We’ve tested oodles of noise-canceling headphones and the Sony WH-CH720N might have an unfortunate name, but they’re the best budget-friendly pair we’ve tried. They usually offer good value when selling for the full $178 MSRP, but right now they’ve fallen to $95 shipped on Amazon and $100 on Best Buy.
These are lightweight, with adaptive sound that can adjust itself to suit your environment. Moreover, if you want a pair of over-hear wireless headphones with active noise cancellation, it’s very difficult to get that in a package this affordable. Tack on the long-lasting 35-hour battery, and paying under $100 becomes a no-brainer if you’re in the market and on a tight budget. We haven’t seen them drop this low in price before.
We’re nowhere near a shopping event like Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday, but this is just one of several headphone deals we’ve spotted recently. Check those stories out if you’re on the hunt for wireless gaming earbuds or open earbuds.
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is bidding farewell to the Winter Olympics. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it free online.
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Where the athletes will gather.
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Green group hint: She shoots, she scores!
Blue group hint: Go for the gold!
Purple group hint: Draw a straight ____.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Red light therapy has come a long way since then. Rahman explained that red light wavelengths activate the mitochondria in skin cells and increase blood flow to hair follicles. This uptick in stimulation encourages mitochondria to increase their production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which promotes new growth.
When it comes to efficacy, we noted that iRestore Elite is FDA-cleared. This is a designation bestowed on moderate-risk tools that are sufficiently similar to other cleared devices already on the market. There are specific pathways that devices must follow to obtain FDA clearance, and the iRestore Elite was cleared through the FDA’s 510(k) premarket evaluation.
There are three hair-growth devices in iRestore’s lineup: the entry-level Essential ($499), the mid-tier Professional ($899), and the Elite ($1,899). Each contains iRestore’s “Lumitech” technology, which combines LED lights and medical-grade lasers. These laser diodes are proprietary to iRestore and are called Vixo lasers, operating in the 655- to 680-nanometer (nm) range. (Preliminary studies with mice have shown that using red light in the 600- to 660-nm range, and infrared wavelengths in the 800- to 850-nm range, can promote everything from cell regeneration to pain relief.)
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The idea is that this dynamic duo can penetrate deeper into the skin than ordinary red light with lasers, while the LEDs ensure light is distributed across the scalp for maximum efficacy. Together, they reach a maximum of 2,500 milliwatts (mW), compared to the Professional’s 1,410 mW and Essential’s 600 mW.
The Elite is iRestore’s top-of-the-line offering and has the most LEDs of the three laser hair-growth systems, with 500 diodes total—that’s 300 lasers and 200 LEDs. The Essential has 51 lasers and 69 LEDs for a total of 120 diodes, while the iRestore Pro has 82 lasers and 200 LEDs for a total of 282 diodes. The Elite was also designed to cover more of the scalp. The Elite requires 12 minutes of daily use, while the Professional and Essential require 25 minutes every other day.
If price is not an object, the Elite is the no-brainer choice for more concentrated light therapy, shorter use time, and potentially faster results.
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Rooting for You
Photograph: Julia Forbes
The helmet arrived in hefty red packaging, containing the helmet, portable battery pack, charging cord, and a red-and-black zippered travel case. It feels very fragile, and I wouldn’t throw it around—then again, you probably wouldn’t be shoving an $1,899 helmet in the back of your bathroom vanity.
The government agency that sends its corps members abroad to volunteer in foreign countries launched its latest initiative called Tech Corps. The Peace Corps’ latest proposal will recruit STEM graduates or those with professional experience in the artificial intelligence sector and send them to participating host countries.
According to the press release, volunteers will be placed in Peace Corps countries that are part of the American AI Exports Program, which was created last year from an executive order from President Trump as a way to bolster the US’ grip on the AI market abroad. Tech Corps members will be tasked with using AI to resolve issues related to agriculture, education, health and economic development. The program will offer its members 12- to 27-month in-person assignments or virtual placements, which will include housing, healthcare, a living stipend and a volunteer service award if the corps member is placed overseas.
Richard E. Swarttz, the acting director of the Peace Corps, said in a press release that Tech Corps volunteers will be “building technical capacity, supporting AI adoption across critical use cases and addressing barriers to last-mile AI implementation.” While the Tech Corps program is framed at benefiting host countries, it would also help to secure the US’ position in the rapidly expanding global AI market that includes growing competition from China.
Barely 24 hours after responding to his “reciprocal” tariffs being struck down and his retaliation of a 10% global tariff, President Donald Trump has upped the damage by making it 15%.
Tim Cook [left], President Donald Trump [right]
On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that sweeping tariffs introduced by President Trump were done illegally. While Trump’s retaliation was expected, it seems that he didn’t believe he went far enough with his new tariff plan. Trump introduced a new global import tariff of 10% under Section 122 on Friday, which follows rules including being a uniform rate instead of country-specific, and for a limited term of up to 150 days unless Congress extends the period. However, Section 122 did permit temporary tariffs of up to 15%, higher than the 10% rate set by the President. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Karim Meghji, president and CEO of Code.org. (Code.org Photo)
— Karim Meghji is taking over the the role of president and CEO at Code.org, the Seattle-based computer science education nonprofit.
Meghji, the former CTO at Seattle digital remittance company Remitly, joined Code.org in 2022 to serve as chief product officer, leading the organization’s shift toward an AI-centered strategy.
Cameron Wilson, the longtime president at Code.org, is transitioning to an executive advisor role at the organization where he has worked for more than 12 years.
“It’s impossible to overstate Cameron’s impact on Code.org and on the education system,” Code.org founder Hadi Partovi said in a news release on Friday. “He helped build an institution that will continue to serve students for generations, and I am profoundly grateful for his leadership and partnership.”
Code.org was launched in 2013 by brothers Hadi and Ali Partovi with a mission to expand computer science education to K-12 students. Backed by nearly $60 million in funding from the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Google and others, Code.org counts 102 million students and 3 million teachers on its platform today, with 232 million projects created by students around the world.
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Code.org says its AI curriculum has already helped more than 6 million students learn foundational concepts around the technology. More than 25 million students have completed activities in its “Hour of AI” campaign.
Partovi, who has been operating as chairman of the board for the past two years, will continue in that role.
Jeff Hebert. (LinkedIn Photo)
— Jeff Hebert is a new senior hardware manager at Amazon leading a team working on last-mile delivery innovations.
“Intelligent sensors, human-digital interfaces, and robotics that leverage the latest capabilities of AI, edge processing, and connectivity have immense potential to increase safety and efficiency at the heart of Amazon’s business,” he said in a post on LinkedIn.
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Hebert spent 15 years at Seattle-based product development firm Synapse and left as president last August. He was most recently at consulting firm Capgemini Invent.
— Former Tableau CEO Ryan Aytay is the new president and chief operating officer of Code Metal, a Boston-based company that builds AI tools that automatically translate and optimize code for different hardware systems.
Aytay announced earlier this month that he was leaving Salesforce after 19 years. He’d been serving since 2023 as the CEO of Tableau, the Seattle-based data visualization company that was acquired by Salesforce in 2019.
“I’m incredibly energized about this next chapter,” Aytay wrote on LinkedIn. “The combination of world-class tech, real customer demand, and team building with urgency and integrity is rare — and I feel lucky to be part of it!”
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Code Metal just closed a $125 million Series B funding round at a $1.25 billion valuation.
— Douglas Dawson, a longtime communications leader at Microsoft, is now leading comms for the team focused on Microsoft’s cloud and AI strategy. He previously led Microsoft’s global communications team, and has been with the company for almost 12 years.
— Harshit Shah is the new chief technology officer at LiveView Technologies, a company that develops cloud-connected video surveillance, safety, and remote monitoring solutions. Shah was previously CTO at Kyruus Health. He spent four years as an engineering leader at Amazon Web Services and another 10 at Microsoft as a software and program manager.
— Diana Leo is the new vice president of governmental affairs for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce.
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Leo has an extensive background in politics, policy, and public service. She previously led multi-state advocacy for iCivics, advancing nonpartisan K-12 civic education policies through legislative engagement. She served as grassroots and outreach director for Utah Sen. Mike Lee and held senior leadership appointments in the first Trump administration.
— Andrew Peterson joined the board of directors at Austin, Texas-based cybersecurity company DryRun Security.
Peterson is a Seattle native and entrepreneur-turned-investor who returned to the city to lead Aviso Ventures, a venture capital fund founded in 2023 to back early stage enterprise and infrastructure software startups. He previously co-founded Signal Sciences, a cybersecurity company acquired by Fastly in 2020.
— Vincent Valentino is the new energy economy lead at the Washington State Department of Commerce following more than three years leading green economy initiatives for the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development.
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Valentino, who is also vice chair of the board of Washington State Green Bank, said in a post on LinkedIn, that he’s looking forward to “continuing to work to make Washington a national leader in all things clean energy and climate tech!”
The Stop Killing Games campaign is evolving into more than just a movement. In a YouTube video, the campaign’s creator, Ross Scott, explained that organizers are planning to establish two non-governmental organizations, one for the European Union and another for the US. According to Scott, these NGOs would allow for “long-term counter lobbying” when publishers end support for certain video games.
“Let me start off by saying I think we’re going to win this, namely the problem of publishers destroying video games that you’ve already paid for,” Scott said in the video. According to Scott, the NGOs will work on getting the original Stop Killing Games petition codified into EU law, while also pursuing more watchdog actions, like setting up a system to report publishers for revoking access to purchased video games.
The Stop Killing Games campaign started as a reaction to Ubisoft’s delisting of The Crew from players’ libraries. The controversial decision stirred up concerns about how publishers have the ultimate say on delisting video games. After crossing a million signatures last year, the movement’s leadership has been busy exploring the next steps.
According to Scott, the campaign leadership will meet with the European Commission soon, but is also working on a 500-page legal paper that reveals some of the industry’s current controversial practices. In the meantime, the ongoing efforts have led to a change of heart from Ubisoft since the publisher updated The Crew 2 with an offline mode.
[Oliver Pett] loves creating automata; pieces of art whose physicality and motion come together to deliver something unique. [Oliver] also has a mission, and that mission is to complete the most complex automata he has ever attempted: The Archer. This automaton is a fully articulated figure designed to draw arrows from a quiver, nock them in a bow, draw back, and fire — all with recognizable technique and believable motions. Shoot for the moon, we say!
He’s documenting the process of creating The Archer in a series of videos, the latest of which dives deep into just how intricate and complex of a challenge it truly is as he designs the intricate cams required.
A digital, kinematic twin in Rhino 3D helps [Oliver] to choose key points and determine the cam profiles required to effect them smoothly.
In simple automata rotational movement can be converted by linkages to create the required motions. But for more complicated automata (like the pen-wielding Maillardet Automaton), cams provide a way to turn rotational movement into something much more nuanced. While creating the automaton and designing appropriate joints and actuators is one thing, designing the cams — never mind coordinating them with one another — is quite another. It’s a task that rapidly cascades in complexity, especially in something as intricate as this.
[Oliver] turned to modern CAD software and after making a digital twin of The Archer he’s been using it to mathematically generate the cam paths required to create the desired movements and transitions, instead of relying on trial and error. This also lets him identify potential collisions or other errors before any metal is cut. The cams are aluminum, so the fewer false starts and dead ends, the better!
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Not only is The Archer itself a beautiful piece of work-in-progress, seeing an automaton’s movements planned out in this way is a pretty interesting way to tackle the problem. We can’t wait to see the final result.
On 18 February 2026, Google introduced the Pixel 10a in India, positioning it as an affordable gateway to its powerful AI ecosystem. The device is priced at Rs 49,999, the same as last year’s A-series device. The phone will be available starting 6 March 2026. With a strong focus on AI innovation and affordability, the Pixel 10a aims to make smart technology more accessible.
The Pixel 10a is all about functional AI that makes a difference in everyday use. Google is introducing flagship Pixel 10 AI capabilities to the A-series lineup, making advanced functionality more available. Camera Coach helps users take better photos in real-time. Auto Best Take helps group photos by picking the best expressions from a series of photos, even with up to 20 people in the photo. Google also launches Pixel Drops, which provide new features and enhancements on a regular basis.
Big Display with Longer Battery Life
The Pixel 10a comes with a 6.3-inch Actua display that provides crisp and colorful images and has a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, which is the brightest display on any Pixel A-series smartphone. This display is readable even in direct sunlight. The Pixel 10a comes with a 5,100 mAh battery, which is the largest battery in the A-series smartphones till date and provides more than 30 hours of battery life. The Pixel 10a is charged through 30W wired charging and 10W wireless charging.
Durability & Software Support
The Pixel 10a is supported by Google for software and security updates for a total of seven years. The device has a Gorilla Glass GG7i display and is IP68-rated, making it dust and water-resistant. Moreover, the phone comes with uniform 4mm bezels that create a balanced look. The colors available for the device are Lavender, Obsidian, Fog, and Berry.
In terms of sustainability, Google has highlighted the eco-friendly options available in the Pixel 10a. Google builds the device with an aluminium frame and an 81% recycled plastic back. The company also uses recycled cobalt, copper, gold, and tungsten, supporting more eco-friendly production.
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Pricing, Offers & Pixel Upgrade Program
Google has some attractive offers for the Pixel 10a. You can get a cashback of Rs 3,000 and enjoy up to 24 months of no-cost EMI with the purchase of the Pixel 10a if you make the payment along with some HDFC Bank credit cards. There is also an exchange bonus of Rs 3,000. With the Pixel Upgrade Program, you can pay as low as Rs 2,083 per month with zero interest. In addition, after 9 EMI payments, you can upgrade to a new Pixel with an assured buyback guarantee.
Your project doesn’t necessarily have to be a refined masterpiece to have an impact on the global hacker hivemind. Case in point: this great demo of using a 64-point time-of-flight ranging sensor. [Henrique] took three modules, plugged them into a breadboard, and wrote some very interactive Python code that let him put them all through their paces. The result? I now absolutely want to set up a similar rig and expand on it.
That’s the power of a strong proof of concept, and maybe a nice video presentation of it in action. What in particular makes [Henrique]’s POC work is that he’s written the software to give him a number of sliders, switches, and interaction that let him tweak things in real time and explore some of the possibilities. This exploratory software not only helped him map out what directions to go, but they also work in demo mode, when he’s showing us what he has learned.
But the other thing that [Henrique]’s video does nicely is to point out the limitations of his current POC. Instantly, the hacker mind goes “I could work that out”. Was it strategic incompleteness? Either way, I’ve been nerd-sniped.
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So are those the features of a good POC? It’s the bare minimum to convey the idea, presented in a way that demonstrates a wide range of possibilities, and leaving that last little bit tantalizingly on the table?
What originated as a narrow procurement notice has grown into a broader effort that links machine-learning models with government and commercial records, creating an enforcement infrastructure with few historical parallels. As the software moves from early pilot to wider operational use, the arguments around it have hardened. Read Entire Article Source link
