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Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Air is already $49 off at Amazon

Apple announced its newest laptop, the 15-inch MacBook Air, this Monday during the brand’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference — and there’s already at least one retailer offering a nearly $50 discount on pre-orders. Apple set the retail price at $1,299, but right now Amazon is listing it for $1,249.99. You won’t see big red discount numbers or really any indication that its on sale, other than the fact that it’s cheaper than at any other retailer. The discount applies to the 256GB storage configuration in either Silver or Midnight. The larger, 512GB versions are also $49 off, but only in the Starlight or Space Gray colorways.

Amazon has a history of promoting discounts that are small but notable (hey, $50 is $50) on new and desirable products, in the hopes that you buy your new device from its site over the competition. Apple’s announcement came after many months of speculation that the company would put out a laptop with a screen large enough for serious productivity, without making people spring for the extra cost (and potentially superfluous processing power) of the Pro model laptops.

Our deputy editor Cherlynn Low was on the ground at WWDC and had a chance to put her hands on the newest MacBook. She was impressed by how light and thin it is at just 3.3 pounds and measuring under a half-inch thick. She reported that the Liquid Retina display was rich, vibrant and sharp. A demonstration of its processing power seemed speedy enough — that’s not surprising as it has the same M2 chip as the 13-inch MacBook Air, which performs remarkably well. But we’ll need to get a unit in for testing before we can properly evaluate it.

In the meantime, here’s what the new 15-inch MacBook Air offers: A 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, a 1080p camera and a promised 18-hour battery life. The M2 chip in the base model has an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, instead of the optional 8-core GPU you can get with the 13-inch version. It has the same 8GB of RAM as the smaller model (which is configurable to 24GB) and the same storage options, either 256GB or 512GB (both configurable up to 2TB of SSD). The MBA 15 sadly didn’t add any additional ports — you’ll still just two Thunderbolt 4 ports with MagSafe plug for power and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

When you pre-order now, your new MacBook Air should ship out next week.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-new-15-inch-macbook-air-is-already-49-off-at-amazon-184600287.html?src=rss

NYC sues Hyundai for negligence in wake of TikTok car thefts

Last month, Hyundai agreed to pay $200 million to settle a class action lawsuit in the wake of a viral TikTok car theft challenge. The deal promised to pay out about $145 million to US Hyundai and Kia owners who had their cars stolen or damaged by a theft attempt — but the settlement didn’t put the matter to rest. New York City has announced that it’s now suing the automaker for negligence and being a public nuisance.

Specifically, the city accuses the automaker of choosing to “sacrifice public safety for profits” by eschewing common anti-theft technology from certain US model Kia and Hyundai vehicles. New York City alleges this was a market specific choice, noting that Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold in European and Canadian markets do, in fact, have vehicle immobilizers installed “because regulations there expressly require them.”

This led to a rise in thefts after the “Kia Challenge” went viral on TikTok earlier this year — with videos demonstrating how certain Hyundai vehicles can be quickly hot-wired using a simple USB cord.

The result, the city says, was unprecedented, with a 660% increase in Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts in the first four months of 2023 when compared to the previous year. New York City says this has resulted in not only more reports of theft, but other safety issues, including reckless driving, and violent altercations between thieves and vehicle owners, all of which it claims has made New York City less safe and caused undue burden on police resources. New York City is requesting a trial by jury and is seeking punitive and compensatory damages.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nyc-sues-hyundai-for-negligence-in-wake-of-tiktok-car-thefts-192644446.html?src=rss

Gigi Hadid Seemingly Spends Time With Leo DiCaprio & His Dad As She Arrives At Same Hotel As Them

The model was seen on her way to London’s China Tang after the Academy Award winner and his dad went to the Chiltern Firehouse.

Shannen Doherty’s Health: Her Cancer Battle & How She’s Doing Today

The ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ icon revealed her breast cancer had spread to her brain in June. Here’s what you need to know about Shannen’s health struggles.

Harvard’s synthetic heart valve is designed to grow in step with the human body

Researchers have developed a promising synthetic heart valve that may eventually be used for growing children. Harvard’s Wass Institute and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) created what they call FibraValve. This implant can be manufactured in minutes using a spun-fiber method that lets them shape the valve’s delicate flaps on a microscopic level — ready to be colonized by the patient’s living cells, developing with them as they mature.

FibraValve is a follow-up to JetValve, the team’s 2017 artificial heart valve that employed many of the same principles. The updated version uses “focused rotary jet spinning,” which adds streams of focused air to more quickly and accurately collect synthetic fibers on a spinning mandrel — making it easier to fine-tune the valve’s shape. As a result, the polymer’s micro- and nano-fibers can more precisely replicate the tissue structure of an organic heart valve. The manufacturing process takes less than 10 minutes; alternative methods can require hours.

Wyss Institute at Harvard University

The technique also uses “a new, custom polymer material” called PLCL (a combination of polycaprolactone and polylactic acid) that can last inside a patient’s body for about six months — enough time (in theory) for the patient’s cells to infiltrate the structure and take over. Although it’s only been successfully tested in sheep so far, the long-term vision is for the resulting organic tissue to develop with human children as they mature, potentially voiding the need for risky replacement surgeries as their bodies grow. “Our goal is for the patient’s native cells to use the device as a blueprint to regenerate their own living valve tissue,” said corresponding author Kevin “Kit” Parker in Harvard’s press release.

In the researchers’ test on a living sheep, the FibraValve “started to function immediately, its leaflets opening and closing to let blood flow through with every heartbeat.” Additionally, they observed red and white blood cells and fibrin protein collecting on the valve’s scaffolding within the first hour. The scientists say the synthetic valve showed no signs of damage or other problems. “This approach to heart valve replacement might open the door towards customized medical implants that regenerate and grow with the patient, making children’s lives better,” said co-author Michael Peters in the same press release.

The research is still preliminary, and the team plans to conduct longer-term animal testing over weeks and months for further evaluation. However, they believe their breakthrough could eventually find other uses, including creating different valves, cardiac patches and blood vessels. You can read the entire paper on Matter.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/harvards-synthetic-heart-valve-is-designed-to-grow-in-step-with-the-human-body-180456235.html?src=rss

A Hideo Kojima documentary will take you behind the scenes of ‘Death Stranding’

A documentary about Hideo Kojima, one of the most lauded video game designers on the planet, is on the way. A trailer offers a first peek at what’s in store for those who plan to check out Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds.

Kojima wrote on Twitter that the film will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the development of Death Stranding, as well as “shots from the early days of our independent studio, memories from my childhood and my creative journey.” The trailer encapsulates all of that while suggesting the film is a celebration of Kojima and his work. Friends, collaborators and fans including Geoff Keighley, Guillermo del Toro, Norman Reedus and George Miller are shown talking up Kojima and his credentials.

Whether Kojima truly is “the first auteur of video games” is up for debate, especially if you’re of the mind that the auteur theory can’t apply to the highly collaborative process of game development. Still, there’s no denying that Kojima is a vanguard in his industry. He’s a fascinating guy who is behind some of the most memorable and inventive games of the last few decades, which makes him good fodder for a documentary.

PlayStation Studios and Kojima Productions helped to produce Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds, for which there’s no release date as yet. The film will premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 17th and Kojima will be in attendance for a Q&A. In the meantime, we may learn more about Death Stranding 2 during Summer Game Fest.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-hideo-kojima-documentary-will-take-you-behind-the-scenes-of-death-stranding-183031555.html?src=rss

Usagi Yojimbo will be playable in the upcoming DLC for ‘TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge’

Developer Tribute Games and publisher Dotemu just announced some robust DLC coming later this year for the well-reviewed beat ’em upTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. The Dimension Shellshock DLC features a new game mode, new color swaps for playable characters and brand new playable characters like iconic comic book samurai Miyamoto Usagi from Usagi Yojimbo.

For the newbies, Miyamoto Usagi is a samurai rabbit, though he’s often been affiliated with the ninja turtles throughout various comic runs and in several animated series. Technically, Usagi Yojimbo is set during the Edo period in Japan, but that hasn’t stopped him from showing up in modern day NYC to do battle with Shredder’s minions. To that end, the DLC will include a number of time portals that bring the ronin bunny to the present day and bring the turtles back to 17th century Japan.

The trailer clearly advertises the presence of new characters, plural, but only Usagi is mentioned by name. Other than that, the DLC features a brand-new game mode that locks players in survival rooms to do battle with waves of enemies. There’s also new color palettes for the turtles, adding a bit of old-school flair to your favorite adolescent tortoises.

The Dimension Shellshock DLC releases later this year for most major platforms, including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC via Steam and Xbox One. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet. In related news, Shredder’s Revengerecently launched for iOS and Netflix.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/usagi-yojimbo-will-be-playable-in-the-upcoming-dlc-for-tmnt-shredders-revenge-183946343.html?src=rss

‘RHOC’s Shannon Beador Teases Her Reunion With Tamra Judge: ‘There’s Some Nastiness’ (Exclusive)

Shannon Beador tells HollywoodLife that she and Tamra Judge have ‘a rocky road’ on the new season of ‘RHOC’ after their falling out.

Scientists develop remote-controlled pill-shaped camera to diagnose digestive issues

Ingestible video capsule endoscopes have been around for a while, but they’re severely limited and not controllable by physicians, relying entirely on gravity and the digestive system for movement. Researchers may have just gotten around that limitation by developing a pill-shaped capsule that allows for remote control, as announced by the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

This tech lets physicians quite literally drive a miniature video capsule, called the NaviCam, throughout the digestive system to visualize and photograph potential problem areas, offering a potential alternative to the traditional endoscopy. It uses an external magnet and video game style joysticks for movement.

“A traditional endoscopy is an invasive procedure for patients, not to mention it is costly due to the need for anesthesia and time off work,” Andrew Meltzer, a professor of Emergency Medicine at the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, said. “Magnetically controlled capsules could be used as a quick and easy way to screen for health problems in the upper GI tract such as ulcers or stomach cancer.”

This technology is still in the testing phase though results have been positive. Meltzer and colleagues at medical technology company AnX Robotica conducted a 40-person study and found that doctors could accurately control the capsule to all major parts of the stomach with a 95 percent rate of successful visualization. These patients also underwent a traditional endoscopy to confirm that the camera didn’t miss any high-risk lesions.

The potential benefits for patients are varied, as the camera’s designed to pick up bleeding, inflammation, and lesions. It can also automatically transmit videos and images off-site for further review. The official study indicates that using a camera capsule offers no health risks, though the tech doesn’t allow for biopsies, as it degrades inside of the body. Researchers note this pilot testing program is still in the beginning stages and a “much bigger trial with more patients” is on the horizon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-develop-remote-controlled-pill-shaped-camera-to-diagnose-digestive-issues-164544887.html?src=rss

How to understand the Air Quality Index

Air quality levels in parts of Canada and the US have nosedived in recent days as winds have carried smoke from wildfires in Quebec and Nova Scotia across the continent. Things are bad enough that New York City was deemed to have the worst air quality of any major city in the world.

Several states and cities have issued advisories urging people to stay inside if possible to avoid the dangers of unhealthy air quality. Jurisdictions are typically basing their decisions on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index (AQI). Metro areas with a population of more than 350,000 have to report air quality data on a daily basis, while other locales simply do so as a public service.

The AQI measures air quality based on five major pollutants that the Clean Air Act regulates: ozone, particle pollution (AKA particulate matter or PM2.5), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The EPA also typically issues AQI forecasts for the next day each afternoon. With smoke pollution from wildfires, particulate matter is the primary air quality concern.

The EPA likens the AQI to a weather forecast that can help you plan outdoor activities. There are a couple things to keep in mind, however. For one thing, the AQI isn’t fully transparent on which pollutant is the biggest contributing factor to its values at a given time. The EPA uses a formula to calculate AQI values — it doesn’t simply add up the impact of each pollutant.

The AQI uses a scale that typically ranges from zero to 500 to denote air quality. If your area has an AQI of 50 or below, you’re in a green zone. You should have good air quality and little or no risk from pollution.

When the index reaches a value of between 51 and 100, that’s a code yellow, which is moderate cause for concern. The EPA says that in this range, air quality is acceptable, but there may be a health risk for some people, such as folks who are “unusually sensitive to air pollution.”

When the index is between 101 and 150, that’s when the air quality may start to impact “members of sensitive groups.” These include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, pregnant people and those who spend a great deal of time outdoors. However, the general public is less likely to be affected in orange zones, the EPA says.

Mike Segar / reuters

The AQI will reach a code red when the index value surpasses 151. “Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects,” according to the EPA.

Between 201 to 300, the AQI is at code purple. This denotes a health alert, the agency says. There’s an increased risk of negative health effects for everyone. Once the index reaches 301, the AQI will be at a code maroon. That means the air quality is hazardous and constitutes a “health warning of emergency conditions” as everyone is more likely to be affected.

At code orange, the EPA recommends that everyone keeps outdoor activities light and short and for sensitive groups to go inside if they’re experiencing symptoms. In red zones, everyone is encouraged to stay indoors if they have symptoms, while sensitive groups might consider moving all activities indoors.

When the AQI reaches code purple, sensitive groups are advised to avoid all outdoor physical activity, and others should limit outdoor activities. In maroon areas, everyone should stay inside. It’s possible for PM2.5 levels to go above an AQI value of 500, in which case you should take extra precautions and steps to protect yourself.

Fine particles from smoke can cause issues such as burning eyes, runny noses and conditions like bronchitis, according to the EPA. The particles may aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases too. The agency says those who are advised to stay indoors due to smoke pollution should try to keep the air as clean as possible inside. It suggests avoiding using anything that burns (such as gas stoves, wood fireplaces and candles) or vacuuming, since this can stir up particles that are already inside your residence.

If you have an air conditioner, you should run it with the air intake closed and the filter clean, the EPA says. Those who absolutely have to go outdoors might find it helpful to wear a mask that can help filter out particulate matter.

An interactive map shows AQI levels across the US, Canada and parts of Central America. At the time of writing, some areas of New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario are at a code maroon and have hazardous air quality, according to the EPA. Many other regions are under red and purple alerts.

EPA

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-understand-the-air-quality-index-165633539.html?src=rss