NoneSACRAMENTO ST. (2-4) Holt 3-5 4-4 10, Brewer 4-5 0-0 10, Neal 4-12 0-0 12, Skytta 2-5 0-0 5, Vaughns 5-8 0-0 12, Nunn 0-4 4-5 4, Williams 2-9 0-2 4, Dioramma 2-8 2-2 6, Beatty 0-0 0-1 0, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-56 10-14 63.I saw 'Wicked' opening weekend — here's my take on the box office smashThe Dallas Cowboys ended five weeks of frustration with a 34-26 win at Washington in a Sunday decision overflowing with both hilarious and historic moments. And one guy who obviously feels he's earned an at-least temporary last laugh? Micah Parsons, who not once but twice last week in the buildup for this game proclaiming that his Cowboys are a "damn good football team.'' Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.
SEOUL, South Korea , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have unveiled a reliable companion for industrial work, the wearable robot 'X-ble Shoulder.' This device, just by being worn, can increase workers' efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal injuries. Two videos released on Hyundai Motor Group's YouTube channel show the X-ble Shoulder in action, including product features and the development story . Hyundai Motor and Kia unveiled the X-ble Shoulder at Wearable Robot Tech Day held at the Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang near Seoul . The X-ble brand — a combination of 'X,' symbolizing infinite potential, and 'able,' indicating that anything can be realized — heralds a new era in wearable technology. The X-ble Shoulder, the first product in the X-ble line, is an industrial wearable robot developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia's Robotics LAB. When used in 'overhead work' where the arm is raised, it can assist the user's upper arm muscle strength and reduce the burden on the upper extremity musculoskeletal system. The X-ble Shoulder will find use in various industries, including construction, shipbuilding, aviation and agriculture, not just automobiles. Following its domestic launch, the companies plan to gradually expand sales to overseas markets. In addition to the X-ble Shoulder, Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to develop an industrial wearable robot 'X-ble Waist' to assist the waist when lifting heavy loads, and a medical wearable robot 'X-ble MEX' for the rehabilitation of the walking impaired. "The X-ble Shoulder is a wearable robot that leverages the technical capabilities of the Robotics LAB and implements feedback from actual users," said Dong Jin Hyun , Vice President and Head of Robotics LAB at Hyundai Motor and Kia. "Going forward, we aim to expand the availability of wearable robots, creating products that work naturally with users to enhance their daily lives. By pushing technological boundaries, we will make these beneficial products accessible to more people." View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-motor-and-kias-robotics-lab-announce-plans-to-launch-x-ble-shoulder-at-wearable-robot-tech-day-302317253.html SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company; Kia CorporationB.C. premier says feds and provinces plan right-left approach to Trump's tariff plans
Calls Mount For Removal Of Major College Football Coach After Rivalry Game
“I like to believe that I’m a very simple person, trying to make a tangible difference in a world that’s urgently in need of it,” said Hesara Punchihewa, author of Playing the Devil’s Hand which was recently published by the Jam Fruit Tree Publications. Professionally, he’s a 25- year- old medical student in his fifth year of his MBBS degree. Whilst being a writer of English fiction, Hesara also aspires to produce meaningful and eye-opening works of fiction that address the most pressing and dire issues affecting the present social sphere. “My journey as a writer was sparked at a rather young age. As a little kid who was mesmerised and inspired by the likes of brilliant minds such as JK Rowling, Charles Dickens and Louisa May Alcott, it was my undying dream to one day bring my own novel out into the world,” he said. Hesara’s first attempt where he completed a manuscript was at the age of 12. Since then he has had several failed attempts at getting his first novel published. “I was never much of a technologically advanced person – I suppose I’m still not – and hence, I found myself handwriting these manuscripts on single-ruled exercise books,” said Hesara. This process, of course, took so much more time than typing the manuscript with the relevant software. With time, after several attempts, his first novel ‘A LIE OF A LIFE’ was published in 2020, at the age of 21. This was his first real significant win, in terms of his career as an author. Personal experience Hesara believes his writing has definitely taken a turn since his first publication. With a lot of material from his own personal experience now being incorporated into his work, it has transcended on its own. “After all, I do believe that every character and every story, created by a writer is in fact put together with bits and pieces of the writer himself,” he said. The inspiration for Playing the Devil’s Hand never came from one clear-cut source of inspiration, or from one particular incident or person. The core purpose of this creation was to address a collection of stigmatised notions and social gray-spots that had been crying out to be addressed for a long time now. This novel is an attempt at bringing to light a handful of less-spoken social and psychological issues that revolve around mental disease, intercultural interactions, Sri Lankan culture and the tourism culture in Sri Lanka. Playing The Devil’s Hand mainly focuses on the significance of mental health, the silent struggle against mental disease and the utterly crucial brawl against social stigmatisation of mental disease. Whilst these vital aspects remain the cornerstone of this work of fiction, the book addresses pressing current issues in the country such as the Easter Sunday Attack and its residual aftermath on the Lankan people. It bares evidence to conversations that people might sometimes not like to have – topics that might be deemed taboo for some. The book also takes the reader on an entertaining deep dive into Sri Lankan culture from a foreigner’s perspective, while also taking the reader on a critical, satirical journey through both the good and bad aspects of the controversial, customary ways of the Lankan people. Balanced writing and medical career The author at no point of time says that writing the book ever came in a uniform flow. The process, at times was smooth and at other times it was sporadic and was constantly a testing time, he said. “I believe the biggest challenge for me to write is that it would allow me to balance my writing with my medical career, which is also demanding,” he said. “But as strenuous as it was, I believe I definitely enjoyed it,” Hesara said. It was overwhelming at times for Hesara but he came up with a technique to maintain consistency in his work. Hesara has allocated a specific window of time each day, where he just sits in his writing corner. However, he admits that it doesn’t always work. In fact, while writing the first bits of the story, he said it rarely works. But the trick is to not get up until the allocated time has closed. There are days where he would just sit there, having nothing on his mind and nothing on his manuscript. “But I still don’t get up. And I’ve learned to practice this every day until the book that I’m working on is complete,” he said. The main challenge for Hesara as mentioned before was definitely finding the right balance between his writing and medical career. Allocating the right amount of time for both was a challenge. Creating that sustainable symbiotic relationship between the two was certainly the toughest task for him. Besides that, it was also quite challenging when he first started English fiction writing. When he started his first book, Hesara was around 17 years and for him to complete and get an English novel published in Sri Lanka was a far-fetched dream at that time. “Because for me personally, I never had anyone to really look up to as I began my foray into English writing. At the time, I personally never knew anyone who had done it before. It was much later, during my second publication, that I came across my wonderfully supportive publishing house – The Jam Fruit Tree Publications led by the brilliant Jeremy Muller,” he said. “I would say that when I started off, I was pretty much in the dark,” Hesara said. So much so, that during his first novel many years ago he had no idea how the process of writing a book even works. “Being the 16-year old kid I was, I started off by handwriting the entire novel on three full notebooks. It was much later that I got accustomed to using computers and other devices to write”, he said. “The most memorable moments were during the times when I would construct my characters while constantly going to my closest people for opinions,” Here, he mentions Anna Viktharovna, Nethma Wijayasiri and Dinangi De Silva who have been his constant pillars of support to get this book off the ground. Sharing, analysing, constructing and creating these wonderful characters are the most memorable moments of the book. Another unforgettable memory was the final two nights of completing the manuscript. “I was on a strict deadline, since I was going to be in Sri Lanka for a limited time in the coming months and had to get the book ready to be launched by then. With this weighing heavily on my mind, it happened that my Neurology final examination was the next day”. That entire week Hesara had been writing while reading Neurology notes in fits and starts. It was on the night before his final Neurology examination that he had to complete the manuscript and instead of preparing for one of the toughest examinations the next day, he opted to complete the novel and submit the manuscript. “My friends were with me throughout the night. I somehow ended up finishing the manuscript on time for my editor and also passing the Neurology final examination the next morning,” he recalled. “I hope my story will help anyone who has a loved one, or a close member going through any form of mental tussle that they cannot put into words. Hopefully to understand them a bit better,” the author said. He hopes this story helps other people to see these silently suffering people in a different way and pushes the fight of shattering the chronic social stigmatisation of mental disease, at least by a small step. Hesara said that mental disease is invisible. It has no colour, no smell and no texture. This allows it to easily seep into our day-to-day lives. It is, perhaps, a disease of camouflage. It’s up to us to make sure that the people we love do not have to suffer while sitting, smiling and living right next to us. All in all, Hesara hopes that his story has left something out there, for someone to make their lives or the life of a loved one a little bit better.Brock Purdy will travel with the San Francisco 49ers for their Week 12 game against the Green Bay Packers, but it will be Brandon Allen making his first start for the team—and his first since 2021. Allen learned on Friday that he would start after Purdy, dealing with a shoulder injury sustained last Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, was ruled out for this weekend's matchup. "It's an opportunity," Allen told reporters. "The circumstances are what they are, but I think our team, all year long, we've been kind of dealing with injuries here and there, and it's been a big next-man-up mentality. "So it's definitely an opportunity for me to go out and play well and put our guys in a good position to win the game. And obviously, we want Brock back and healthy and all that, but for the time being, it is an opportunity for me." Despite Purdy missing Sunday's game, Allen expressed confidence that the injury won't affect the quarterback long-term. "I know this is like the first time Brock's missed a game, probably in his life," Allen said. "He's a tough guy. I'm sure he'll bounce right back. So, I'm not too worried about it. I don't think any of our guys are. He'll rehab and get back as fast as he can. ... I don't think it'll be anything lingering or long-term for him." Now in his second season with the 49ers, Allen has a solid grasp of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense and feels prepared for the upcoming challenge. "I feel very comfortable in the offense," Allen shared. "Definitely, going back to last year, and then all through this year, just being in the system, calling the plays, seeing them play out, all that. So, I definitely feel comfortable in this offense." Shanahan voiced his confidence in the veteran quarterback. "I think Brandon's a really good thrower, runs our offense well," the coach said. "He's done a really good job since he's been here. He's been here two years now, and guys believe in him, and he'll give us a good chance to win." Shanahan added that Allen's insertion into the lineup doesn't require significant changes to the game plan. "This is something that we didn't think would happen early in the week," Shanahan explained. "So we were fully preparing for Brock to go and getting a little surprised by this yesterday. Nothing has to change, so that's a good deal for us." At 32 years old, Allen takes a day-by-day approach to his career, a mindset that has served him well as a backup quarterback. When asked if he ever doubted he'd get another opportunity to start, he kept the focus on the present. "For me, it's my opportunity now, so I'll take advantage of it now," Allen said. "But those things really don't cross your mind, how long you're going to play and all that. There's definitely guys older than me still playing, so that usually doesn't come across my mind." This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.None
A GPU chip from Nvidia, which was under development for months, could now be released early, and give a major surprise to Wall Street, as reports suggest that the company's revenue could boost by a whopping 30% upon the release of the product. Nvidia is currently on a roll to eliminate all its competitors by bringing in one-of-a-kind GPUs into the market, and its Rubin GPU is therefore scheduled to be released early, as per reports. Nvidia's GPU projected to boost stock growth? Only in 2024, Nvidia's stock has surged by a whopping 193%, and the previous year had given the company's stock a 236% return. The launch of the GPU will be a way to boost these earnings, and also decimate the competition from other rival organizations, who are looking to launch superior quality GPUs, in order to keep Nvidia from consuming the entire market after the launch of their latest product. Also Read : Christmas Day restaurants: Are Starbucks, Dunkin, Taco Bell and others open on December 25 Is Nvidia planning on launching its GPU sooner? A researcher group has recently revealed that Nvidia would be planning on launching it Rubin GPU six months in advance, and this forwarding of the timeline could be aimed at cutting down the competition from rivals right from 2025, and reap the benefits of the same for an enhanced period. Nvidia is encouraging SK Hynix to ready its next-generation memory sooner, according to Business Insider, which will help launch their GPU sooner, powering up the possibilities of major profits. Also Read : Conclave: When and where to stream film? Check release date, cast and storyline FAQs: Is Nvidia planning on launching a new GPU? Yes, Nvidia is planning to launch a new series of GPUs, but the exact release date hasn't been officially announced yet. Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrow's Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Tabnine AI Masterclass: Optimize Your Coding Efficiency By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Legal Complete Guide to AI Governance and Compliance By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Entrepreneurship Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Finance Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Executives By - CA Raja, Chartered Accountant | Financial Management Educator | Former AVP - Credit, SBI View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Has Nvidia seen profits this year? Yes, Nvidia has been profitable through the year, and its stock has surged by a whopping 193% in the year 2024 itself. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Adani says Gautam clear of bribery charges as per DoJ indictment
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NoneBottom line: Regulators worldwide are trying to balance innovation, competition, and user protection in the mobile ecosystem. A UK investigation, in particular, could have far-reaching implications for mobile browser competition, app development, and user experience on iOS devices. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has released provisional findings suggesting that Apple's restrictions on mobile browsers hamper innovation and deprive iPhone users of potentially beneficial features. Its investigation is part of a broader inquiry into mobile ecosystems. "Through our investigation, we have provisionally found that competition between different mobile browsers is not working well and this is holding back innovation in the UK," said Margot Daly, chair of the CMA's independent inquiry group. The group concluded that Apple's Safari browser policies prevent rival browsers from implementing some advanced features. One notable example is the restriction on faster webpage loading technologies, which, if allowed, could significantly enhance user experience. The investigation revealed a strong preference among UK app developers for offering progressive web apps as an alternative to traditional App Store distribution. However, current iOS limitations make this approach impractical, potentially stifling innovation and reducing options for developers and users. The CMA also has concerns regarding a revenue-sharing agreement between Apple and Google. This arrangement significantly lowers financial incentives to compete in the iOS mobile browser space, potentially limiting the drive for innovation and improvement. The regulator believes Apple and Google can manipulate users' browser choices. These companies can make their offerings appear as the clearest or easiest options, potentially influencing user decisions and further cementing their market positions. The CMA recommends addressing these issues through the UK's upcoming Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act, which will take effect in January 2025. This new legislation will grant the CMA enhanced powers to designate firms as having "Strategic Market Status" and impose appropriate interventions to promote competition. While the investigation initially covered both mobile browsers and cloud gaming, the CMA has decided not to pursue action on the latter. This decision came after Apple began allowing cloud gaming apps in the App Store, effectively addressing the primary concern in this area. Apple told MacRumors that it disagreed with the report's conclusions regarding Safari, WebKit, and in-app browsing on iOS. "We face competition in every segment and jurisdiction where we operate, and our focus is always the trust of our users," it said. Apple also raised concerns that the potential interventions discussed in the report, which the CMA could implement under the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act, might undermine user privacy and security and hinder their ability to develop the technology that sets Apple apart in the market. It also pointed out that it offers a variety of WebKit-based third-party browsers on the App Store, which compete alongside Safari, and that iOS includes settings that allow users to switch their default browser, promoting user choice. The CMA's investigation is not an outlier. The European Commission and the United States Department of Justice are also conducting similar probes into mobile browser competition, indicating a growing scrutiny of mobile ecosystem practices. A notable recent example is the Justice Department's proposal that would force Google to sell its Chrome browser to address monopolistic concerns in the search market. The UK regulator is now accepting public comments on its provisional findings until December 13. It will release its final decision in March 2025.
South Korean President Yoon’s impeachment fails as his ruling party boycotts voteThis Star Wars Black Series Yoda Force FX Elite electronic lightsaber is a serious step up from your average Star Wars toy and this Black Friday weekend, it is a Force-tastic $80 off at Amazon. It boasts authentic Star Wars sound effects and glows green, thanks to its built-in LEDs, perfect for taking on Count Dooku. You can get this Star Wars Black Series Yoda Force FX Elite electronic lightsaber on sale right now at Amazon for $169.99 . Hasbro's Force FX lightsabers are a must-have for any would-be Jedi. You can detach the blade and perch it on a shelf or fire it up and use it for Star Wars roleplay or cosplay. It also boasts a real metal hilt and is a 1:1 replica of the weapon seen in the movies. We reviewed the Star Wars Black Series Darth Vader electronic lightsaber and awarded it five stars. We were seriously impressed by how accurate it was with special effects taken right from the movies. At $80 off, this is a galactically good deal but, at the time of writing, there were only 5 left on Amazon. We're constantly checking the best prices on our Black Friday space deals page for big discounts on the best telescopes , binoculars , star projectors , cameras , drones , Lego , streaming and more. We are serious Star Wars fans at Space. We can still remember having lightsaber battles with cardboard tubes and our younger selves would have been blown away by this awesome Star Wars Black Series Yoda Force FX Elite electronic lightsaber . This lightsaber comes with its own stand so you can display it vertically with the blade, if you so wish. It comes with a removable kyber crystal and has a built-in rechargeable battery so you do not have to worry about buying batteries if this is a gift. Remember, Christmas is just three and a half weeks after Black Friday! With a metal hilt, it is modelled on Yoda's lightsaber as seen in Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett. It is extremely screen accurate, more so than lower-priced lightsabers. If you are into Star Wars roleplay, cosplay or just appreciate the small-but-perfectly formed Jedi Master, this is a great buy. However, if you are looking for a lightsaber for younger children, you might want to consider some of our best lightsabers for kids . This Star Wars Black Series Yoda Force FX Elite electronic lightsaber is great for roleplay but it might not survive being repeatedly smacked against a wall. Key features: metal hilt, stand, light-up LED blade, multiple Star Wars sound-effects Price history: Before today's deal, this Star Wars The Black Series Yoda Force FX Elite Electronic Lightsaber was available for an even lower price on Amazon but that deal went quickly. At $169, this is still a significant saving. If this deal goes, it is $179 at Walmart. Price comparison: Amazon: $169.99 | Walmart: $179 | Best Buy : $185.99 Reviews consensus: We were seriously impressed when we reviewed the Star Wars Black Series Force FX Elite Darth Vader Lightsaber and you can expect the same quality from this. Amazon's reviews are largely positive with the only complaint we could find that the box could have been better. ✅ Buy it if: You want a fantastic-looking screen-accurate lightsaber to display or roleplay with. ❌ Don't buy it if: You want something young children can play with without breaking it; instead, consider some of the best lightsabers for kids . Check out our other guides to the best telescopes , binoculars , cameras , star projectors , drones , lego and much more.
Anthony Albanese's government set to pass laws that will ban social media for under-16s
NoneIn celebration of World Children’s Day, the Orphans Care Centre (Dreama), in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF), has launched a campaign titled 'The First Call' at Hamad International Airport (HIA). The campaign aimed to promote global solidarity, raise awareness of children’s rights, and improve their well-being worldwide. It carried a profound message: 'The First Call' marks the beginning of a new journey to support children and uphold their rights—not the last call. The campaign adopted the slogan: “The journey marks the beginning, and children around the world need every opportunity,” emphasizing the importance of providing opportunities for every child to achieve a brighter future. It focused on fostering social inclusion for all children, with a special emphasis on orphaned children, to enhance their sense of belonging and empower them to integrate into society. As part of the campaign, a creative artwork titled 'Al-Bokhnaq' by Qatari artist Fatima al-Shibani was unveiled. The artwork reflects Qatari cultural values and symbolizes solidarity with children worldwide. It features a sculpture of a mother wearing the traditional bokhnaq, carrying a suitcase, followed by her children, each carrying suitcases as well. The artwork highlights the importance of children feeling safe and cared for, with the mother representing community members supporting children, and the interactive suitcases conveying positive messages from the public. In a gesture of appreciation, the 'Al-Bokhnaq' artwork was displayed at HIA, serving as a testament to promote human values and highlight the importance of supporting children’s rights. The event was attended by Abdulaziz al-Mass, Vice President Marketing and Corporate Communication at HIA, who delivered a thank-you speech expressing his appreciation for this ground-breaking initiative that highlights children’s rights. Hamad Ali al-Khater, Chief Operating Officer at HIA, said: "We are honoured to collaborate with the Ministry of Social Development and Family and Dreama Center in celebration of World Children’s Day. As the gateway to the State of Qatar, Hamad International Airport plays an integral role in creating awareness on the importance of children’s rights to its millions of passengers. We look forward to fostering and sustaining humanitarian partnerships that will continue to add value to the communities we serve.” Travelling children and transit passengers were invited to write special messages for World Children’s Day and attach them to the suitcases featured in the artwork. These messages created a global call for community cooperation in supporting children and advocating for their rights. The campaign also included an informational booth in the departure area of the airport, which ran for 48 hours. It featured an interactive children’s corner with activities such as a tic-tac-toe game and building blocks for writing motivational phrases. Visitors to the booth received activity booklets and water bottles, with an opportunity to write solidarity messages directed to children worldwide. Sheikhah Najla bint Ahmed al-Thani, Executive Director of Dreama, highlighted the significance of the campaign, stressing that 'The ‘First Call’ campaign reflects our commitment to supporting children and promoting their rights, not only in Qatar but across the globe. Through these activities, we aim to send a message of hope that every child has the right to safety, care, and a bright future.”
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 9:28 a.m. EST
Maria Diaz/ZDNET What's the deal? The Mammotion Luba 2 3000H has been mowing my lawn weekly like a well-oiled machine since July, which makes the current $350 Black Friday discount even better. Also: The best Black Friday deals live now ZDNET's key takeaways The Mammotion Luba 2 3000H Built to handle uneven terrain, the Luba 2 is an all-wheel-drive (AWD) robot mower with a GPS-powered perimeter that is surprisingly easy to set up. Despite its mostly consistent performance, the Luba 2 veered off the map a few times during testing. Also, the Mammotion app is not very user-friendly. Mowing the lawn is one of my favorite chores. It lets me focus on an uninterrupted task that satisfies my OCD, with the bonus of completing my exercise ring on my Apple Watch. But even though it's a chore I enjoy, it still steals a couple of hours away from my all-too-short weekend. Also: The best robot mowers of 2024 That's where the Mammotion Luba 2 comes in. Imagine the scene: you take the dog out for a walk and come home to a perfectly mowed lawn despite it being an overgrown mess just an hour before. While you were gone, the robot mower took care of the unruly grass and left a beautiful checkered pattern in its wake. I'm happy to say that this dream became a reality with the Luba 2, and although it has its quirks, it handles the chore of lawn mowing with efficiency and ease. When I received the Mammotion Luba 2 for review, the only wire-free GPS robot mower I'd previously used was the EcoFlow Blade. As you can read in that review, setting up the Blade was dreadful. It occupied hours of my Sunday afternoon, resulting in bickering between my husband and me and repeated explanations to the kids that no, we won't be riding the robot around the yard. This time, setting up the mower fell to my husband on a day when I wasn't home. I planned on helping him with the setup upon my return, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it all done when I returned. In fact, he had nothing... Maria DiazNone
Dozens of new laws will come into force after a late-night scramble by the government to tick off most of its to-do list in a single night. There are a few things that didn't survive the rush — election donations, a gambling ad ban, and a national environmental protection agency were the big policies left off the list. But otherwise, the government has given itself clear air to call an election in January, if it wants to. So, all of a sudden, the law is about to be different on several big issues. Some of it was more technical, or helped to support other laws already passed earlier this week. Some of it was pretty major. Here's a round-up of the biggest changes. Tax benefits for developers to build affordable rentals New tax incentives for developers to build apartment complexes that include affordable rentals were passed on Thursday night. Build-to-Rent apartments would offer five-year leases to tenants, with at least 10 per cent of apartments offered as "affordable" tenancies below market rate. Build-to-Rent developers would be discounted on some taxes and the government estimates it will help to build 80,000 new rental homes. As part of Thursday night's wheeling and dealing, the Greens also secured an additional $500 million to upgrade the energy efficiency of public housing through things like new air conditioning, insulation, solar panels and hot water systems. Build-to-rent projects like this one at Denman Prospect in the ACT are popping up across Australia. (Supplied: Capital Estate Developments) Children and teens banned from social media The biggest headline from Thursday night is a ban on children and teenagers under 16 from being able to use social media. It's a massive step taken by the government, one that it hasn't yet tested to see how it will work and has few examples overseas to learn from. The social media giants will have a year to develop age-assurance technologies to implement the ban. Protections for victims of sexual... Jake EvansNone