas and will make their way to customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa by the end of the third quarter.
Users who own a Roomba s9/s9+, Roomba j7/j7+, Roomba i7/i7+ and Braava jet m6 — all Imprint Smart Mapping-capable robots — will have more control over how their robots clean, as well. They can program their machines to thoroughly clean a high traffic area, for instance, and give rooms that aren’t always occupied a quick pass.
To prevent accidental starts, owners will be able to activate a Child & Pet Lock option in the iRobot Home app. When switched on, it deactivates the physical clean button on WiFi-enabled vacuums and mops, which can then only be activated through the application. In addition, a new Do Not Disturb feature ensures the machines won’t switch on at times the user specifies, such as when they’re sleeping or expected to be on video calls for work or for school. Finally, the update gives the Roomba j7 and j7+ the ability to avoid clothing and towels on the floor, in addition to the other objects (including poop!) they can already recognize.
While Do Not Disturb is already available globally, the other features might take some time to reach all users. The software update has already started making its way to customers worldwide, but the rollout won’t be finished until the end of June.
The Morning After: ‘Elden Ring’ is a hit
Bandai Namco expected to sell four million copies of FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. Considering Dark Souls 3 sold three million copies in the month it came out, that seemed a relatively ambitious goal. Elden Ring, however, eclipsed the company’s expectations: It sold 12 million units worldwide, one million in Japan alone, within 18 days of its release.
Elden Ring was made with help from Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, who wrote the overarching mythos for the game — yes, there are dragons — so one part of the press release may not be a huge surprise: the possibility of expanding the IP “beyond the realm of games.” Elden Ring, a new HBO series, coming soon?
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
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Two master skydivers will swap planes mid-air in Hulu livestream
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Epson’s latest laser projector promises 4K 120Hz output for $3,999
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Sam Barlow’s Immortality trilogy hits Xbox and PC this summer
Apple iPad Air (2022) review
Almost future proof.
Engadget
Nathan Ingraham thinks the iPad Air is the best iPad for most people: It’s significantly better than the basic $329 iPad and is nearly identical to the 11-inch iPad Pro, which costs $200 more than the Air. If you want a bigger or smaller screen, the iPad mini and 12.9-inch iPad Pro are still great options. But if you want a premium tablet that’s about as future-proof as it gets, the iPad Air is the way to go.
Netflix tests out ways to stop you sharing your login
It’s kicking off a test in Peru, Chile and Costa Rica.
Netflix is gearing up to do something about unauthorized account sharing. After testing a notification last year that pushed people to stop mooching and get their own Netflix accounts, the company has announced another test in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, which will let subscribers pay extra to share their accounts with people outside their home. According to Variety, subscribers will be able to add up to two “sub-members” for $2.99 each in Costa Rica. Those users will get their own Netflix logins, recommendations and profile.
Chipotle’s experimental tortilla robots know to add a little variety
Just tortilla chips for now.
Chipotle is testing Chippy, a version of Miso Robotics’ arm-based automaton (already in use at White Castle) customized to make tortilla chips. The bot not only knows how to replicate Chipotle’s recipe but is smart enough to add “subtle variations” to keep things interesting — you might get a little more lime or salt.
Netflix brings Ukraine president’s sitcom back to its US service
The service claims ‘Servant of the People’ is back by popular demand.
Netflix
Before he became president, Volodymyr Zelensky was a famous actor and comedian. He starred in a satirical comedy series called Servant of the People, which is now once again available to view on Netflix in the US. It’s an odd move, amid the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in which thousands of people have been killed.
How to sell your used and unwanted gadgets
There are lots of ways to make a buck off your old stuff.
Our latest spring-cleaning guide is about clearing out your old tech — and hopefully making cash out of it. We highlight the best trade-in sites and stores, advice on how to sell directly and how to get the best cash-back deals, too. Maybe you’d be interested in an OLED upgrade for your old Switch?
Audio-Technica’s 20-hour earbuds are now available in the US for $149
Even with ANC on, the company promises up to 15 hours of use.
Audio-Technica introduced its latest true wireless earbuds last month in the UK and EU, and now you can order the long-lasting ATH-CKS50TW model in the US. For $149, you can expect up to 20 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation (ANC) disabled and up to 15 hours with it on. That’s well beyond what most of the competition offers — with or without noise-canceling abilities. The buds are due to ship early-to-mid April.