Life

There are 3,880 posts filed in Life (this is page 223 of 388).

Your Social Security Number May Have Been Compromised in This Data Breach

A massive hack may have exposed the personal data of many of us in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, including, among other sensitive data, Social Security numbers. If true, this breach puts many at risk of identity theft, but the story isn’t so cut and dry.

As initially reported by Bloomberg Law, the exposure is the fault of Jerico Pictures Inc., operating as the background check company National Public Data, according to a lawsuit against the company. The suit alleges that, on April 8 of this year, the hacking group USDoD uploaded a database on the dark web site Breach Forums, called, simply, “National Public Data.” This database, as outlined by the lawsuit, supposedly contained the information of 2.9 billion people. That data could have been yours for the price of $3.5 million.

Since this story initially broke, however, it turns out that number may have been inflated. While the lawsuit alleges the breach contains the data of nearly three billion people, BleepingComputer reports the hacking group claims to have stolen 2.9 billion data records. A member of the hacking group subsequently released most of the data for free, uploading 2.7 billion data records to the web. Many victims have multiple data records belonging to them in this database, which means the number of people affected is far below the 2.9 billion outlined in the lawsuit. A previous version of this article reported that number based on the lawsuit.

That said, this is still a serious breach. The hacking group claims to have stolen the data of every American, Briton, and Canadian, but so far, this claim is unverified. Even still, 2.7 billion records is massive, and the data stolen is concerning.

National Public Data (the company, not the database) reportedly collects the data of billions of us from “non-public” sources, unbeknownst to those the data belongs to. This data isn’t anonymous, either: It includes information like Social Security numbers, home addresses (both current and former), full legal names, and other names the person has used—data that can easily be tied directly to you.

The suit has been brought forth by one Christopher Hofmann from California, who says he learned about this practice after his identity protection service alerted him to the data breach. Through the lawsuit, Hofmann wants a few things: a payout, the National Public Data to delete all the data it collected from affected users, and for the company to implement changes to prevent this from happening again—namely, to protect future collected data with encryption.

It’s not clear how National Public Data was able to obtain some of this information, particularly sensitive data like Social Security numbers. However, it appears some of the data may be outdated or incorrect: Some readers told BleepingComputer their Social Security numbers were tied to the wrong people, while others found current addresses were not listed in the database.

What can you do?

These situations are tricky, because the breached data wasn’t stolen from a service you actively use. As such, you can’t change a password or close an account. Instead, it may be best to seek professional services.

If you don’t have one already, consider signing up for a credit monitoring service. National Public Data is not warning affected users: Only a service that looks for stolen data online can let you know if your data, such as your Social Security number, was included in this breach. From here, the service may be able to guide you through steps to take going forward. PCMag, our sister site, has a list of the best identity theft protection services, including:

In addition, be mindful of phishing attempts following this data breach. Bad actors may take advantage of the situation to trick you into providing the information they don’t have: They may pretend to be your bank, and try to get you to confirm a two-factor authentication code to break into your account. Stay vigilant, and be skeptical of any strange text messages, emails, or phone calls that request your information.

Today’s Wordle Hints (and Answer) for Wednesday, August 14, 2024

If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for August 14, 2024 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is easier; I got it in three. Beware, there are spoilers below for August 14, Wordle #1,152! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game.

How to play Wordle

Wordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.

Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if they’re correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn’t in the day’s secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)

Ready for the hints? Let’s go!

Does today’s Wordle have any unusual letters?

We’ll define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters’ phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it “Edwin Shirdloo,” like a name, and pretend he’s a friend of yours.)

They’re all common letters from our mnemonic today.

Can you give me a hint for today’s Wordle?

This is found alongside a lake or river.

Does today’s Wordle have any double or repeated letters?

There are no repeated letters today. 

How many vowels are in today’s Wordle?

There are two vowels.

What letter does today’s Wordle start with?

Today’s word starts with S. 

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

Today’s word ends with E. 

What is the solution to today’s Wordle?

Ready? Today’s word is SHORE.

How I solved today’s Wordle

I started with RAISE and TOUCH, which left only two words with the five letters and only one that fit: SHORE. 

Wordle 1,152 3/6

🟨⬛⬛🟨🟩
⬛🟨⬛⬛🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle was medium difficult. The hint was “sounds like a horse” and the answer contained four common letters and one fairly common letter.

The answer to yesterday’s Wordle was NEIGH.

A primer on Wordle basics

The idea of Wordle is to guess the day’s secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, you’ll see an empty grid of letters. It’s up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word. 

Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word: Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and it’s in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)

  • Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)

  • Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)

With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then it’s game over.

The best starter words for Wordle

What should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, that’s still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isn’t a single “best” starting word, but the New York Times’s Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:

  • CRANE

  • TRACE

  • SLANT

  • CRATE

  • CARTE

Meanwhile, an MIT analysis found that you’ll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:

  • SALET

  • REAST

  • TRACE

  • CRATE

  • SLATE

Other good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that it’s better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.

How to win at Wordle

We have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if you’re a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.

The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, don’t waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.

One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldn’t have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.

Wordle alternatives

If you can’t get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:

These New 401(k) Rules Make It Easier to Access Your Cash

The IRS has clarified a provision of the SECURE 2.0 Act passed in 2022, now expanding the use of tax-deferred retirement accounts as emergency funds. Previously, retirement savers with an “immediate and heavy” financial need could technically make an early withdrawal from their 401(k)s and traditional individual retirement accounts. However, that early withdrawal would be subject to income tax, and those under age 59½ typically owed a 10% tax penalty.

Now, you can make one withdrawal of $1,000 per year to cover personal and family emergency expenses without owing the 10% penalty. All you need to do is “self-certify” that you need the money for an emergency. Here’s what to know about how this new rule works, and what to keep in mind before you start using your 401(k) like an ATM.

How the new 401(k) emergency withdrawal rule works

Under the new guidelines, savers can withdraw up to $1,000 per year from their retirement plans for emergency expenses without facing the usual 10% early withdrawal penalty. This applies even if the account holder is younger than 59½, the standard age for penalty-free withdrawals. (Note: Victims of domestic abuse under the age of 59½ can withdraw up to $10,000 from IRAs and 401(k)s without owing the penalty.)

Key features of the new rule include:

  1. No need to prove hardship: Unlike previous regulations, savers don’t need to demonstrate specific hardships to qualify for the withdrawal.

  2. Flexible use: Funds can be used for various emergencies, from car repairs to medical bills, or even unspecified personal expenses.

  3. Tax considerations: While the withdrawal is penalty-free, it’s still subject to income tax. However, if the funds are repaid within three years, no taxes are due.

  4. Frequency limit: Only one emergency withdrawal of up to $1,000 can be made per year.

  5. Account balance requirement: The retirement account must maintain a minimum balance of $1,000 after the withdrawal.

Understanding 401(k) withdrawals: Remember your long-term goals

One the one hand, this new rule provides much-needed flexibility for anyone facing financial challenges. Lower-income Americans may find it more appealing to open retirement accounts if they know those funds are at least somewhat accessible in an emergency. And for anyone truly strapped for cash, these penalty-free withdrawals could make a huge difference, and are far simpler to access compared to 401(k) loans.

On the other hand, the ability to self-define “emergency” may encourage unnecessary withdrawals, significantly impacting long-term retirement savings. Despite the newfound ease of access, remember why you have a 401(k) in the first place. While this new rule offers a safety net, these accounts are designed for long-term savings. Every dollar you take out prematurely is a dollar no longer growing for your future. The power of compound interest means that even small withdrawals can have a substantial impact on retirement savings over time. For instance, a $1,000 withdrawal at age 35 could potentially reduce your retirement balance by $8,000 or more by age 65 (assuming historical average market returns).

The bottom line

While the new 401(k) rule offers increased flexibility for savers, it’s essential to approach it with caution. Emergency funds should ideally come from other sources, such as dedicated savings accounts. Your 401(k) should remain focused on its primary purpose: securing your financial future in retirement.

Before making any withdrawals, consult with a financial advisor to understand the long-term implications and explore alternative options. Remember, the most effective retirement strategy is to contribute consistently and let your investments grow undisturbed over time.

The Easy Way to DIY a Piping Bag

A piping bag isn’t something I’d categorize as a “normal” kitchen tool. Former chefs and pastry chefs will keep them in their home kitchen because the cheap, flexible, conical bag has proven its value time and again, but the average home cook doesn’t need one—that is, until they need one. I’m not here to convince you to buy something new that you’re not comfortable using (not today anyway). Besides, that won’t help if you need a piping bag at this very instant. Instead, just reach for the next best thing: a zip-top storage bag. 

What is a piping bag?

Like I mentioned, a piping bag is a conical bag. They can be made from a piece of parchment paper, single-use plastic, or reusable coated cloth. They come in a variety of sizes—from the size of your hand to do precision designs and writing with chocolate, to the length of your arm for piping out quantities of dough. You can use a piping bag alone or in conjunction with a piping tip for making interesting designs and patterns. 

A plastic zip-top bag next to a piping bag.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

How to make a DIY piping bag

The important part of a piping bag is that the shape causes the filling to gather at one point—otherwise, it’s just a plastic bag. So you can use any plastic bag that has a corner to mimic the shape. The most accessible ones are probably the zip-top plastic sandwich bags and storage bags you have in your kitchen drawer. 

A piping bag on top of a plastic storage bag.
Imagine the corner of a plastic storage bag is just a really wide triangle.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

If you’re not using a piping tip

1. Cuff the opening

Fold back the first inch or two of the opening of the zip-top bag. This helps hold the bag open and ensures you don’t get frosting or jam (or in my case, deviled egg filling) on the outside of the bag. That can make your grip slip, and of course, it’s just tidier this way. 

2. Add your filling of choice

I usually have one of the two corners in mind. Load the bag closer to that side so you don’t have to push the filling around too much later. 

A plastic bag getting filled with yellow filling.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

3. Seal the top

Push out the air and twist the plastic above the filling. You don’t really need to zip up the top of the bag, but you can if you want to. The twisted plastic is what will keep the filling from creeping out the back. Hold the twist with your dominant hand.

A hand holding a plastic bag with filling.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

4. Snip the corner

When you’re ready to use the bag, use scissors to cut off the corner of the bag. Start small. A tiny plastic triangle should come off. Test out the piping bag by squeezing some of the filling out onto your cake or wherever you plan on using it. If it’s too small, you can always cut off more, but you can’t make the hole smaller. Your piping bag is ready to use.

A close up of a plastic bag filled with yellow filling and the corner is snipped.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Note that you should be wary if your zip-top bag has a “foot.” Meaning the bottom side is pleated to open up so the bag can stand up. My freezer bag has this in the pictures above. The problem is that the corner isn’t just one simple seam, so snipping it will actually cause two openings, or one giant opening if you snip the corner too big. While this is fine for filling my deviled eggs (it actually made a fun pattern) or tasks that don’t require much precision, these types of bags will give you trouble for fitting a piping tip or doing decoration work.

If you are using a piping tip

This is completely optional: there’s no shame in having a plain round opening. That said, piping tips can be useful for designs or to add structure to the end of the bag if you’re stuffing something like doughnuts or cream puffs. Make sure your plastic storage bag has a simple single-seam design and does not have a “foot” (for the reasons above). You can compare the corner of the bag I used in the pictures above to the design of the one I use in the pictures below.

1. Cuff the opening

Fold the top inch or two of the plastic bag outward to cuff the bag. This will keep any filling from getting on the outside of the bag.

2. Add the piping tip

If you’re using a piping tip, you should put it into the bag now and push it into one of the corners. Don’t make it fit too snug, but take notice of where the opening design of the tip stops. You’ll make the cut there.

Finger pointing to a piping tip in a plastic bag.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

3. Snip the bag

You want the whole design of the piping tip to be exposed, so once you see where that is, push the piping tip away from the corner of the bag. Use sharp scissors to snip the corner off at that spot. Push the tip snuggly into the corner so you can see if the design is cut off or not. If it is cut off, cut a sliver more from the opening. Cut a little at a time. If you cut too much, the piping tip will pop out. 

Piping tip through the corner of a plastic bag.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

4. Add the filling

Fold the tip of the bag pack so the filling doesn’t come out while you load up the bag. Put the bag into a measuring cup or a pint glass to keep the piping tip folded back, and so you can easily load the bag. Add your filling and twist the top of the bag shut. Your piping bag is read to use.

A piping bag inside a measuring cup.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

When do you use a piping bag?

Piping bags can help you do a number of cooking tasks faster, with more simplicity, and less cleanup. You can use your piping bag to decorate cookies and cakes with frosting. Fill the bag with cookie dough and pipe out six dozen butter cookies. Fill homemade doughnuts with jam. Pipe out the filling for twice-baked potatoes or deviled eggs. Fill dumpling skins with your famous pork mixture. Anytime you need to stuff something, or scoop or add a filling with a tiny spoon is a good time to consider making your own piping bag. 

This App Gives Your iPhone an Ultra-Minimalist Home Screen

We all have that app on our home screen that we impulsively open and scroll, even when we wish that we could stop. You can try to deal with this by making your phone less attractive to pick up.

On Android, there are minimalist launchers like 0Launcher, which shows you a list of text instead of icons. The idea is that you’ll only put apps you need to use, like texting or maps, on the home screen. As I wrote last year for PCMag, using this launcher really helped me to think of my phone as a tool for specific jobs instead of a mindless way to waste my time.

I’d love something similar for the iPhone, but sadly, Apple does not allow alternative launchers the way Android does. Enter Dumb Phone, and indie application by developer Micheal Tigas. It works around Apple’s limitations by offering a widget that can list your most-used apps and also offers instructions for making it blend in with the rest of the system. It’s a bit of work to set up, but it does help re-create the sort of minimalist launcher I enjoyed on Android.

You’ll need an iPhone that can handle at least iOS 16.1 to get started. After launching the app, you’ll get a series of instructions for “minimalizing” your home screen. The basic idea: add the widget to your homescreen, change the wallpaper to a black or white color that matches the widget, remove all other icons, and choose the applications you want to show up in the widget.

It’s takes a bit of setup, but the result is a truly minimalist home screen.

Three screenshots of Dumb Phone. The left shows the user setting names for applications, the center shows the app in action, and the third shows the customization options including the color of the widget and text alignment.

Credit: Justin Pot

The widget comes in dark and light mode varities, along with matching wallpaper, and you can orient the text however you like. There’s also the option to create multiple launchers that you can switch between. Anything that’s not in one of your launchers can still be opened using the iPhone’s search feature, so you won’t lose access to your less-essential apps.

There are a few downsides to Dumb Phone, mostly related to the limitations of iOS itself: Opening apps from the widget briefly opens the Dumb Phone app first, which is a little annoying, and only a pre-generated list of apps is supported. (There are instructions for working around this using Apple Shortcuts, but that’s also time consuming.)

All of that said, if you struggle with impulsive smartphone usage, this might be the app for you. You can get started by poking around with the free version for a week; the paid version costs $2.99/month, $9.99/year, or $24.99/lifetime.

Opera Added AI Features (and a New Look) to Its iOS Browser

Opera is rolling out a new look on iOS. The company announced its redesigned iPhone browser, Opera One, on Tuesday, which introduces both a refreshed UI as well as new AI features.

Right away, one of the biggest changes to the browser is the placement of the address bar. It’s now on the bottom, in what Opera is calling “Bottom Search.” It matches the default option on iOS’ Safari, and I get why: It took me some time to get used to this placement, but I really like it now, since it’s so easy to start a new search when holding your iPhone with one hand.

While you can switch back to the traditional UI, with the search bar on the top of the display, you can also try out the new “Fast Action Button” mode, too: This replaces the bottom address bar with a single button. Hold it down, and you pull up a menu full of options: Depending on which way you swipe, you can search, pull up the main menu, open your tabs, go back one page, add a new tab, or close the current window.

Regardless of how you have your address bar configured, you can start a search immediately by swiping down on the center of the screen. This is a cool addition, and works just like starting a Spotlight search on your iPhone’s Home Screen. If you’re used to that action, you can translate it well to Opera.

You’ll also notice a more “immersive” page design when scrolling. Opera will match the color scheme of the site you’re on, and will hide the top and bottom menus when you move around the page.

Finally, there are the AI features. Opera now includes Aria, the company’s AI assistant, in its app. Aria acts as a traditional chatbot: You can have a conversation with it, ask it to generate text, and even generate images via Google’s Imagen 2 model. But since Opera is a web browser, Aria can also be used for web searches, and to compare products. The bot also supports voice input, meaning you can talk to it directly if you want.

When I tested Aria on the desktop browser, I actually found it relatively useful, so if you’re interested in AI features (especially while browsing the internet), you might like Aria here.

Opera on iOS isn’t really “Opera”

Now, a disclaimer: iOS browsers aren’t like desktop browsers. On your Mac or PC, you can choose whatever browser you want, and you’ll get a unique experience based on that browser’s platform. On iPhone, however, all browser apps are required to use WebKit, the platform Safari is built on. In effect, all iOS browsers are really Safari, but with a different look.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t perks to third-party iOS browsers. Safari, for example, doesn’t have Opera’s AI features. (At least not until Apple Intelligence rolls out.) But you aren’t using the same Opera as the one you get on desktop, or even Android. That’s changing in the E.U., however, as Apple is being forced to offer dedicated third-party browsers on iPhone.

Make These Space-Saving Furniture Swaps

I have lived in New York City since I was 18, which means my friends and I have gone through being early in our careers and broke, then slowly acquiring more money (and space!) together, moving incrementally into slightly larger apartments every few years.

Space-saving furniture has been around in many forms during the brokest, most cramped eras of my adulthood, and while I can’t recommend you renovate your entire bedroom to accommodate a Murphy bed (although they are cool as hell), I can point to a few really unique pieces that will save you some room, even if you’re not a ramen-eating 21-year-old anymore. Making some space-saving swaps can make your entire home tidier and more livable, plus there are some pretty elegant-looking bits of furniture out there that fit the bill.

Space-saving kitchen furniture

First, I must recommend my absolute favorite space-saving furniture of all time: The wall-mounted, foldable table. I first saw one of these bad boys on a trip to Ikea in 2015. I bought it on sight, took it home, and installed it that night, eliminating the need for a big table taking up all the precious floor space in my little kitchen. It was similar to this:

Wall-Mounted Folding Desk

Wall Mounted Folding Desk


$64.99
at Amazon

What I loved about this was that it folded down to the wall when it wasn’t in use, but there was still a ledge that stuck out a few inches, so I could keep salt, pepper, and other necessary knickknacks on it whether the table was up or down. It was sturdy and I never had any issues applying too much pressure on it. Ikea no longer sells the exact one that I had, but it does sell a similar version for $109.99 with a storage shelf above it, which would hold even more condiments and knickknacks than the ledge I relied on back in the day.

These foldable tables would work well in a living room, a kid’s room, or a home office. It works in a kitchen, of course, but only if you don’t plan on hosting large meals for multiple people; only two people could ever eat on mine at the same time. If you want a space-saving table but have a larger household, try something like this:

Folding Dining Table with Rack and 2 Storage Drawers

Folding Dining Table with Rack and 2 Storage Drawers


$350.00
at Amazon
$389.00
Save $39.00

The leaves on this table fold down, reducing it in size significantly and leaving just the middle part, which is full of storage drawers. You could put your plates, utensils, and dinner items in the storage section and fold it out only when it’s time to eat.

Space-saving bedroom furniture

You already know I think Murphy beds are tremendously cool, but that’s a major renovation project in most cases. You can get fold-away beds that retract back into cabinet-looking things, but those can be pricy, up to about $1,000. In addition to being expensive, that still leaves a big honking cabinet in the room, which isn’t tremendously space-saving. You’re better off getting something more multifunctional, like this fold-down bed that features storage compartments all around it, so you’re using it not only to sleep, but to manage all your smaller items.

Full Size Murphy Bed Wall Bed with Closet and Drawers

Full Size Murphy Bed Wall Bed with Closet and Drawers


$789.00
at Amazon

You can, of course, go with a more classic standby, like a couch that turns into a bed. One like this, for $299, is on the more affordable end.

I’m also not off my foldable table soapbox just yet. For the bedroom, consider one that is designed to be a desk, with a built-in light and storage, so it’s perfect for studying, reading, or working on personal projects—but folds back to the wall when you’re not doing any of that.

ARTETHYS Wall Mounted Desk with LED Light

ARTETHYS Wall Mounted Desk with LED Light


$89.99

Other space-saving furniture

The kitchen and bedroom are important for saving space, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop there. Look at this table that retracts out of a shelving unit and tell me it wouldn’t be a lifesaver in the laundry room, where you could store detergent and cleaning items in the shelves and use the table when you need to fold or iron clothes:

HOMCOM Fold-Out Convertible Writing Table

HOMCOM Fold-Out Convertible Writing Table


$159.99
at Amazon

Once you start looking for creative pieces, the possibilities are endless. Try a coffee table that contains secret storage, and converts, thanks to some clever hinges, into a desk or table that reaches you on the couch. Use slim shelving carts to make use of the small spots in your bathroom and kitchen, turning wasted space into storage and organization. Nesting end tables provide more surface space when you need it, but disappear when you only need a little. You can even get your kids in on the action with a tiny play table that has seats with storage containers that fit perfectly under the tabletop when not in use.

Space-saving furniture has come a long way, so even if you’re not trying to make it work in a tiny home, you can still have a tidier, more put-together house that serves your needs in the moment.

My Favorite Amazon Deal of the Day: Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones

You’ve probably seen or heard about Sony’s headphone WH-1000X series. It has been around since 2016, with a new version of the series released every year or two. The WH-1000XM4 is the fourth in the series, and it is $198 (originally $348), reaching a record-low price on Amazon, according to price-checking tools.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones
Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones with Mic for Phone-Call and Alexa Voice Control.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones (Blue)


$198.00
at Amazon

$348.00
Save $150.00

The WH-1000XM4 came out in 2020 to an “outstanding” review from PCMag and was eclipsed by the WH-1000XM5 in 2022. Although the WH-1000XM4 is four years old already, they are still one of the best value wireless headphones for audio quality you can get today. Unlike phones, headphones don’t need security or software updates to stay relevant as time goes by. Excellent audio stays excellent despite how many years go by.

If you like to have conversations but don’t like to take your headphones off, the WH-1000XM4’s automatic conversation feature will pause your audio and turn on an ambient mic when you talk, letting sound from outside pierce through the headphones. They also have that fancy AirPod feature that resumes playing or powers off when taking them on or off.

Although these headphones are renowned for their audio quality, their active noise-cancelling feature is also top-notch. The app lets you customize and adjust the ANC to your liking. You can also find the right EQ so you can listen to your music how you please. These headphones will give you about 30 hours of battery life with a full charge.

For the price, you won’t find a better combination of audio and ANC quality than the WH-1000XM4. If you’re looking for the best ANC headphones, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is currently at Prime Day prices and is considered one of the best headphones of 2024.

USDA Announces Intent to Establish Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council, Seeks Nominations

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today it intends to establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council (informally known as the Growing Climate Solutions Act Advisory Council) and is seeking nominations for Council membership. USDA made the announcement in a Federal Register notice published today.