cleverhottubmiracle

[cleverhottubmiracle]

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Any products or services put forward appear in no particular order. if you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. As the song goes, “Nobody does it better”. But which James Bond movie really does it best? Across almost six decades there have been 24 films and six actors, each an essential entry into the history of 007. And how do you rate a Bond film? The style? The action? The villain? The girl? The car? The gadgets? The cheeky one-liner? The answer is all of the above, of course. But the good news is, you don’t have to rate the Bond films, because we’ve done it for you. Here’s the definitive ranking of Bond, James Bond. 24. Die Another Day (2001) Pierce Brosnan’s final outing took Bond to Iceland for an adventure that will leave you cold: it’s quite simply the worst Bond film ever made. After bringing Bond into the ’90s, Brosnan’s tenure descends into a parody of the franchise with this computer effects-heavy farce – Bond drives an invisible car, kite surfs on a tidal wave, and fights a diamond-encrusted henchman (yes, you read that right). Plus, an ear-splitting dance theme by Madonna. The Style: Wintery vibes with a double-breasted guards coat over grey pinstripe The Car: Erm, invisible The Gadget: A weaponised surfboard The One-Liner: “Saved by the bell,” Bond quips after saving himself from plummeting to his death by hanging on a giant bell 23. Diamonds Are Forever (1971) After stepping down for replacement 007 George Lazenby, Sean Connery returns for one last go as 007 – chasing down Blofeld to Vegas for murdering his bride in the previous film. Connery is stodgier and more obviously wearing a toupee than ever before (certainly not the sex panther we’ve become accustomed to) but it’s also very daft: cartoon baddies, a silly fight with some ladies, and arch-nemesis Blofeld disguising himself as a middle-aged woman. The Style: Connery switches up his regular tux look with a navy velvet dinner jacket The Car: A speedy Ford Mustang The Gadget: A magnetic ring that guarantees a jackpot on the fruit machine every time. Handy in Vegas The One-Liner: “Plenty O’Toole… named after your father, perhaps?” 22. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) It’s another low entry from Brosnan, this time as he takes on one of the series’ worst baddies – a futuristic media mogul who thinks typing menacingly fast is a substitute for the classic laser up the double-Os. Brosnan was a great Bond – the look, the charm, the knack for innuendo – but somehow the nineties-ness of his era has dated even worse than the Carry On Bond era of the seventies. The Style: He’s strictly casual in the film’s big motorcycle chase – baggy blue linen shirt and dark chinos The Car: A remote control BMW 750iL The Gadget: An explosive Omega Seamaster watch The One-Liner: “You always were a cunning linguist, James,” says Moneypenny, while Bond beds a language tutor. Quite 21. Thunderball (1965) The first real misfire of the Bond series sees Connery go deep for a slow-moving, never-ending underwater battle (though you have to love Tom Jones belting out the word ‘Thunderball’ at the top of his lungs). But never one to let a nautical theme slip by without taking advantage, Bond rocks some of the best beachwear of his 50 plus-years on the big screen. No Bond did beach duds like Connery. The Style: Cuban collar shirts and blue swim shorts The Car: Aston Martin DB5 The Gadget: An actual jet pack The One-Liner: “I think he got the point.” After skewering a man to death with a spear gun 20. Octopussy (1983) Roger Moore’s Bond heads to India on the trail of a plot involving a bomb and bogus Fabergé eggs, and finds himself in a floating palace populated entirely by beautiful women (*raises eyebrow naughtily*). It’s enjoyable nonsense until an overlong chase on a circus train, which regrettably ends with Bond dressing up like a clown. Alright, he’s in disguise but it’s still ridiculous, Mr Bond. The Style: A clown costume. Yes, really The Car: A Tuk Tuk rickshaw for Bond’s unlikeliest car chase The Gadget: A one-man submersible disguised as a crocodile The One-Liner: “Having trouble keeping it up, Q?” 19. Quantum of Solace (2008) Daniel Craig’s debut Casino Royale played around with the Bond formula, but Quantum of Solace rejected it completely. The film had production problems and was being rewritten while they filmed it. There’s solid action – especially a nosebleed-inducing punch-up on some scaffolding – but it’s not much of a Bond film. The villain is at least quite timely – an evil environmentalist Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), who plots to keep Bolivia’s water supply to himself. The Style: A brown mohair tonic two-piece from Tom Ford The Car: Aston Martin DBS V12 The Gadget: A special MI5-ready smartphone with facial imaging and top secret access The One-Liner: “You must be furious,” at an intern who’s angry with herself for succumbing to his bedroom charms 18. A View To A Kill (1985) Everything about this is wrong: Roger Moore’s Bond at a creaky 57-years-old but still seducing the young ladies; Grace Jones being terrifying as ever and seducing a creaky 57-year-old Roger Moore; and the flare of Roger’s trousers flapping in the wind as he dangles off the Golden Gate Bridge. But you can’t argue with the Duran Duran theme tune, Christopher Walken on maniacal villain duties, and the sheer joy of its silliness. The Style: A grey suede blouson with a grey and white striped shirt and grey flannel trousers The Car: A commandeered Renault 11 taxi The Gadget: A gold ring with an in-built camera The One-Liner: “Well, I’m an early riser myself.” Course you are, James 17. The World Is Not Enough (1999) Brosnan takes on Renard, a baddie who can’t feel pain because of a bullet lodged in his brain (honestly, where do they find these guys?). After his much-celebrated debut in Goldeneye, this is Brosnan’s third Bond film and second best effort overall. It’s best remembered for an action sequence around the brand-spanking-new Millennium Dome and Denise Richards as Dr Christmas Jones, the world’s most glamorous nuclear physicist. The Style: The Broser pulls out the linen again for a cream herringbone two-piece, worn with a blue Oxford shirt. The Car: A BMW Z8 The Gadget: X-ray specs for “checking concealed weapons” The One-Liner: “And I thought Christmas only comes once a year.” 16. Moonraker (1979) Bond takes a cue from the success of Star Wars and goes into space. It has one of the series’ most iconic action sequences – Bond battling metal-toothed assassin Jaws on cable cars dangling 1,000ft over Rio De Janeiro’s Sugar Loaf Mountain – and for the most part it’s classic Roger Moore-era fun. Until Bond has to wrestle an unconvincing python and rockets off into space for a laser battle. The Style: Banana space suit with matching Converse The Car: A gondola that converts into a hovercraft The Gadget: Wrist-mounted dart gun, which fires cyanide darts The One-Liner: “He’s attempting re-entry, sir,” says Q, as Bond navigates his rocket back into the atmosphere/Dr Holly Goodhead. 15. You Only Live Twice (1967) Bond fakes his own death so he can go to Japan undetected and investigate the mysterious disappearance of two spacecraft. What he finds there is the most Bond villain thing of all time: his arch nemesis Ernst Stavros Blofled – here played by Donald Pleasance – in a hollowed-out volcano base, complete with a rocket launch-pad and piranha-infested pools. It’s formulaic stuff but also Connery’s last great moment as Bond. The Style: Tan linen sports shirt with camp collar and brown linen trousers The Car: A Toyota 2000 GT convertible The Gadget: A gyrocopter called “Little Nellie” The One-Liner: “Just a drop in the ocean,” after an enemy car plunges into the Pacific 14. Spectre (2015) After all the deep soul-searching of Skyfall, Spectre took a huge step backwards. It looks sexy as hell, not least for Daniel Craig’s steamy pairing with Léa Seydoux, but Spectre is surface-level adventure: girls, fights, and car chases. It also tries some clumsy reverse engineering to make the new Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) Bond’s sort-of brother and longtime nemesis, even though Bond only just met him. The Style: Several Tom Ford O’Connor suits, including a tasty blue shark skin The Car: The Aston Martin DB10, specially built for this movie The Gadget: Smart blood, which MI5 uses to track Bond The One-Liner: “Well, get on with it then,” he says, about to be tortured by Blofeld. “Nothing can be as painful as listening to you talk.” 13. For Your Eyes Only (1981) Everyone agreed that Moonraker, with its laser space battle and rubber snake, was a bit OTT. So Roger Moore went back-to-basics with the most serious, Fleming-like film of his tenure – a straight-up espionage thriller which sees Bond hunting down a missing communications device. It’s famous for having Roger’s darkest moment: he kills a baddie in cold blood by booting him off a cliff. The Style: Padded Bogner ski jacket over a navy v-neck knitted jumper and white rollneck The Car: A rather unglamourous Citroën 2CV, which Bond is forced to escape in The Gadget: Identigraph machine for creating computerized mugshots The One-Liner: “He had no head for heights,” he says, after the baddie plummets to his death 12. Man With The Golden Gun (1974) In his second outing as Bond, Roger Moore pulls out one of his greatest skills as a super-spy: wearing the absolute hell out of a safari suit. Bond also goes mano-a-mano with Christopher Lee, playing three-nippled assassin Scaramanga (that’s the man with the golden gun, if it wasn’t obvious). Britt Ekland turns up the seventies sexiness and the final duel – which sees Roger traipsing through Scaramanga’s psychedelic funhouse – is a joy. The Style: A swish double-breasted grey suit with a blue chalkstripe The Car: An AMC Hornet Hatchback. It somersaults in the air to the sound of a slide whistle The Gadget: A prosthetic nipple so Bond can disguise himself as Scaramanga The One-Liner: “I am now aiming precisely at your groin. So speak or forever hold your piece.” 11. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Roger Moore’s third adventure has the best opening 15 minutes of any Bond film – Roger (well, a stuntman) skis off the 2,000ft Mount Asgard and reveals a Union Flag parachute, before Carly Simon belts out the epic Bond ballad ‘Nobody Does It Better’. From there, 007 travels to the Pyramids to fight Jaws, rescues a nuclear submarine, and smooches KGB Agent Triple X (Barbara Bach). That’ll be the spy who loved him, then. The Style: A dinner suit with extra-wide lapels and generously flared trousers The Car: A Lotus Esprit that turns into a submarine. Naturally The Gadget: A ski pole that doubles up as a rifle. The One-Liner: “What do you think you’re doing, 007?” exclaims M, upon finding Bond and Triple X in a compromising position. “Keeping the British end up, sir.” 10. GoldenEye (1995) Brosnan’s debut was a big hit and the nineties nostalgia is strong (partly thanks to the classic N64 game). There’s big action as Bond bungees down a 700ft dam and joyrides a tank – plus, the lethally sexy Famke Janssen as thigh-crushing villainess Xenia Onatopp. It tries to examine 007 for being a misogynistic dinosaur, but in hindsight, the bum-pinching cheekiness of this lads’ era Bond has more in common with Roger Moore than it realized. The Style: A Brioni suit with finely detailed navy birdseye pattern. Accessorized with a massive gun The Car: Aston Martin DB5 The Gadget: Ball point pen with a class-4 grenade The One-Liner: “One rises to meet a challenge.” Alright 007, we get the idea 9. The Living Daylights (1987) After the campy froth of Roger Moore’s later years, it was time for a change of tone. Timothy Dalton steps into Bond’s shoes for a darker, grittier performance that’s more in line with the 007 from Ian Fleming’s books – though there’s still some excellent silliness when Bond slides down an icy mountain on a cello case. Eighties pop maestros A-Ha provide a hearty synth banger. The Style: A tan wool gabardine suit. A classic cut but without the tie for casual vibes The Car: Aston Martin V8. Very nifty on ice and with a rocket launcher The Gadget: A key ring that releases gas when you whistle Rule Britannia The One-Liner: “Whoever she was, it must’ve scared the living daylights out of her.” 8. Live & Let Die (1973) Roger Moore’s debut is still his best, though arguably it’s also the least politically correct of all the Bond films (which is saying something). Bond goes to the Caribbean to take down a corrupt dictator in a tale of voodoo and heroin. There are great moments – a killer speedboat chase, killer sharks, Bond hopping along crocodiles like stepping stone – but the real clincher is Paul McCartney’s belting theme tune. The Style: An all-black ensemble – polo neck and trousers with a one-shouldered holster The Car: Forget the car, it’s all about the speedboat in this one The Gadget: A magnetic Rolex with built-in buzzsaw The One-Liner: “There’s no sense going out half-cocked.” 7. Skyfall (2012) Bond celebrated his 50th anniversary onscreen by delving into his own psyche for an existential wallow. It’s the deepest, most thematically layered of all the films, as 007 reassembles the pieces of his formula for a fusion of old and new Bond. Javier Bardem’s Silva is a classic villain rebooted – a secret agent-gone-bad, deformed from cyanide and out for revenge on Judi Dench’s M. The Style: Bond goes rural – a Barbour jacket, tonal colors, and scarf The Car: The classic Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger comes out of the garage The Gadget: A simple gun with handprint-recognition tech The One-Liner: Silva slides his hands up Bond’s legs and tells him there’s a first time for everything: “What makes you think this is my first time?” 6. Dr No (1962) The very first Bond film is a masterclass in style: Bond’s perfectly-worn threads, the pristine sands of Jamaica, and Ursula Andress’s emerging from the sea in that iconic bikini. Connery is sexual magnetism personified as Bond, taking on the robotic-handed Dr No, who plans to sabotage a US space program. The Bond formula we’re now accustomed to isn’t quite there, but it’s got the key elements: the exotic locations, the sex drive, and the dastardly villain. The Style: Powder blue playsuit. Big look The Car: Sunbeam Alpine The Gadget: Bond’s signature weapon: the Walther PPK The One-Liner: “Bond, James Bond.” The original and still best delivery 5. Casino Royale (2006) Bond was in dire need of a reboot, so Daniel Craig’s debut, based on Fleming’s first novel, was grittier and more realistic, shaking (but never stirring) the Bond formula. It begins with a blistering action sequence – a punch-up atop a 100ft crane – and it’s gripping to the end, with Bond entering a high-stakes poker game to bankrupt Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), moneyman to the terrorists, and falling in love with Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). The Style: A three-piece Brioni blue pinstripe suit The Car: Aston Martin DBS The Gadget: A defibrillator in the glove compartment. Just in case you get poisoned The One-Liner: When asked if he wants his vodka Martini shaken or stirred. “Do I look like I give a damn?” 4. From Russia With Love (1963) Bond slips into league (and bed, naturally) with a Russian defector and must keep a decoding machine out of the hands of SPECTRE. Connery looks flawless and there’s nerve-shredding tension as he fights nails-hard henchman Red Grant (Robert Shaw) on a train. This is more a straight-up espionage thriller than a Bond-style adventure, but it’s still a slick, sexy piece of filmmaking almost 60 years later. The Style: Grey glen-check suit with a trilby hat The Car: Bentley Mark IV The Gadget: An attaché briefcase containing a folding rifle, knife, and a gas bomb The One-Liner: “Well, I’ve just been reviewing an old case,” he says, sleeping with his previous target 3. Licence to Kill (1989) Dalton teased a darker side in The Living Daylights but goes full Fleming for this swearier, more violent take. After parachuting into pal Felix Leiter’s wedding for best man duties (OK, Bond might he darker, but he’s still a massive show off), Felix has his legs fed to a shark by drug baron Sanchez (Robert Davi). Bond goes rogue for a revenge mission. LTK was too dark for fans at the time, but it’s a shame that Dalton didn’t make more Bonds. The Style: A baggy, loose cut dark blue shirt and trousers The Car: Bond ditches the cars for a convoy of Kentworth trucks in the film’s rollicking chase scene The Gadget: A bomb and detonator disguised as a tube of toothpaste and pack of cigarettes The One-Liner: “I’ll do anything for a woman with a knife.” 2. Goldfinger (1964) More than 50 years later and this is still the gold standard. This is peak Connery – sexed-up, impeccably dressed, and dripping so much charisma that someone should be mopping up after him. The film crafts the formula – the car, the saucily named lady (Pussy Galore), the cartoon henchman (hat-throwing menace Oddjob), the soaring theme tune – that would define almost every Bond film thereafter. The Style: Ivory dinner jacket paired with red coronation The Car: Aston Martin DB5 The Gadget: Shoe with a honing device in the heel The One-Liner: “Shocking, positively shocking,” after electrocuting a villain to death 1. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) George Lazenby is remembered as a one-off misfire, but OHMSS is Bond’s greatest creative triumph – a stylish, sometimes psychedelic slice of ’60s genius. Lazenby is no Sean Connery (or even Roger Moore for that matter), but he’s a hard-fighting physical specimen and adept at the cheeky one-liner. Traveling to the Swiss Alps for a showdown with Blofeld, Bond throws convention off the mountaintop and even gets married – but his bride is shot in the final seconds. A daring and tragic masterpiece. The Style: A Prince Charlie jacket, wool waistcoat, decorative jabot, and Black Watch tartan kilt The Car: Mercury Cougar XR-7 The Gadget: A mobile safecracking device The One-Liner: “This never happened to the other guy,” he says, having to fight off some villains just seconds after taking over from Connery. Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Model poses are a key part of fashion photography—how a model positions their body, creates angles, and moves can turn an ordinary shot into a compelling visual story. A great pose can transform an ordinary image into something striking and full of personality. It’s not just about drawing attention to an outfit, an effective pose also conveys emotion, highlights craftsmanship, and leaves a lasting impression. Confidence, strong posture, and fluid body language are the foundation of great model poses. When done right, the pose should feel effortless but also intentional. If things look stiff or awkward, it can take away from the impact of the shot. Depending on the vibe of the shoot, a model’s body language can say so much—whether that’s power, grace, or even vulnerability. Models who feel comfortable in front of the camera are usually able to communicate the desired mood more effectively. This guide breaks down the basics of posing for fashion photography, with practical tips that will help anyone, especially aspiring models or any beginner poser, feel more confident and creative before their next shoot. With these techniques, you’ll be ready to approach any photoshoot with confidence and creativity. Essential Fashion Model Poses for All Levels To build your confidence and versatility, start by mastering foundational poses that work across various photoshoot styles, from editorials to commercial campaigns. Practice in front of a mirror or alongside a photographer to align your vision and refine your technique. With consistent practice, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how to position your body, helping you feel more relaxed and self-assured in front of the camera. Here are some universal and adaptable model poses to practice: #1. Power Stance Stand tall with your feet slightly apart. Place your hands on your hips or let them rest naturally by your sides. Keep your neck elongated and chin slightly raised, avoiding any slouching. This pose creates strong lines that naturally guide the viewer’s attention to the outfit, making it ideal for structured garments like suits and outerwear. The statuesque appearance adds sophistication and highlights the craftsmanship of high-fashion designs. #2. Something to Lean On Use walls, railings, or props as support. Shift your weight to one leg while slightly bending the opposite knee, creating a natural S-curve in your posture. This pose emphasizes symmetry and structure, making it ideal for editorial shoots, especially when showcasing casual or streetwear styles. Leaning model poses exude a relaxed and approachable vibe while maintaining visual interest. #3. Change the Angle Photo: OG Productionz Incorporate creative angles to add depth and movement. Low angles can make the model appear powerful, while high angles can emphasize flowing fabrics or intricate details. Engage with your surroundings while keeping the focus on the outfit. Experiment with cropping and recomposing your images using a fashion photo editing app to better direct the viewer’s attention. #4. Take a Seat Sitting poses can convey elegance and ease. Cross your legs or twist your torso slightly to create dynamic shapes. Rest an elbow on your knee or lightly touch your face to add angularity and visual interest. Seated modeling poses are perfect for highlighting accessories, intricate details, or flowing fabrics. Consider using free photoshop alternatives to help enhance textures and bring out subtle details. Incorporating Movement For Model Poses Movement can bring energy and vibrancy to your fashion photos. It not only makes garments appear more dynamic but also adds a layer of spontaneity and realism to your images. Here are a few ways to incorporate motion into your model poses: #5. Walk That Walk Walking poses are timeless and engaging. A confident stride can showcase the fabric’s flow, the cut of a gown, or the tailored details of a pair of trousers. Slightly exaggerate your steps or arm movements to add flair. Keep your arms positioned slightly away from your body to prevent flattening or hiding the clothing’s details. #6. Spin and Twirl Phone: Bruno Henrike/Pexels For dresses and skirts, spinning or twirling can emphasize their fluidity and elegance. A gentle hem lift or a full twirl can add drama and movement, highlighting the fabric’s texture and drape. Adjust the speed of your movements to create either subtle or dramatic effects that suit the mood of the shoot. #7. Simple Gestures Subtle motions like flipping your hair, turning your head mid-step, or adjusting an accessory can add a personal touch to your photos. Gestures like holding a bag or pulling at a sleeve bring personality while showcasing key details. These small movements can enhance the overall composition without overwhelming the image. Final Thoughts The right model poses can elevate fashion photography from average to extraordinary. By thoughtfully using angles, lines, and movements, you can create striking images that align with the outfit’s design and mood. Whether it’s a power stance or a twirl, each pose adds depth, personality, and professionalism to your shots. This guide only scratches the surface of what you can achieve through posing. Continue to explore, experiment, and practice regularly. Collaborating with a skilled photographer will also help you, a fashion model, achieve stunning, magazine-worthy results with great poses. So strike a pose and leave a lasting impression with every photoshoot! Featured image:  @mayowanicholas/Instagram For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_—Read Also Style Rave At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram! @StyleRave_ ♥ !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

The best pubic hair trimmers are deeply individual devices. Your ideal trimmer depends on the result you want—be it a tidying up, full shave, or light snipping. Luckily, there are a ton of great options on the market today to take care of whatever hair situation you're working with.After you've settled on the right trimmer for you, the other thing you'll want need is time. “The expression ‘slow is smooth, and smooth is fast’ is very apropos to shaving the pubic area,” says Ryan Turner, MD, a board-certified NYC dermatologist and co-founder of TRNR Skin. “While trimming or shaving the scrotum [in particular] isn’t rocket science, I wouldn’t recommend doing it when you’re in a rush. Proper prep, and taking your time, will yield the best results.” Read on to see our top picks—along with everything else you need to know about trimming your hedges.The Best Pubic Hair Trimmers for Men, At a GlanceLooking for Something Specific?AccordionItemContainerButtonThe Best Pubic Hair Trimmer Overall: Happy Nuts Lumberjack Electric Hair TrimmerHappy NutsLumberjack Electric Hair TrimmerWhy we love it: While Happy Nuts already had a dedicated ball trimmer (called “The Ballber”, it’s worth noting), their newer body hair trimmer is my go-to for dedicated nether-area aesthetics. I’m inclined to tell you that you don’t need a dedicated trimmer for your balls, hence it’s a good consolidation to have one that tackles your testicles as well as the rest of your body hair. I always say to lean into the tool you require more readily: If you first need a trimmer for back hair and body hair, then get one that also manages pubes just fine. However, if you care a lot about having a dedicated mons-pubis manager—and one that tackles body hair with equal aplomb—then The Lumberjack here will keep you tidy.In terms of function, this one cuts close enough for a smooth result across your mons, but that first attachable and length-adjustable guard provides just enough buffer for your ballsack so that you don’t get nicked along the way. Add to that, its waterproofness, long battery life, and no-slip grip, and you have a terrific device that takes all the stress out of groin upkeep.The Best Trimmer for Sensitive Skin: The Lawn Mower 4.0ManscapedThe Lawn Mower 4.0Why we love it: This electric trimmer comes highly recommended by sexologist and sex educator Lilithfoxx, who loves that it's "designed with men’s grooming in mind, but still versatile enough for all genders." Its blades are made of rust-proof ceramic instead of metal, which cuts down on irritation (and means you likely won't need to replace the blades as frequently!), making this a solid pick if you've got sensitive skin. It also boasts some nifty quality-of-life features like a wireless charging dock, a travel-lock function so it won't spring to life in your suitcase, and a built-in LED spotlight so you can see what you're doing, even in low light conditions.The Best Precision Trimmer: Bikini Trimmer & ShaverPanasonicBikini Trimmer & ShaverWhy we love it: "For those who want a smaller, more portable option, the Panasonic Bikini Shaper and Trimmer is fantastic," Lilithfoxx says. It's great for getting into nooks and crannies, and its petite profile makes it a handy travel companion. Whether you're shaving thick hair or just cleaning up some strays, the four attachments in this kit should have you covered, even if you've got sensitive skin—its hypoallergenic blades and rounded edges help it minimize irritation.The Best Electric Shaver for Pubic Hair: Philips Norelco OneBlade Intimate SkinProtect Trimmer and ShaverPhilips NorelcoOneBlade Intimate SkinProtect Trimmer and ShaverWhy we love it: If what you want is a skin-close shave without the worry of a sharp cartridge razor, then stick with this electric shaver. "There’s a reason for OneBlade being one of the most popular trimmers in the world right now," says sexologist Sofie Roos: "It does it all." Like all other OneBlades, this one transforms into a trimmer with a single attachment, should you simply want to manage a light overgrown lawn. This particular model also offers ample guardrails between each tooth to prevent nicking and tugging. Maybe most impressive of all is how quiet it runs. "It's perfect if you need to sneak into the bathroom for some last-minute pubic trimming when your partner is in the house," says Roos.The Best Ball Trimmer: Balls Archibald TrimmerWhy we love it: If you want one dedicated ball trimmer, make it Balls’ trimmer, which includes a silicone bracelet to prevent dropping it, an ergonomic design, and no-slip handle, and an adjustable guard attachment with various trimming intervals. On top of all that, it has tightly spaced teeth, which help you avoid nicking and cutting, and a generous runtime that gives our top prize winner a run for its jewels. Use it for your balls, certainly, but for the rest of your groin, too. (Heads up: At the time of publication, the only color in stock is pink, but the function is 100% the same.)The Best Beard-to-Balls Trimmer: Braun All-in-One Series 9 Trimmer 9400BraunAll-in-One Series 9 Trimmer 9400Why we love it: Should you want an all-in-one grooming device (beard trimmer included), then make it Braun’s. Swap between the body groomer and face groomer attachments to manage coarser hair with thoughtfully-close-together teeth. No nicks, no cuts, and the device allows for adjustable trimming so that you can let your pubes be as bushy (or trimmed) as you please. Plus, the fact that you get a separate head for this one makes it easy to be church-and-state with your beard vs. body hair upkeep—though I still suggest a good hot water and soap rinse after each use down south.The Most Ergonomic Pubic Hair Trimmer: Panasonic Body Groomer (ER-GK80-S Model)PanasonicBody Groomer (ER-GK80-S Model)Why we love it: The best back hair shaver and manscaper in the game, Panasonic’s Body Groomer offers a vast range of custom trimming lengths, and the unique ability to trim inside any odd crevice, at any odd angle (thanks to its vertically arranged teeth). It’s great for spot-checking tall pubes or just generally grazing over the upper centimeter of overgrown hedges. It’s not my first pick for groin upkeep of all the devices on this list, but it is my first pick for chest and back hair maintenance (especially self-administered back hair trimming). So if that’s what you need foremost, then this one is a great investment that will serve you quite well below the belt, too.The Best Bush Whacker for Ample Pubic Hair: Wahl PeanutWhy we love it: If your pubes are like a woody thicket, or vastly overgrown, then it’s a good time to introduce the peanut. This tool is foremost a hair clipper, but its small size and serious muscle (plus its portability) make it an easy add-on for your dopp kit, a great weekend warrior for travel, or just a terrific tackler of the shrubby mons pubis. (I would avoid using it on the balls, at least flush on the skin; it’s blades are not spaced taut enough for that.)What to Consider When Buying a Pubic Hair TrimmerIf you’re in the market for a pubes trimmer, here are some criteria that our experts recommend you consider:Buffered guard or buffered teethAccordionItemContainerButtonA good trimmer should “come close to the skin while still having a design that minimizes the risk of cutting yourself,” Roos says. Whether you want one product that can handle your beard, body, and balls, or you want a dedicated device for your junk, make sure you have that extra layer of defense on the blade before mowing it over the loose skin on your shaft and sack.AccordionItemContainerButtonYou’re probably gonna use this thing fairly regularly, so it may as well feel good in your hand. “A trimmer with a comfortable grip and a lightweight design will be easier to maneuver,” Lilithfoxx says, “especially when working in harder-to-reach areas and for extended periods of time.”AccordionItemContainerButtonA good trimmer should ideally be usable in the shower or at the sink, so you’ll want one that’s at least splashproof, if not fully waterproof. It’s easier to clean a trimmer (which you should be doing regularly) if it’s waterproof, too.AccordionItemContainerButton“Since it can take some time to really remove all pubes, you should also aim for a trimmer with a great battery life so you can finish in one session,” says Roos. Most of our picks last at least half an hour per charge, but some will keep on trucking for 60 or even 90 minutes at a stretch.How to Shave Your Balls“It’s easiest to shave skin that is taut, which the scrotum decidedly isn’t,” Dr. Turner explains. “However, that doesn’t mean you want the scrotum to be tight when shaving, as it might be when you’re cold, for instance.” Here’s how he explains to go through the motions—and it starts with an awareness of a certain muscle in that area.So, you’ve got the cremaster muscle (that muscle you can sense internally, which raises and lowers the testes). Dr. Turner says this muscle helps regulate the balls’ temperature and promotes healthy sperm. “When the cremaster contracts, the scrotum becomes more textured and wrinkled, which will make shaving more difficult. I’d recommend shaving in the shower or just outside it. In addition to helping to soften coarse pubic hair, warm water will help relax the cremaster muscle. This will leave the skin smooth and make it easier to manipulate the scrotum as you shave.”How to Shave Your PubesBalls aside, how do you approach shaving the rest of your pubes? “Whatever you do, if it’s your first time shaving this area, you have to debulk most of the hair before going straight for the razor,” Dr. Turner says. “It’s just like a traditional haircut—if you’re going for a buzz cut after having a lot of length, you’ll need to use scissors to cut the hair down to a length that the other blades can manage easily.”Dr. Turner says to first trim the hair as short and as close to the skin as you can. Then, shower and cleanse the area before you shave. “Choose a very hydrating and lubricating shaving cream,” he adds. Take things slowly, and shave with the grain of hair growth (if possible, at those odd angles); this will prevent ingrown hairs better than if you shave against the grain of growth since those pubes tend to be extra curly and coarse. For the balls, be sure to heed Dr. Turner’s advice from above.After shaving, make sure to apply a breathable layer of moisturizer, “to help repair the skin barrier from the mechanical exfoliation of the shaving process,” says Dr. Turner. “Moisturizing can also help to reduce friction that can further irritate. In fact, you might want to additionally consider an anti-chafing stick or balm to lubricate this sensitive area.”What Does Body Hair Do?It’s worth understanding the role of body hair in the first place—just in case you want to factor in anything beyond pure aesthetics. “One of the purposes of pubic hair specifically is to help reduce friction during intercourse as hair passes over hair, acting as a ‘dry lubricant,’” says Dr. Turner. Body hair can also help regulate your body temperature, and Dr. Turner adds that it can also serve as a layer of protection against the outside world, “acting as a line of defense against potentially harmful bacteria”—like soft non-barbed wire coating your skin. Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Übersetzt von Aline Bonnefoy Veröffentlicht am 29. Januar 2025 Die Luxusmode-Suchplattform Lyst hat ihren jüngsten 'Lyst Index' veröffentlicht – und erneut führt Miu Miu die Rangliste der beliebtesten Modeakteure an. Doch im vierten Quartal waren nicht nur Luxuslabel gefragt, auch erschwinglichere Marken wie Coach, Cos und Massimo Dutti waren beliebt.Show ansehenMiu Miu – Herbst/Winter 2024 - 2025 - Womenswear - Frankreich- Paris - ©Launchmetrics/spotlightZunächst ein Blick auf die die Top 20: Im vierten Quartal blieb Miu Miu "die beliebteste Marke der Welt". Das Haus wurde auch als "die Gewinner-Marke" des gesamten Jahres bezeichnet, da sie in drei der vergangenen vier Quartale den ersten Platz belegte (im zweiten Quartal wurde sie von Loewe knapp geschlagen). Auch die Hauptmarke des Mutterkonzerns Prada konnte sich das ganze Jahr in den Top 3 halten. Im vierten Quartal belegte sie einen komfortablen dritten Platz. Saint Laurent wiederum landete im Berichtszeitraum auf Platz zwei und blickt ebenfalls auf ein gutes Gesamtjahr zurück. Das Label blieb unter den Top 5 und kletterte langsam nach oben.Lyst sagte, dass "der Rest des Marktes weiter durchmischt wurde, da Modefans Luxusmarken neu bewerten und erschwinglichere Marken und Trends (wieder)entdecken". Mit Blick auf die Rangliste ist Loewe um zwei Plätze zurückgefallen, liegt aber immer noch weit oben auf Platz vier, während Coach um zehn Plätze auf Platz fünf vorgerückt ist. Lyst erklärte: "Die wirksam umgesetzte Strategie von [Coach], um authentisch mit Kunden der Generation Z in Kontakt zu treten, hat sich ausgezahlt: Die Nachfrage stieg im Quartalsvergleich um 65 Prozent und im Jahresvergleich um 332 Prozent. Interessante Rabatte während der Hauptverkaufszeit ermöglichten mehr Kunden den Zugang zu den begehrten Coach-Taschen und machten Coach-Artikel zu beliebten Weihnachtsgeschenken". Bottega Veneta belegte den sechsten Platz, gefolgt von Alaïa, Moncler, The Row, dem Top-20-Newcomer Ugg, Skims, Gucci (minus vier Plätze), Jacquemus (minus sechs Plätze), Versace (minus drei Plätze), Balenciaga (plus zwei Plätze), Valentino (minus sechs Plätze), dem Newcomer Cos, Ralph Lauren (minus vier Plätze), Chloé und Totême.Cos im Stil von The Row Diese Erkenntnisse stützen die Beobachtung von Lyst, dass es in den Top 20 zu einer großen Umwälzung gekommen ist, bei der einige der teuersten Labels zugunsten erschwinglicherer Alternativen an Boden verloren haben. Weiter berichtete Lyst, dass die Marke Ugg, "ein weiterer Favorit der Generation Z, wieder in die Liste der angesagtesten Marken einsteigt und auf den zehnten Platz vorstößt. Ugg verzeichnete zwar oft saisonale Erfolge, aber die Nachfrage in diesem Quartal ist beispiellos; die UGG-Suchanfragen haben in den vergangenen drei Monaten um 358 Prozent und im Jahresvergleich um 12 Prozent zugenommen." Und obwohl Skims nur um einen Platz aufgestiegen ist, ist auch diese Entwicklung dem Erstarken des erschwinglichen Luxus zuzuschreiben. Eine Jacke aus der Zusammenarbeit mit North Face schaffte es unter die angesagtesten Produkte, da "kluge Partnerschaften mit Marken und Talenten weiterhin den Social Media Buzz von Skims antreiben. Zudem ist die Nachfrage nach Shapewear-Designs stark". Luxusmarken sind jedoch nicht vollständig ins Hintertreffen geraten – wie die Top 20 zeigt. Eines der Erfolgslabel war Balenciaga. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass sich die Marke endlich von ihrem Fehltritt bei der Werbekampagne vor einigen Jahren erholt. Diesmal machte die Marke zwei Plätze wett und die Suchanfragen stiegen im 4. Quartal um 25 Prozent, angetrieben durch die Taschenmodelle Bel Air und Rodeo. Interessanterweise war The Row die neuntbeliebteste Marke, während Cos von der H&M Group auf Platz 17 in die Rangliste einstieg. Der virale Kaschmirpullover der Marke (der dem Stil von The Row nachempfunden ist) landete auf dem 5. Platz der beliebtesten Produkte. Vor dem Blick auf die Liste der angesagtesten Produkte seien die drei Marken erwähnt, die unter dem Prädikat ‘Moving Fast’ zusammengefasst wurden. Im Berichtsquartal handelte es sich um Our Legacy, DeMellier und Auralee. Das jüngste Wachstum der Marke Our Legacy mit Sitz in Stockholm veranlasste LVMH Luxury Ventures dazu, im vergangenen Jahr eine Minderheitsbeteiligung an dem Unternehmen zu erwerben. Die Nachfrage auf Lyst verbesserte sich im vierten Quartal um 22 Prozent. Die beliebte Midi New York-Tasche von DeMellier verhalf dem Unternehmen zu einem Plus von 119 Prozent. Und das japanische Label Auralee konnte durch Collabs mit Tekla und New Balance eine wachsende internationale Fangemeinde gewinnen. Die Suchanfragen nach dem Auralee x New Balance 990v4-Sneaker ließen die Nachfrage im Quartal um 114 Prozent ansteigen. Nun zu den angesagtesten Produkten. Interessant ist nicht zuletzt, dass der Durchschnittspreis für die 'heißesten Produkte' im vergangenen Quartal USD 628 betrug, was im Vergleich zum Vorjahr einem Rückgang um 27 Prozent entspricht. Das beliebteste Produkt des Quartals war die Brooklyn-Tasche von Coach mit einem Anstieg der Suchanfragen um 46 Prozent, während der Kirschenanhänger von Coach auf Platz 4 vom Individualisierungstrend der Generation Z profitierte (die Suchanfragen nach Taschenanhängern auf Lyst nahmen um 77 Prozent zu).Brooklyn-Tasche von Coach Der Classic Ultra Mini-Stiefel von Ugg belegte den zweiten und ein Miu Miu-Fleece-Top den dritten Platz. Der bereits erwähnte Pullover von Cos landete auf dem fünften Platz, das RHW Blazer Dress von Wardrobe NYC auf dem sechsten und eine gemeinsam von Skims und The North Face gestaltete Jacke auf dem siebten Platz. Es folgte an achter Stelle der Leopardenmantel von Charlotte Simone, die Ada-Strickjacke von & Daughter auf Platz neun und der Pennyloafer von Massimo Dutti auf Platz zehn. Aus den Ergebnissen wird ersichtlich, dass die Baisse im Luxusmarkt dazu führt, dass extrem teure Produkte in gewissen Fällen deutlich erschwinglicheren Alternativen Platz machen. Lyst gab an, dass die trendigen Strickjacken mit Rundhalsausschnitt sowohl in der Damen- als auch in der Herrenmode beliebt seien. Die Strickjacke von &Daughter sei "der It-Strick der Saison und ermöglichte einen viralen TikTok-Moment für rote Strickjacken im Winter". Das RHW-Blazer-Kleid von Wardrobe NYC stammt aus einer Collab-Kollektion mit Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Das Modell wurde von Beyoncé bei einer Kamala-Harris-Kundgebung getragen, worauf die Suchanfragen im vierten Quartal um 110 Prozent zunahmen. Taylor Swift ihrerseits ist dafür verantwortlich, dass die Suchanfragen nach den kultigen, retro-inspirierten Mänteln der britischen Designerin Charlotte Simone um 242 Prozent stiegen. Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Charli XCX’s red carpet style has one major factor in common with her genre-bending music: range. There was the singer’s punk era circa the mid-2010s, her futuristic Pop 2 moment shortly after, and, her Brat phase that soundtracked 2024.Throughout it all the singer has mastered the art of statement fashion on the big stage, cozying up to some of fashion’s most exciting and avant-garde labels like Marni, JW Anderson, Vivienne Westwood, and Loewe. Charli has always been a fan of form-fitting gowns on the red carpet, often accented with some sort of unexpected accessory or bold beauty moment. But despite her preference for body-con looks, she also isn’t afraid to mix in matching separates or tailoring from time to time. Below, a look back at Charli XCX’s best red carpet moments, from True Romance to Brat.2024: LACMA Art+Film GalaSteve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesCharli loves a good party and this disco ball-esque Gucci look was more than ready for one.2024: WSJ. Magazine Innovator AwardsTaylor Hill/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesThis simple Saint Laurent dress was taken up a notch with a daring cut-out at the back.2024: Balenciaga Couture ShowArnold Jerocki/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesIs it a shirt? Is it a dress? Whatever the case may be, Charli put her best fashion foot forward to attend Balenciaga’s couture runway show in Paris.2024: Cannes Film FestivalAndreas Rentz/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesThe singer lit up like a disco ball in this sparkle Balenciaga look during the Magnum red carpet at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.2024: ASCAP EventLester Cohen/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesCharli’s look at this ASCAP event wasn’t what it seemed at first. The Mugler outfit is actually two pieces in one: a folded-over velvet skirt worn with a plunging black bodysuit. Her boots were courtesy of Steve Madden. 2024: Met GalaJamie McCarthy/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesOnly a true “brat” could get away with wearing a white t-shirt to the Met Gala. Of course, Charli’s outfit was actually 15 vintage white tees shredded up and turned into a gown by Marni creative director Francesco Risso. 2024: Vanity Fair Oscar PartySteve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesAt the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Charli was amongst a slew of celebrities who championed sheer fashion. Her see-through Givenchy look was designed with a draped, cowl neck and a goddess-like skirt.2024: Billboard Women In MusicSteve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesThe singer offered up an edgy twist on transparent fabric at a Billboard event by way of silver panels and chain detailing.2024: BRIT AwardsSamir Hussein/WireImage/Getty ImagesCharli shut down the 2024 BRIT Awards in a watercolor Marni look and chic, slicked-back hair.2024: Pre-Grammy GalaROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty ImagesCharli’s blue Marni gown made for the perfect statement during a Pre-Grammy Gala.2023: Fashion AwardsMike Marsland/WireImage/Getty ImagesCharli accented her neon face tapes with a red and yellow vintage number from Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2004 spring couture runway.2023: BRIT AwardsSamir Hussein/WireImage/Getty ImagesThe singer hopped on the sheer red carpet trend at the 2023 BRIT Awards with a see-through Ludovic de Saint Sernin dress.2022: amfAR GalaStephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis Entertainment/Getty ImagesCharli wasn’t afraid to show a fair amount of skin at the 2022 amfAR Gala.2021: MTV Video Music AwardsJason Kempin/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesA va-va-voom Barbarella moment at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards in a sheer and lace bodysuit.2021: The Daily Front Row AwardsJennifer Graylock/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesParty girl cut-outs for the 2021 Daily Front Row Awards.2020: BRIT AwardsGareth Cattermole/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesFor the 2020 Brit Awards, Charli went full goth chic in a black tulle gown.2019: Met GalaSean Zanni/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

[cleverhottubmiracle]

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our links. Please read our full disclosure here. This Aquarius style guide will show you how to dress like an Aquarius, with air sign-inspired fashion tips and outfit ideas. If you are wondering how to align your fashion sense with your astrological sign, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome to our zodiac sign fashion series, where we break down the style of the signs, giving you fashion tips and outfit ideas that correspond to your star sign.  We are starting our series off with Aquarius, an air sign that is assigned to those with birthdays that fall between January 20 and February 18. Whether you are an Aquarius looking to get in touch with your sign through your personal style or you’re just curious about what an Aquarius would wear, keep reading for our Aquarius style guide! How to Dress Like an Aquarius Aquarians love to be unique — even a little unconventional — and aren’t afraid to stand out in the crowd. This translates to them being trendsetters rather than trend followers!  Just look at celebrity Aquarians like Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion, and Paris Hilton, who have bold, distinct senses of style that set them apart from the masses. They aren’t afraid of causing some controversy with their clothing or wearing pieces that are guaranteed to be conversation-starters. As an Aquarius myself, I know that we Aquarians aren’t afraid to experiment with fashion and wear what we want to wear, regardless of what others think. In fact, we may even rebel a little through our clothing, whether we’re customizing/altering a school uniform or boycotting school spirit days to avoid looking like everyone else (or was that just me?).  This rebellious flair means that Aquarians aren’t too concerned with following fashion rules and may even break them — often on purpose. Embrace your originality when putting outfits together and think outside the box to dress like an Aquarius. Eye-catching prints, bold colors, and unexpected pairings all get Aquarius’s stamp of approval when it comes to fashion.  Aquarians are also known for being innovative, forward-thinking, and open-minded, which means that they are down to experiment with their style and try out (or start) new fashion trends. Individuality is the name of the Aquarius fashion game, so ultimately it’s all about wearing what YOU like, regardless of trends or anyone else’s opinion! Aquarius Outfits Want to wear an Aquarius-inspired look? First up in our Aquarius style guide, these Aquarius outfits and clothing are based on the zodiac sign’s defining personality traits and are all under $100. Sheer Embellished Long-Sleeve Top Embody amethyst, the violet variety of quartz that is the birthstone of Aquarians born in February, with this shimmery, sheer purple long-sleeve top. This sheer, form-fitting top is embellished with rhinestones throughout, giving it an eye-catching look that resembles an amethyst gemstone catching the light. Of course, even if amethyst is not your birthstone, you can still wear this mesmerizing top, whether you opt for purple or one of the other eight colors it is available in. Either way, it is sure to impress on your next night out and about. Burgundy Asymmetric Long-Sleeve Top Aquarians born in January, don’t think I forgot about you! Garnet is your birthstone, and this burgundy-colored long-sleeve top shares a similar hue as the gemstone. Far from basic, this top features a unique asymmetrical hemline and slightly sheer knit material, adding interest (which is necessary for a fashion-minded Aquarius). Paired with some satin or faux leather pants, it’s the epitome of casual meets sexy meets cool. Blue Tie-Dye Open-Back Maxi Dress Though Aquarius is an air sign, its zodiac symbol is the water bearer (hence the “Aqua”), and this blue tie-dye print maxi dress features an ocean-inspired print, making it a perfect pick. Evoke the ways of the water bearer with this printed blue-green dress. It also features a jaw-dropping open-back design and blue beaded shoulder straps for an added “wow” factor that an Aquarius looks for when choosing an outfit — it’s all about the details for us Aquas! “Do Not Disturb” Graphic Print T-Shirt The thing about us introspective and highly independent Aquarians is that we enjoy our personal space. This is why a “Do Not Disturb” graphic print t-shirt will be a *helpful* reminder to others to do just that — sometimes, we just want to be left alone! Though this t-shirt’s message is bold, its cropped baby tee silhouette and bright, contrasting color palette create a style statement. Wear it with baggy jeans and sneakers for a laid-back, everyday look that will convey your feelings for you. Star and Moon Sequin Tassel Mini Dress Take a page from Aquarius king Harry Styles’s fashion playbook and rock some bold, sequined tassels on your next night out with this show-stealing mini dress. In addition to its sparkly fringe that will move with you as you walk and dance the night away, it is also adorned with a sparkly star and moon design that speaks to Aquarians’ spacey nature. Nearly all Aquarians (myself included) feel drawn to outer space, so the design of this dress couldn’t be more fitting. Silver Metallic Skirt & Top Set Forward-thinking Aquas appreciate futuristic designs, and this metallic silver skirt set is giving stylish space girl. The set’s shiny metallic finish will have you standing out from the crowd, as will its stretchy, body-hugging material. Beam me up, Scotty! Aquarius Accessories & Shoes An Aquarius knows that accessories can transform their outfits from basic to show-stopping, so, of course, they’re going to want to wear the pieces that make a statement. An Aquarius outfit would not be complete without the coolest shoes and accessories, so check out the accessories portion of our Aquarius style guide. January Birthstone Bracelet Garnet is the birthstone for January, and what better way to rock this red-colored gemstone than on a chic gold chain bracelet? Featuring a faceted garnet crystal in a unique asymmetrical setting, this bracelet has a luxe look that will help you channel the love, trust, and protection that is often associated with garnets. February Birthstone Ring For Aquarians born in February, amethyst is your birthstone. This purple-colored quartz gemstone is said to inspire feelings of tranquility by relieving stress and balancing mood swings. By wearing it, you may feel more calm and serene, along with experiencing clarity of mind. But Aquarians probably won’t be keen on wearing your typical, run-of-the-mill birthstone jewelry — they’re going to want something more unique, like this raw amethyst freeform ring, which comes with the choice of a silver or gold-plated band. The gemstone’s raw, untouched form gives it an authentic and one-of-a-kind look that is how “intended by Mother Nature.” COOLWAY Kizuna Sneakers As soon as something becomes popular, an Aquarius is already on to the next big thing. So, rather than continuing to wear trendy Adidas Sambas or Gazelle sneakers, Aquarians are now on the hunt for new, cool sneaker styles to wear instead. Enter COOLWAY’s Kizuna sneakers, which are poised to become one of 2025’s *coolest* new sneakers. Designed in Spain and featuring fun, eye-catching color combinations, these sneakers are going to add oomph to your daily outfits and set you apart from the masses. Black Sunglasses Aquariuses aren’t afraid of dressing a little “extra” — in fact, they welcome it (again, see Aquarius Harry Styles for reference). Embrace your extra-ness with a pair of futuristic-meets-sporty sunglasses that have a unique, fashion-forward shape. These remind me a bit of the way alien’s eyes look in cartoons (which is a good thing in an Aquarius’s book). These sunnies will add major flair to your outfits while also giving you that Aquarius cool-girl vibe. Alien Apple Airpods Pro Case Speaking of aliens, how adorable is this alien-shaped silicone case for Apple Airpods Pro? It’s both protective and cute and can even be used as a bag charm on your handbags with its easy carabiner clip. It also glows in the dark! The Aqua’s affinity for aliens may stem from feeling like we are different and sometimes misunderstood by others, or maybe it’s because we can come across as aloof and spacey. Either way, our sign’s association with extraterrestrials is something we lean into, so this tech accessory is right up our alley. “Doing Whatever I Want” Trucker Hat Aquarians are arguably the most rebellious sign of the zodiac, infamous for having a hard time obeying rules or following someone else’s orders. That’s why this “Doing Whatever I Want” trucker hat perfectly sums up personalities in a fun and unapologetic way. Luckily, Aquarians are forward-thinking and innovative, so letting us do whatever we want can often yield amazing results! 😉 What do you think of our Aquarius style guide? Do you agree with these Aquarius fashion picks? Which of these looks is your favorite? Leave a comment and let us know! Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

[ad_1] On a recent work trip, I had plenty of things to worry about — but being able to recharge my two smartphones, laptop and iPad were not among my concerns. In my carry-on luggage, I had two medium-capacity portable chargers, one high capacity bank, a MagSafe power bank and plenty of cables. Over the past couple years, I’ve tested more than 50 portable batteries and have seen first hand what life-savers they can be — but not every power bank has the best combo of price, capacity, performance and features. Here are the results of our testing and research so you can determine the best power bank for your next work trip — or just a day trip across town. Table of contents Best power banks for 2025 How we test best power banks What to look for in a portable battery pack Other power banks we tested Best power banks for 2025 What to look for in a portable battery pack Battery type Nearly every rechargeable power bank you can buy (and most portable devices) contain a lithium-ion battery. These beat other current battery types in terms of size-to-charge capacity, and have even increased in energy density by eight fold in the past 14 years. They also don’t suffer from a memory effect (where a battery's lifespan deteriorates due to partial charges). One drawback you may have heard is the possibility of lithium ion batteries catching fire. To limit the danger, battery packs require internal mechanisms to limit things like voltage and pressure. While you should still make sure a battery isn’t exposed to unnecessary stress like excessive heat, damage from drops or operating in freezing weather, battery packs are considered safe enough to bring on an airplane. According to the TSA, external batteries rated at 100Wh or less (which all of our recommendations are) can fly with you – just make sure you stash them in your carryon as they aren’t allowed in checked baggage. Capacity Power bank manufacturers almost always list a battery’s capacity in milliamp hours, or mAh. Smaller batteries with a 5,000mAh capacity make good phone chargers and can fill a smartphone to between 50 and 75 percent. Larger batteries that can recharge laptops and tablets, or give phones multiple charges, can exceed 25,000mAh and we have a separate guide that covers that entire category. Unsurprisingly, the prices on most batteries goes up as mAh capacity increases, and since batteries are physical storage units, size and weight go up with capacity as well. If you want more power, be prepared to spend more and carry around a heavier brick. You might think that a 10,000mAh power bank could charge a 5,000mAh phone to 100 percent twice, but that’s not the case. In addition to simple energy loss through heat dissipation, factors like voltage conversion also bring down the amount of juice that makes it into your phone. Most manufacturers list how many charges a battery can give a certain smartphone. In our tests, 10,000mAh of battery pack capacity translated to roughly 5,800mAh of device charge. 20,000mAh chargers delivered around 11,250mAh to a device, and 25,000mAh banks translated to about 16,200mAh of charge. That’s an average efficiency rate of around 60 percent. Wireless More manufacturers are making power banks with wireless charging. Not hassling with cables is nice, but it’s important to note that wireless charging is less efficient than plugging in your phone. Outside of MagSafe options, wireless portable chargers historically didn’t make the cut for our top picks for this guide for that reason. The Qi2 wireless charging standard arrived last year and improves performance for wireless charging, including for portable banks. Currently, iPhones are the only handsets that support the new tech, but as it’s an open standard, expect Google, Samsung and others to adopt it for future phones. In my testing, I’ve noticed an uptick in the performance of non-Qi2-enabled batteries as well, so you'll now see wireless options on this list. Ports Since Apple ditched the Lightning cable and adopted USB-C, we’re getting closer to a standard for charging connections — and all of our picks have at least one such port. But plenty of other devices use older interfaces, like USB-A and microUSB ports, plus Lightning for older iPhones. You can find cables with just about any combination of those connections, so when you’re picking out a battery, just check that one end of your preferred cord will fit. Most battery packs have more than one port, which gives you different charging options. You’ll typically see at least one port labeled “in/out,” which means you can use it to both charge the bank and charge your device. While USB-A output ports can power up smartphones and other small devices, they can’t charge larger devices. Plus, they aren’t as fast as USB-C ports overall. That’s something to keep in mind when you’re deciding which ports and charging cables to use to connect your phone to the pack. There’s even more variation among USB-C ports themselves, with different ports on the same device supporting different power transfer rates. What that means in practical terms is an iPhone will charge just fine plugged into a power bank’s 18W port. But to properly charge, say, a MacBook or similar laptop, it’ll need the extra juice supplied by a 100W port (which larger power banks can offer). Power banks with more than one port can also charge multiple devices at the same time, but speeds and the overall charge delivered will be lower. You’ll also want to consider your charging cable. For anything larger than a smartphone (and to access fast-charging capabilities) you’ll want to use USB-C ports and cables. But not all cables are created equal, even when they have the same USB-C plugs on the end. If you want power delivery from a 100W USB-C power bank port, you’ll need a 100W-rated USB-C cable. Luckily, power banks capable of delivering 100W tend to include a compatible cable. For any devices that don’t, we’ve tried and liked Anker’s 100W USB-C cable. For smaller devices, we used this 60W cable from Nimble and we don’t recommend bothering with cables under 60W. For around $20, higher-capacity charging cables will make sure you’re not wasting time with connections that limit your potential power transfer. Design For the most part, these rechargeable batteries have a squared-off, brick-like design, though many nod towards aesthetics with attractive finishes and detailing. While that doesn’t affect how they perform, it’s a consideration for something you’ll interact with regularly. Some portable power stations include extra features like MagSafe compatibility, a built-in wall plug or even a kickstand. Nearly all have some sort of indicator to let you know how much available charge your power bank has left, usually expressed with lighted pips near the power button. Some of the newer banks take that a step further with an LED display indicating remaining battery percentage. How we test best power banks Before we even put our hands on a battery pack, we did extensive research. We considered brands Engadget reviewers and staff have tried over the years and we checked out customer ratings on retail sites like Amazon and Best Buy. Then we get our hanHere’s the full list of power banks we've tested, which range from small wireless banks to large, multi-device batteries. Amy Skorheim for Engadget MagSafe-compatible Apple MagSafe Battery Pack (5,000 mAh) Spigen ArcHybrid Mag (5,000mAh) Anker 521 Magnetic Battery (5,000 mAh) Mophie snap+ PowerstationMmini (5,000mAh) Baseus Magnetic (10,000mAh) Anker MagGo Power Bank (6.6K) (6,600 mAh) Anker 633 Magnetic Battery (10,000mAh) Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K) (10,000 mAh) UGREEN 10,000mAh Magnetic (10,000mAh) Low capacity (≤10,000mAh) Mophie Juice Pack (2,400mAh) Anker 511 Power Bank (5,000 mAh) Anker 313 Power Bank (10,000mAh) Nimble Champ (10,000mAh) Biolite Charge 40 PD (10,000mAh) Anker Nano (5,000mAh) Nimble Champ (10,000mAh) Satechi Quatro Wireless bank (10,000mAh) Anker 10K Fusion power bank (10,000mAh) Mid capacity (10,001 - 20,000mAh) Baseus Blade 2 (12,000 mAh) Otterbox Fast Charge (15,000mAh) Mophie Powerstation Pro (20,000mAh) Anker Prime (20,000mAh) Nestout Portable Charger (15,000mAh) Nimble Champ Pro (20,000mAh) High capacity (20,001mAh+) Mophie Powerstation Pro XL (25,000mAh) UGREEN Power Bank 25,000mAh 145W (25,000mAh) Anker 737 Power Bank (25,600 mAh) Zendure Supertank Pro (26,800mAh) Mophie Powerstation Pro AC (27,000mAh) Lion Energy Eclipse Mag (27,000mAh) Lion Energy Trek (27,000mAh) HyperJuice 245W (27 Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank (27,650mAh) We're continuously updating this guide as companies release new products and we test them. We remove some products as we find picks that are more worthy of the best portable charger designation. We also add updated specs and prices where necessary. For testing, I used each battery with some combination of an iPhone 15, an iPhone 14 Plus, an iPhone 11, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, a Galaxy S23 Ultra, a 5th-gen iPad Air and an M1 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro. I charged one phone battery at a time, even though some packs are capable of multiple-device charging. I charged the phones and tablets from between zero and five percent until they were 100 percent full (or until the power bank was dead), and didn’t use the phones or tablets while they charged other than to power them on and enter the unlock code. In the case of the MacBook, I used it while it was charging (it’s my work computer). I used the charging cable included with each power bank to charge the Galaxy S22 Ultra, MacBook Pro and the iPad Air. For the iPhones, I used the USB-C to Lighting cable that Apple provides. In the case of the lower-capacity power banks that didn’t include a cord or included one with USB-C to USB-A connectors, I used this 60W-rated USB-C to USB-C cable. For reference, here are the battery capacities of each device we used for testing: iPhone 11: 3,110 mAh iPhone 14 Plus: 4,325 mAh iPhone 15: 3,349 mAh Galaxy S22 Ultra: 4,855mAh iPad Air: 7,729mAh 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro: 27,027mAh I noted the times for each charge and the number of charges each bank provided. I also paid attention to things like ease of use and overall design. Other power banks we tested Baseus Blade 2 The Blade 2 from Baseus has a unique, flat shape that’s just a little wider than an ereader — which may make it easier to slip into a low profile laptop bag. It charged a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra considerably faster than any other battery bank we tried, getting it from four percent to full in just over an hour. It then filled the phone back to 62 percent from dead on a second charge in about a half an hour. But $100 is a lot for a standard power bank that holds fewer than two full charges. But if you can find the Blade 2 on sale, snap it up. Anker MagGo (6.6K) Anker’s 6.6k MagGo is pretty similar to our top pick for a MagSafe-compatible battery pack. It supports the Qi2 charging standard and props up your iPhone so you can use it or enable StandBy mode while powering up. This one even lets you set the viewing angle from 30 to 65 degrees. It was speedy in getting an iPhone 15 up to 50 percent in about 40 minutes. But for the added bulk, it doesn’t have as much capacity as the 10K MagGo, holding just enough juice for a single full charge plus about 5 percent. But it is $20 cheaper, which may be key for some. Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Mini The Mophie snap+ Powerstation Mini is terribly well-built. It feels premium with a rubberized contact point for the MagSafe charging pad and a stand that runs the entire width of the bank itself, making it extra sturdy. It’s compact, too, but only carries a 5,000mAh capacity, which gets you a partial charge on most newer or larger phones. Our current MagSafe/iPhone pick has double the capacity, a stand and a digital display — for just $20 more than the Powerstation Mini. Power bank FAQs What's the difference between a portable power bank and a portable charger? A slew of terms are used to describe power banks, including portable batteries, portable chargers, external battery packs and even, somewhat confusingly, USB chargers, which is what wall chargers are often called. They all mean the same thing: a lithium ion battery that stores a charge so you can refill a smartphone, tablet, earbuds, console controller, ereader, laptop, or just about any other device with its own built-in, rechargeable battery. There’s little difference between the terms, so the specs you’ll want to pay attention to are capacity (expressed in mAh), size and weight so you can find the right balance between recharging what you need and portability. Power stations, on the other hand, are distinct. These are bigger units (often around the size of a car battery) that can be used to charge multiple devices multiple times, but notably, they can’t be taken on airplanes. Does fast charging actually ruin your battery? Not exactly. The real enemy of a battery’s longevity is heat. The faster you charge a battery, the more heat is generated. Modern phones have features that keep the battery cool while charging, like physical heat shields and heat sinks, as well as software features that slow down processes that generate too much heat. Phone manufacturers are keen to promote a phone’s fast-charging abilities, so they had to figure out ways to make faster charging work. While there aren’t long-term studies on what fast charging does to a phone, a study on EV batteries (which use the same general concept of charged lithium ions flowing from one side of the battery to the other, absorbing or releasing a usable charge) showed a very slight decrease in capacity over time with only fast charging — though what actually made a larger difference was how hot the battery itself was, due to ambient temperatures, when it was charged. In short, fast charging could be slightly harder on your battery than normal charging. But the safeguards most smartphones have make that difference fairly negligible. To really ensure you’re taking the best care of your battery, limiting heat exposure overall is one of the best things you can do. Can you use a power bank for all your devices? That depends on the size of the bank and the size of your device’s battery. A small 5,000mAh battery isn’t strong enough to charge laptops, but a portable charger with a 20,000mAh capacity will give your computer a partial refill. You also have to consider port compatibility. If your device has a USB port, you’ll be able to easily find a cable to connect it to a battery. If your device has a more unique port, such as a DC port, you won’t be able to use a battery. Devices with an AC cable and plug can be charged, and sometimes powered (such as in the case of a printer or speaker), by larger laptop batteries with AC ports.This article originally appeared on Engadget at [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Scientists poring over a sample brought back from the asteroid Bennu have detected amino acids and complex mineral compounds, some of which have never been found in space rocks.A team at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History discovered a salty residue left over from an ancient brine. Through evaporation, it formed minerals rich in sodium, carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, and fluorine. Finding these ingredients shows that the conditions to make them existed earlier and more widely in the solar system than previously thought.Another study led by NASA scientists identified several different types of amino acids — tiny building blocks that make up proteins essential for life — in the asteroid material. Those findings included 14 of the 20 amino acids that Earth life uses to build proteins. These same amino acids have also been found in meteorites.The new research helps build the case that space rocks brought chemicals necessary for life to emerge on this planet through collisions in ancient cosmic history. The pair of papers were published separately in Nature and Nature Astronomy on Wednesday. "If water-rich asteroids were commonly producing these elements, and we know that asteroids bombarded the surfaces of planets and moons early in their history," Tim McCoy, one of the Smithsonian paper's lead authors, told Mashable, "these primitive asteroids almost certainly delivered both water and prebiotic organics to Earth, Mars, and other planets and moons in our solar system." SEE ALSO: A meteorite fell at their doorstep. The doorbell camera caught it all. A crew wheels the OSIRIS-Rex asteroid sample return capsule into a cleanroom on Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: NASA / Keegan Barber NASA's $800 million OSIRIS-Rex mission, short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security Regolith Explorer, launched in 2016. The robotic spacecraft completed its 4-billion-mile trip when it dropped the capsule from 63,000 miles above Earth onto a patch of Utah desert seven years later. It's the first U.S. mission to grab a sample of an asteroid. These are the most precious space souvenirs NASA has obtained since the Apollo moon rocks, gathered between 1969 and 1972. The mission succeeded in bringing home about a half-cup of crushed Bennu rocks and dirt. So far researchers haven't been disappointed with their bounty. All forms of Earth life have specific chemicals in their makeup, such as amino acids and sugars. Scientists have known that asteroids hold molecules believed to be the precursors to these chemicals. By studying the Bennu samples, they hope to gain more insight into how these ingredients could have evolved. An important reason NASA selected Bennu for the sample return mission is because of its relatively close proximity, making the endeavor achievable. It also has a very remote chance of hitting Earth in the coming centuries. Learning about the asteroid could be helpful in future efforts to redirect it.  Mashable Light Speed The Bennu rocks are the most precious space souvenirs NASA has obtained since the Apollo moon rocks, gathered between 1969 and 1972. Credit: Robert Markowitz But the team also chose Bennu to investigate the chemical origins of life. Some of its mineral fragments could be older than the 4.6 billion-year-old solar system. These grains of stardust could have come from dying stars or supernovas that eventually led to the formation of the sun and planets.The museum team was especially surprised to find traces of water-bearing sodium carbonate compounds, commonly known as soda ash, in the Bennu sample. These chemicals have never been found in asteroids or meteorites before. They naturally crust in dried lake beds, such as Searles Lake in the Mojave Desert.But a key difference between the brine and soda lakes is an abundance of phosphorus in the former, and scientists have been keen to follow the phosphates for more clues on the genesis of life. These compounds are crucial, forming the backbone of DNA, yet they're relatively rare compared to the other five main elements — hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur — in biology. Scientists propose that similar brines probably still exist in other distant worlds, including Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, where spacecraft have detected sodium carbonate. The museum team was especially surprised to find traces of water-bearing sodium carbonate compounds, commonly known as soda ash, in the Bennu sample. Credit: Rob Wardell / Tim Gooding / Tim McCoy / Smithsonian "From a biological perspective, phosphate is one of the essential building blocks – along with sugar – of the single and double helix that make up RNA and DNA," McCoy said. "Without a phosphate-rich system, these complex molecules that make up living things simply could have never formed." In the NASA-led study, scientists detected multiple protein-building amino acids and five nucleobases that make up RNA and DNA. The researchers think Bennu may have come from a larger icy source, perhaps like the dwarf planet Ceres. This is because Bennu contains chemicals like ammonium and carbonate salts, as well as organic carbon, suggesting liquid water once ran through it, even in the asteroid's extremely cold conditions.  Some of asteroid Bennu's mineral fragments could be older than the 4.6 billion-year-old solar system. Credit: NASA The paper posits that minerals found in the rocks formed in stages as water carried dissolved substances: first calcium and magnesium carbonates, phosphates, then sodium carbonates, followed by salts like table salt and sulfates. High amounts of ammonium salts in Bennu may have kept the water flowing, even at temperatures as low as -143 degrees Fahrenheit. This means important chemical reactions for life could have continued long after the asteroid’s heat faded. Previously, Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-Rex's principal investigator, said his dream discovery from the Bennu rocks would be evidence of peptides, signaling protein evolution."While the detection of amino acids in the Bennu samples is an important discovery," he told Mashable, "we have not yet detected peptides — amino acids linking together — within the samples." But scientists say this is only the beginning, with the Bennu rocks likely yielding decades of more discoveries. var facebookPixelLoaded = false; window.addEventListener('load', function() document.addEventListener('scroll', facebookPixelScript); document.addEventListener('mousemove', facebookPixelScript); ) function facebookPixelScript() if (!facebookPixelLoaded) facebookPixelLoaded = true; document.removeEventListener('scroll', facebookPixelScript); document.removeEventListener('mousemove', facebookPixelScript); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script','//connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '1453039084979896'); fbq('track', "PageView"); [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] The Australian Government has awarded a $6.4 million grant to CI-ISAC Australia, enabling the establishment of a new Health Cyber Sharing Network (HCSN). This initiative is designed to facilitate the rapid exchange of critical cyber threat information within Australia’s healthcare industry, which has become a target for cyberattacks. The recent surge in cyberattacks on Australian healthcare organizations, including hospitals and health insurance providers, has highlighted the pressing need for enhanced cybersecurity measures. In response, the Australian Government has made healthcare the priority sector for its formal funding efforts. This grant is part of a broader strategy to address the vulnerabilities in the nation’s health sector and ensure it is better equipped to handle the cyber threats faced by the industry. A Growing Threat: The Cost of Cybersecurity Breaches The healthcare industry globally has been facing increasing cybersecurity challenges, and Australia is no exception. According to reports from 2023, the global healthcare sector continues to experience the most expensive data breaches across industries for the 13th consecutive year. The average cost of a healthcare data breach was a staggering AUD$10.93 million, nearly double that of the financial industry, which recorded an average cost of $5.9 million. Australia’s health sector, which encompasses a diverse range of organizations, from public and private hospitals to medical clinics and insurance providers, is increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats. This sector includes approximately 750 government hospitals, 650 private hospitals, and over 6,500 general practitioner clinics, along with numerous third-party suppliers and vendors. The creation of the HCSN aims to address these risks by providing a secure, collaborative platform for information sharing. The network will enable health sector organizations to work together more effectively, breaking down silos and improving the speed and quality of cybersecurity threat information exchange. The Role of CI-ISAC and the Health Cyber-Sharing Network CI-ISAC Australia, the recipient of the $6.4 million Australian Government grant, will spearhead the creation and management of the Health Cyber Sharing Network. The HCSN will focus on fostering collaboration between Australian healthcare organizations, ensuring they can share relevant cyber threat information in a secure and confidential environment. David Sandell, CEO of CI-ISAC Australia, emphasized the importance of this initiative: “The health and medical sector holds a large amount of incredibly private and personal medical and financial information. We have already seen several high-profile data breaches in the health sector, and the new network can help members reduce their cyber risks. Cyberattacks can also greatly disrupt important health services, and this industry cannot afford interruptions with patients’ wellbeing at stake.” The Health Cyber Sharing Network will support the healthcare sector and bolster Australia’s broader critical infrastructure. Many critical infrastructure sectors, including healthcare, are interdependent. By participating in the network, healthcare organizations will contribute to improving the overall cyber resilience of Australia’s critical infrastructure. Strengthening Cybersecurity Resilience The new Health Cyber Sharing Network aims to better equip Australian healthcare organizations to manage and mitigate cyber threats. The platform will serve as a ‘neighborhood watch’ for the health sector, where organizations can exchange cybersecurity intelligence and collaborate to identify and respond to threats more efficiently. Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness CSC, the National Cyber Security Coordinator, expressed the strategic importance of this initiative: “We have seen in recent years the very real impact that healthcare-related cyberattacks can have on millions of Australians. Increasing threat information sharing contributes to the prevention of cyberattacks and builds resilience.” The Australian Government’s funding is seen as an important step in achieving the nation’s goal of becoming a global leader in cybersecurity by 2030. McGuinness further noted, “Many in the healthcare sector would know well the philosophy that prevention is better than a cure. This also applies to cybersecurity and is the driving concept behind this grant.” Invitation for Healthcare Organizations to Join the Network To launch the Health Cyber Sharing Network, CI-ISAC is inviting eligible Australian healthcare organizations and their suppliers to join the network. As part of the initiative, new members will receive a complimentary 12-month CI-ISAC membership, which will provide them with access to a wealth of cybersecurity threat intelligence from across Australia’s critical infrastructure sectors. By joining the network, healthcare organizations will benefit from closed-source, cross-sectoral cyber threat intelligence shared by other CI-ISAC members, which include organizations with high cyber maturity. This collaboration will improve the detection and response times to cyber threats, ultimately enhancing the security posture of Australian healthcare organizations. A Trusted Platform for Collaboration CI-ISAC, as a not-for-profit organization, facilitates collaboration between organizations within a trusted, industry-led environment. This includes the bi-directional sharing of cyber threat intelligence, which is essential for improving cybersecurity across Australia’s critical sectors. The new funding will allow CI-ISAC to expand its educational efforts, offering training on mitigating cyber threats, cyber and insider threat awareness, attack surface monitoring, and improving cyber incident response plans (CIRPs). The broader cybersecurity ecosystem benefits as well, as CI-ISAC’s members span across 11 critical infrastructure sectors, including government, education, energy, water, telecommunications, and more. Existing members include major organizations such as Google Cloud AU, NBN, DXC Technology, and Transgrid. As the network grows, the value of cross-sector sharing will continue to increase, improving the ability of healthcare organizations to act swiftly and decisively when cyber threats are detected. “The value for all sectors increases exponentially as more participants join the trusted network and share their own insights,” said Sandell. “Cross-sector sharing improves incident detection and response times, enabling health organizations and their suppliers to act more swiftly on threats observed in other industries.” Conclusion This initiative marks an important step forward in protecting the health sector’s sensitive data and ensuring the continued delivery of critical health services. The Australian Government’s $6.4 million grant to CI-ISAC Australia demonstrates the growing importance of cybersecurity within the healthcare sector. The Health Cyber Sharing Network is positioned to become a cornerstone in Australia’s broader strategy to strengthen its cybersecurity resilience and ensure the safety of its most sensitive data in the digital age. Related [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] The day has finally arrived for Creality’s entry into color FDM printing, and it’s been worth the wait. After a rather disastrous 2023 foray into speedy core XY machines – the K1 suffered from poor build quality – the team took their time working on the K2 Plus Combo. The results are a delightful, fully enclosed Core XY machine with a monster 350x350mm build plate that overshadows anything from the competition.The most notable feature is a heated chamber that comes in handy when printing engineering filaments like ABS and nylon. It uses a Creality fork of Klipper, has tons of sensors for excellent bed leveling, and comes with two AI-driven cameras for monitoring prints. We were invited to test out the “combo” unit, which includes a four-color CFS (Creality Filament System).The K2 Plus Combo could be called a clone of the Bambu Lab X1C. It is, but with some better features and others a bit worse. On the plus side, well, it’s PLUS. The 350 x 350 x 350mm is significantly larger than the X1C or P1S, which both weigh in at 256 x 256mm. On the negative side, Creality used a significantly larger high-flow nozzle, which wastes more filament between color swaps, and the heated build plate needs a good 15 minutes to warm up before printing.It retails for $1,499 with the four-color filament unit and could also be purchased on your own for $1,299. We’re impressed by the overall capabilities of the Creality K2 Plus and consider it one of the best 3D printers you can buy.Specifications: Creality K2 PlusSwipe to scroll horizontallyBuild Volume350 x 350 x 350 mm (13.78 x 13.78 x 13.78 in)MaterialPLA/PETG/TPU/ABS (up to 300 degrees)Extruder TypeDirect driveNozzle.4mm (Unicorn)Build PlatformCoated steel flex plate, heatedBed LevelingAutomaticFilament Runout SensorYesConnectivityLAN, Creality Cloud, USB Flash DiskInterface4.3 inch Color touch screenMachine Footprint495 x 515 x 640 mm (19.4 x 20.2 x 25in)Machine Weight35 KG (77.16 lbs)Creality K2 Plus: Included in the Box(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Creality K2 Plus comes with everything you need to get your printer set up. You get tools to maintain the printer, side cutters, a plastic scraper, and a USB stick. There’s also a sample spool of white Creality Hyper PLA to start your printing journey.You also get a PDF copy of the manual, a copy of Creality Slicer and sample models in both pre-sliced .gcode and .stl format. There’s also a very helpful video to help you operate your machine.Design of the Creality K2 Plus(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Creality K2 Plus is a modern looking, fully-enclosed Core XY printer, similar in appearance to the K1C, with a space age Creality delta logo on the side. It feels like a good quality build with a die case aluminum alloy frame, a glass door and removable glass lid.The build volume on the K2 Plus is 350 x 350 x 350mm, which is, oddly enough, bigger than the K1 Max’s 300 x 300 x 300mm. Does this mean an even bigger color machine is in the works? No idea, we’ll surely find out later this year.The flex plate is a textured PEI coated sheet that sticks to a magnet covered 5mm aluminum heat bed. One nasty flaw I found is the bed needs to really soak up a lot of heat before you get a good first layer – something I didn’t notice on smaller prints, but can really mess up a larger print. Creality may be able to address this in a future firmware update, though I’m not sure how. It's one of the oddest flaws I’ve run into, and I’m worried it will trip up a lot of new users.The K2 Plus has a sturdy, thick glass lid that is strong enough to support the weight of the CFS. This is good because the lid is the only place you can put the CFS. The cords that came with the printer are too short to put the CFS on the table next to it. Hopefully, Creality will fix this oversight, as the machine is shown on their website with four CFS units on the side.(Image credit: Creality)The cord issue makes maintenance more troublesome as you can not remove the lid without first turning off the machine and unplugging the CFS, which can not be unplugged while powered. When I got a clog – due to testing PLA with the door closed – I resorted to bending a piece of piano wire from the craft stash to fit in the tight space rather than dismantling the entire machine.Speaking of running the machine with the door closed - don’t. Not unless you’re using high temperature filament like ABS or nylon. The machine has extra cooling, an exhaust fan, plus a temperature gauge to let you know how warm the chamber is getting. The default chamber temperature for PLA and other cool materials is 35 ℃, which may be too warm for some filaments for periods of extremely long use. I tried to push it to cool the chamber to 30C, and it couldn’t reach that without opening the door.If you want to run ABS or Nylon, the toasty interior becomes a positive feature. The chamber has active heating, allowing it to reach 60 C. This vastly improves the performance of materials like ABS, which love to warp when exposed to the slightest draft.Creality uses the long “unicorn” style nozzle for the K2 Plus, but it is not compatible with the previous K1 nozzles. The nozzle is a one piece design inspired by E3D’s Revo and likewise prevents leaks that can result from loose nozzles. The nozzle is proprietary but is readily available at Creality’s store and Amazon.The K2 Plus has a single filament spool you can bolt to the side if you didn’t opt for the CFS or have a spool that doesn’t fit the CFS. There is an RFID tag reader on the side of the machine, so it can still read Creality branded filament.It has a similar motion system as the K1 series, though it can now hit acceleration rates of 30,000 mm/s². Rubber feet are included, which help dampen vibrations, though it still jiggles like crazy on some fast prints.It has the same screen and easy to use menu system as the other K1 printers, with helpful thumbnails supplied by Creality Slicer. Because it’s running a variation of Klipper, the K2 Plus remembers everything it has printed until you clear out the memory, which makes it great for running recurring parts.There are three ways you can send files to the K2 Plus. It can take files from a USB stick, through WiFi over your home or office LAN, and through the Creality Cloud. I’m not a big fan of the Cloud – it’s overly busy and gamified for my tastes – so it’s good to have options.The K2 Plus also has a preinstalled camera for monitoring your prints and taking timelapse videos. A second AI camera on the tool head is used for flow rate and pressure advance calibration. You’ll need to use Creality Cloud and the mobile app to get print fail warnings from the machine.The Creality Filament System (CFS) looks a lot like a Bambu Lab Automatic Material System (AMS) and operates largely the same way. I found it much easier to load as there are no stiff buttons to release the feed mechanism tension. It has a similar compartment for desiccate packs to keep filament dry, and a large display on the front of the CFS tells you what the temperature and humidity levels are inside the box. There’s no active heating element, so the temperature fluctuations are only from sitting on a hot printer.Creality said the CFS would one day be compatible with other printers, such as a v3 series Ender, but the bed slingers would need a modified tool head with the ability to cut filament and new firmware.Assembling the Creality K2 PlusThe Creality K2 Plus is fully assembled and only needs to be unboxed and unpacked. You’ll need to remove all the packing foam, unscrew three screws holding the build plate on, plug in the touch screen and pop the filters inside the machine.Leveling the Creality K2 PlusThe Creality K2 Plus has a fully auto leveling program that includes input shaping with the help of built-in sensors. Just push the button and the machine does the rest. It will also recheck the level before each print, and if you’re dialing in new filament, it can do a full calibration at the touch of a button.Loading Filament on the Creality K2 Plus (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The CFS makes loading filament a snap, just drop in the spool and feed the end into the tube. The machine does all the rest. If you’re using Creality filament, it will detect the RFID tag and automatically send the type of filament and color back to your computer and Creality Slicer. If you use a 3rd party filament, you will need to select the type and color of the filament at the printer screen.Preparing Files / Software for Creality K2 PlusCreality included a copy of Creality Print 6.0, a custom program that integrates file retrieval from the Creality Cloud with slicer and file delivery. Using the Cloud is completely optional, as you can drag and drop stl files from your hard drive into the slicer and transfer files with LAN or a USB stick.The interface has a LOT going on, but once you find all the buttons, it’s as good as Bambu or OrcaSlicer. There are presets for just about any filament you need and eight settings for the printer itself, including a Hueforge mode. The “device tab” is a simplified Klipper screen where you can see your printer’s file storage, temperatures, motion system, and camera. To access the full Fluidd screen, you need to type your machine’s IP address followed by 4408.One problem with Creality Slicer is the lack of control for purge volumes. You can only change the “multiplier” not the individual number. Actually, you CAN change the numbers, but as of this review, it is doesn't do anything. This is wasteful because you have to set the purge for your lightest filament, which may be overkill for a swap between two dark colors.(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Printing on the Creality K2 PlusThe Creality K2 Plus comes with a small sample roll of Hyper PLA, Creality’s high-speed filament, which promises high strength and smooth prints while running at speeds up to 600 mm/s. If you want more colors and materials like silks and multicolor filaments, you should check out our guide to the best filaments for 3D printing for suggestions.One annoyance I ran into with the K2 Plus is the amount of color waste. Due to the printer’s high-flow nozzle with its exceptionally long melt zone, there’s a ton of filament that needs to be cleared out between color swaps. The slicer suggests a purge of 965mm cubed to go between black and white – that’s about 15 inches of filament!The color transitions are incredibly clean, and the K2Plus was able to print my test model – a Cinderwing dragon head in three colors – 56 minutes faster than my Bambu Lab P1P. However, the Bambu Lab purged 99 grams of filament using Bambu Studio’s default settings, while Creality Slicer 6.0 needed 121.7 grams. This was for 206 color swaps. The white, which only needed 2.28 grams of filament but was on 75% of the layers, took up 78 grams of waste. The orange and black only required 26 and 17 grams each, so the moral of the story might be…don’t use white.Note: This is the waste from 206 color swaps, and the model size itself is irrelevant. You can save yourself a lot of wasted filament if you print multiples of the same item – or in this case, the whole dragon.(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)I ran a Benchy using “speed benchy” rules: .25 layer height, 2 walls, 3 top & bottom layers, 10% infill. I turned off anything that could slow the print speed and cranked the acceleration. I stuck to the default speed of 200/300 mm/s. This is printed in Inland’s gray PLA – an everyday filament that is brutally honest in photos.The Benchy has a lot of visible layer lines and slightly droopy overhangs but it is otherwise a pretty decent print when you consider it was printed in 15 minutes and 56 seconds. An Ender 3 S1 running at its top speed of 100mm/s would take 55 minutes to print using similar settings.3D Benchy (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)I ran a lot of models through the K2Plus, but this Three Year anniversary edition of Cinderwing’s Crystal Dragon is my favorite. Printed in EPAX Magic Peacock tricolor silk, with accents in Bambu Lab white silk PLA and Flashforge Sparkle Black, this full sized dragon printed crisp and clean, with smooth layers and no problems remaining stuck to the bed. The tricolor filament did twist a little more than I would have liked, but it’s still a good effect. It printed in 18 hours and 59 minutes, using .2 layer height and mostly default settings. I decreased the outside wall to 60mm/s to get the most shine from the silk filaments. There were 207 grams of waste, plus 17 more grams in the purge tower. The model only weighed in at 205 grams of total PLA.Cinderwing3D’s Crystal Dragon 2025. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)To test out PETG, I printed a mini clipboard in Prusament Anthracite Grey PETG. I let the bed heat soak for 15 minutes to get a good first layer, and I wasn’t disappointed with this nicely smooth surface. I was able to fit two of these 220 x 450 mm boards at the same time, with the clips printed on the edge. It took 3 hours and 16 minutes, with a .2 mm layer line and Creality Slicer’s default PETG settings.Monte’s Mini Clipboard with Pen Holder (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The K2 Plus can’t print TPU with its CFS and didn’t want to use Bambu Lab’s new “TPU for AMS” in there either. This TPU is stiffer and works great in Bambu’s similar filament system. But in the K2 Plus, the material jammed up in the tubing before ever reaching the hotend. So I swapped the TPU to a freestanding spool holder and fed it through the single material entry point. Now, the slicer had issues and refused to acknowledge the external spool color, despite showing it as an option in the color picker. This is an annoying bug that I hope Creality will soon fix.Despite the hassle with the slicer, the machine ran the TPU beautifully, and I got this rose printed in 55 minutes using a .2mm layer height. The layer lines are practically invisible, and the layer adhesion is very strong.MrENG’s Low Poly Rose (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)For ABS I ran a 200% Dummy 13 action figure. I used the “runner” method, where each color is printed attached to a card. This method does waste a little material, but is less likely to have print fails. Each color was printed separately and took about 4 hours and 6 minutes each. I used the designer’s settings, with a .15mm layer height but Creality’s default ABS speeds around 200mm/s. This was printed in Polymaker Red ABS and Cat Yarn ABS Sparkle in Cheshire Purple. I picked up this spool while attending SMRRF in England, so it might be difficult to get in the US, but UK makers should definitely check it out – it’s currently on sale for £18.Image 1 of 2(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Soozafone’s Dummy 13(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Bottom Line(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Creality K2 Plus is an excellent printer for makers who want a fast, four color, super roomy, fully-enclosed Core XY 3D printer. This machine is currently the biggest color machine on the market and has loads of features, including two AI cameras and hands-free leveling.Creality still left a few bugs to squish, but they all seem to be in the slicer and firmware. Heat soaking the bed cures it’s first layer woes, and the TPU slicer bug should be fixed shortly. The machine itself is solid. It’s also running Open Source Klipper, so if you want to keep your files to yourself and mod the firmware, you’re free to do so.Retailing for $1,499, the K2 Plus is not cheap, but it is worth it if you need the size. If you want more bang for your buck, there’s always the Bambu Lab P1S, which is $949 when bundled with a 4-color AMS. If you want a bigger single-color printer Core XY, check out the K1 Max, which has similar features but a 300x300mm build plate. It’s currently on sale for $719.MORE: Best 3D PrintersMORE: Best Budget 3D PrintersMORE: Best Resin 3D Printers [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] - Advertisement - Adding innovations at every turn, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things are transforming industries. With strong government backing and academic potential, how will these technologies shape India’s future? These days, almost everyone is excited to know about artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). In the year 2020, nearly 20 billion objects have become a part of this network, and experts say that by 2025, it will be almost 80 billion. The applications of AI and ML have led to the development of remarkable systems that are now widely used across various industries worldwide, from agriculture and irrigation systems to weather forecasting, smart homes, manufacturing, e-commerce, and the automotive sector. In India, the AI and ML market is projected to surpass US$15 billion, positioning the country as a significant player globally. This growth is being bolstered by the increasing number of startups and IT firms adopting AI, with a particular emphasis on ML and deep learning (DL) as core technologies for their products and innovations.- Advertisement - Why IoT? The Internet of Things (IoT) links the physical and virtual worlds through objects equipped with sensors that connect to the internet via local interfaces like Wi-Fi. These objects share sensor data over a secure cloud platform, where computation and analysis occur. IoT relies on various technical components, each with specific capabilities. IoT objects include user interfaces that enable direct or indirect communication with users, often via smartphones or smartwatches, ensuring seamless human-technology interaction. One such capability of IoT is communication and mutual interaction. Objects can network with internet resources or each other to access data and services and update their state. Wireless technologies such as GSM, UMTS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and various wireless personal area networks (WPAN) protocols are crucial for enabling this functionality. Addressability is another capability. IoT objects can be located and addressed through discovery, look-up, or named services, allowing remote interrogation or configuration without physical interaction. Identification is critical as well. Objects are uniquely identifiable, linking them to specific information. Technologies like radio frequency identification (RFID), near-field communication (NFC), and bar codes enable the identification of even passive objects without energy resources. The data can be retrieved via a mediator like an RFID reader or mobile phone connected to the network. Sensing capabilities are essential for IoT objects. Using sensors, they collect environmental data, which they can record, forward, or react to, allowing adaptation to surroundings. Actuation, on the other hand, enables IoT objects to manipulate their environment through actuators that convert electrical signals into mechanical movement, enabling remote control of real-world processes. Embedded information processing allows smart objects to process and interpret sensor data using processors or microcontrollers with storage. They can store usage data for future reference. Localisation is another important feature. Smart objects can determine their physical location using global positioning system (GPS), and ultra-wideband (UWB), ultrasound, radio beacons, or optical technologies, aiding precise positioning. All about ML ML branches out from a science that deals with the development and study of algorithms that can think or perform tasks like the human brain, known as AI. ML comes with a set of tools to train an algorithm which can then be embedded into a machine or computer system to do some smart, intelligent analysis or computations. It can be classified into three main types: supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning. Supervised learning involves training a model using labelled data. During the training process, the machine is fed data with known outcomes, allowing it to make predictions or classifications about unknown variables based on past examples. This technique is widely used in business applications such as customer segmentation, churn prediction, and recommendation systems. Unsupervised learning, on the other hand, works with unlabeled data. In this method, data points are grouped into clusters based on similarities or behaviours, and analyses or predictions are made based on these clusters. It is commonly applied in fields like anomaly detection, clustering visualisations, and discovering associations between data elements. Reinforcement learning is another method where a model learns by interacting with its environment and receiving feedback in the form of rewards. The model aims to take actions that maximise its cumulative reward over time. This approach is used in applications such as robotics for motion control, industrial automation, business strategy optimisation, and even medical devices. DL, a subset of ML, mimics how the human brain operates by using a network of multiple layers of neurons. This multi-layered neural network is employed to train models similarly. DL can be applied using supervised, unsupervised, or reinforcement techniques and is based on architectures like convolutional neural networks, artificial neural networks, and recurrent neural networks. It has succeeded in applications such as computer vision, speech recognition, and language processing. The multitude of applications across industries and society Industrial applications for cost savings are increasingly relying on ML to enhance efficiency. Industries use ultrasonic sensors around their machines, generating millions of data points daily. These data are fed into ML algorithms, which learn what is necessary for the machinery to operate at its best. For example, Goldcorp, a mining company, operates numerous vehicles and machines to transport materials. A sudden breakdown of these machines can cost the company around two million dollars per day. By leveraging ML, Goldcorp can monitor its machines 24/7, minimising downtime and maximising productivity. Smart home technologies have been evolving for over a decade, with manufacturers working on adding intelligence and connectivity to household objects and appliances. Electrolux, for instance, proposed the idea of an internet-connected fridge in 2000. Early innovators envisioned a world where consumers could remotely control their homes, checking whether they have enough milk, turning off the central heating, unlocking doors, and even checking on elderly relatives from virtually anywhere. Now, with the declining cost of wireless hardware, the expansion of mobile networks, new business models, and the widespread use of smartphones, this vision is becoming a reality. Connected security systems are increasingly being used to enhance home safety. These systems typically incorporate sensors to detect when doors or windows are opened or when movement is detected within the property. Many of these systems also offer home automation features, enabling users to lock or unlock doors remotely via smartphones. Today, these systems extend to advanced security features such as face recognition to detect if a stranger tries to enter a home, smoke detection for fire or gas leakages and sound analysis. Companies like Rapid7, SimpliSafe, Ring, and Fluidmesh Networks are market leaders in applying ML to security systems. In healthcare, devices and intelligent medical sensors are transforming how healthcare services are accessed globally. Wearable devices, widely used today, incorporate smart sensors that regularly monitor an individual’s health, including parameters like pulse rate. ML and DL algorithms analyse this data to provide intelligent insights based on an individual’s behaviour. This not only accelerates diagnosis and improves efficiency but also helps reduce the costs associated with doctor visits and medications. Fig. 1: Tier architecture for the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) systems [Reference: Trends in based solutions for health care: Moving AI to the edge] Fig. 1 illustrates the three-tier architecture of a basic Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) system. The first level includes user interfaces in the form of wearable hardware, such as smartwatches and smartphones. These devices perform preliminary data processing and some level of analysis on the data collected from their body sensors. The second level comprises the gateway, which may be field sensor networks or local servers/gateways. This layer is a middleware, facilitating communication between the first and third levels. The third level represents the cloud services layer, where high-performance computing, data storage, and advanced analytics powered by ML and DL algorithms are used to generate valuable insights. Similarly, ML/DL systems are used for various medical appliances like X-ray machines, MRI scanners, and CT scanners for diagnosing some kind of dysfunction in the human body without much manual intervention from a doctor. And these are just a handful of use cases among the virtually numberless possibilities that have been and can be unlocked using multidisciplinary aspects of AI, for fulfilling several necessary social and economic goals. Technological challenges While the possible applications and scenarios outlined above may be very interesting, the demands on the underlying technology are substantial. Progressing from the vast network of computers to the remote and somewhat fuzzy goal of an IoT is something that must, therefore, be done one step at a time. In addition to the expectation that the technology must be available at a low cost if a large number of objects are actually to be equipped, we are also faced with many other challenges, such as scalability, arrival and operation, interoperability, discovery, software complexity, data volumes, data interpretation, security and personal privacy, fault power supply and wireless communications. Government of India initiatives There are several government undertakings that encourage research and development (R&D) AI, DL, ML, and physical systems. One such is the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS). It will be implemented through a network consisting of 15 technology innovation hubs (TIHs), six sectoral application hubs (SAHs), and four technology translation research parks (TTRPs). The preliminary phase of the mission has focused on establishing hubs in key areas such as technologies for the Internet of Things and Everything (IoE), sensors, activators, and control, as well as databanks, data services, and data analytics. It also includes hubs in advanced communication systems, robotics and autonomous systems, and cyber security, mainly focusing on cyber security for physical infrastructures. Fig.2: Schematics of cyber-physical system Additionally, the mission eyes several objectives, including knowledge generation through basic and applied research, technology and product development, and commercialisation. It also aims to meet industry requirements, foster international collaborations, and facilitate the transformation of technology from the lab to real-world applications. Additionally, the mission focuses on human resource development (HRD) and skill development in ICT and automation. Besides the national mission, NIELIT Calicut, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has launched a certificate course on cyber-physical systems. NITI Aayog has introduced a national policy on AI titled ‘AI for ALL’. Furthermore, the India-Sweden collaborative industrial research and development programme on AI will be implemented by the Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) from India and Vinnova in Sweden. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has also announced a call for AI applications under the ‘Affordable and Accessible Healthcare – Big Data and Genomics’ initiative, which is expected to attract scientists and researchers from multidisciplinary domains, including data science, computational biology, statistics, ML, and DL. Academic support Educational institutions and 40 to 70 universities across India have started degree (BTech/MTech/PhD) courses and are offering short courses (certificate/diploma/post-graduate diploma) on AI and ML. The initiatives taken by universities and colleges will enhance the specialised manpower to compensate for the demand in the coming days. The awareness and outreach programmes funded by government agencies are executed by various establishments.  Looking ahead IoT, AI, and ML are transforming industries and shaping the future. The gradual rise of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 will fuel the development of cyber-social, cyber-biological, and cyber-corporate systems, besides cyber-physical. These advancements will drive interdisciplinary innovation as the progress continues. Moreover, national initiatives like ‘Digital India’, ‘Startup India’, ‘Make-in-India’, ‘Skill India’, and Atmanirbhar Bharat are laying the foundation for technological growth and self-reliance, which will nurture a thriving ecosystem and a self-sustaining nation. Fig. 3: Cross-disciplinary emerging cyber systems in Industry 4.0 Author(s):  Subhranshu Sekhar Samal is the CEO of Atal Incubation Centre-AUDF, sponsored by AIM-NITI Aayog, in New Delhi. Ashank Bharati is the R&D Lead (SDE-2) at Nuclei, based in Bengaluru. Amrita Samal is the Deputy Chief of IT, AI Airport Services Limited (AIASL), in New Delhi. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] MacOS Sequoia, also known as macOS 15, is the latest version of Apple's desktop operating system. The new OS adds a few new capabilities to the Mac, including a password management app, videoconferencing tools, and updates to Safari as well as all the features that come with Apple Intelligence—the company’s artificial intelligence–powered system. Below, we break down how to download it and all the latest goodies in this software update.Be sure to check out our iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 roundup for all the new features in your iPhone and iPad, along with all the latest features on the Apple Watch with watchOS 11.Updated January 2025: We've added details on macOS 15.3.Table of ContentsAccordionItemContainerButtonAccordionItemContainerButtonMacOS Sequoia, or macOS 15, is a free update for Apple computers. But some features, like Apple Intelligence (more on this later) are exclusive to Macs with the M-series Apple silicon chip. To figure out which Mac model you have, click on the Apple icon in the menu bar in the upper-left corner of your display and click About This Mac. We've listed all the models able to run macOS Sequoia below.MacBook Air: 2020 and laterMacBook Pro: 2018 and laterMac Mini: 2018 and lateriMac: 2019 and lateriMac Pro: 2017 and laterMac Pro: 2019 and laterMac Studio: 2022 and laterHow to Install MacOS SequoiaAccordionItemContainerButtonBefore installing the new OS, we highly recommend you back up your Mac first. You can do this by backing up your files with Time Machine or storing your files in iCloud. Apple's support article has step-by-step instructions on how to do this.To download the software, click on the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your screen. Then click System Settings > General > Software Update. Then, click on Update Now (or Upgrade Now). From there, click Upgrade Now—your Mac will start to download and install macOS Sequoia.New MacOS Version UpdatesAccordionItemContainerButtonWe've listed all the major features in macOS Sequoia below. But throughout the year, Apple will continue to release additional updates that include new capabilities (that weren't included in the initial launch), security patches, and bug fixes. To update your Mac to the latest version, go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the instructions above.MacOS 15.3: This update includes Genmoji, enhanced notification summaries, temporarily disabled news app summaries, and a new minor feature on the Calculator app. Apple Intelligence is now enabled by default.MacOS 15.2: This update added Image Playground, ChatGPT support in Siri and Writing Tools, Rewrite prompts in Writing Tools, AirTag shared location tracking in Find My, and minor improvements to the Photos app.MacOS 15.1: This update included iPhone Mirroring, Window Tiling, Text Effects and Emoji Tapbacks in Messages, a Redesigned Reader in Safari, Math Notes in the Calculator app, and access to hiking trails in Maps. It also debuted Apple Intelligence features for M-series Macs such as Writing Tools, Smart Replies and Mail Summaries, Clean Up in Photos, Summaries for Transcriptions and Call recordings in Notes, Reduce Interruptions Focus, and the new Siri (you can type requests and move the Siri window around the screen).MacOS Sequoia FeaturesBelow, you'll find all the major features included in macOS 15. Apple has more details here.Photograph: AppleSometimes, your iPhone is in another room or deep in your bag. For those moments when you need to use it but don't feel like getting up to find it, you can pull it up on your computer. As part of Apple's Continuity features, iPhone Mirroring lets you access and interact with your iPhone wirelessly using your Mac.When the feature is in action, you'll see your iPhone's custom home screen appear. From there, you can use the keyboard, trackpad, or mouse to drag and drop content (like photos, videos, and files) between both devices, open and use any of your apps, swipe through all the pages on your home screen, as well as view and respond to notifications. While you're doing all this, your iPhone will remain locked. It also works while your iPhone is in Standby mode, a feature from iOS 17 that turns your iPhone into a smart display while charging.Photograph: AppleMacOS Sequoia offers a few new features to Safari. With Highlights, Safari will use machine intelligence to show you relevant information from the webpage like directions, links, summaries, and restaurant reviews. Apple also redesigned the Reader to minimize distractions. In addition to a sleeker view of the article, you can also see a summary and a table of contents (for longer articles). If the webpage includes a video, Viewer will bring it to the forefront while still giving you access to playback controls (Picture in Picture included).Video: AppleAnyone who always keeps a ton of browser windows open simultaneously will appreciate the Window Tiling feature that helps organize them for a better viewing experience. When you drag a window to the edge of the screen, macOS will automatically suggest a tiled position on your screen. (It's similar to Snap on Windows.) You can then drop the window into place, arrange multiple windows side by side, or place them in any of the four corners to make room for more apps. For quicker organization, you can use keyboard and menu shortcuts too.Photograph: AppleIn 2023, Apple added new videoconference tools with macOS Sonoma including Presenter Overlay, Reactions, and various features for the Mac's built-in webcam. In macOS 15, the company is adding a few more. With apps like FaceTime and Zoom, you can access a new presenter preview capability to see what you're about to share before sharing it. Meanwhile, the built-in backgrounds feature allows you to apply system wallpapers, color gradients, or your own photos as a backdrop for video calls. This feature is available on FaceTime and third-party apps like Webex.Photograph: AppleIf you never loved Keychain, now you have a better option: macOS Sequoia comes with a new Passwords app that allows you to access all your passwords (Wi-Fi passwords included), passkeys, and verification codes in one place. It keeps all your Apple devices in sync, runs on Windows machines (using the iCloud for Windows app), and supports end-to-end encryption.Photograph: AppleA few new Messages features are coming to macOS Sequoia—and by extension, to iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 as well. You can format your texts within Messages using bold, italic, underline, and strike-through type treatments. You can also add animated effects to a specific word within a text. For some phrases and words, suggestions appear as you type. Apple added new Tapbacks too—instead of using the traditional heart, thumbs-up, thumbs-down, question mark, or exclamation point, there are options for emojis and stickers. Another standout new feature is the option to schedule your messages ahead of time so they'll be sent later.Photograph: AppleApple Maps: With Maps, you'll have access to thousands of hiking trails across all 63 national parks in the US, all of which can be filtered by elevation, length, and route type. You can also save them to access later in the wilderness without a data signal.Calculator App: Apple gave the Calculator app an upgrade by adding new features like the ability to enter and continue to view complete expressions (with trigonometry, parentheses, and multiple operations) before pressing equals to see the final answer. If you tap the equals sign twice, you can repeat the most recent mathematical function. You're now able to see a history of your calculations as well.Calendar: Within the Calendar app, you can see both events and tasks from the Reminders app. There's also an updated Month View meant to make it easier to see all your appointments at a glance—all of which are color coded.Photos: A new Collections feature within the Photo app will automatically organize your library by topics including Trips, Recent Days, and People & Pets. With Pinned Collections, you can quickly access certain collections and albums. You can also see your Favorites album appear under Utilities and in Pinned Collections, and clear your Recently Shared album and Recently Viewed history too.Game Mode: This feature was originally announced in 2023, with macOS Sonoma. With macOS Sequoia, Apple improved Game Mode with smoother frame rates and “advanced power management features” to boost performance across its Macs. It also supports Personalized Spatial Audio and reduces audio latency with the AirPods Pro (2nd generation).Home App: Apple is adding guest access that allows you to manage how and when people can enter your house. There's a new feature that shows how much electricity you're using and how much it's costing you, based on the current utility rates.Battery: The ability to turn on Low Power Mode was introduced with macOS Monterey. Now it's available in the Battery menu in the top-left corner of your screen so you no longer have to dig through System Settings.Find My: Within the Find My app, you'll now see a new Lost AirTag section that allows you to share the location of your AirTag with up to five other people, to help track it down. Soon, you can share it with airlines as well (if your luggage is lost). Simply send the specific link via Messages, Notes, Mail, AirDrop, and more. They'll have to authenticate it using their Apple account, and the link will expire after a week.Apple Intelligence FeaturesPhotograph: AppleIn addition to the features above, Apple Intelligence—the company's “personal intelligence system”—is built into macOS Sequoia as well as iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. These features are only available in Sequoia 15.1 and newer. It's also worth noting that Apple Intelligence is now on by default with Sequoia 15.3. For step-by-step instructions on how to manually turn it off, read our tutorial here. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Did you know that consistent branding can boost a company's revenue by up to 33%? Yet, creating a professional logo often feels out of reach for many small businesses due to time, cost, and design hurdles.But that's where Turbologo steps in. It's an AI logo maker designed to help you effortlessly create a professional logo in minutes!In this Turbologo review, I'll discuss the pros and cons, what it is, who it's best for, and its key features. Then, I'll show you how I used Turbologo to easily create a professional logo in minutes!I'll finish the article by comparing Turbologo with my top three alternatives (Wix Logo Maker, Design.com, and Picsart). By the end, you'll know if Turbologo is right for you!VerdictTurbologo is an affordable and user-friendly platform for anyone to create professional logos in minutes. It also comes with extensive customization options and additional branding tools. However, the lack of free downloads, occasional glitches, and limited uniqueness due to shared resources may be drawbacks for some people.Pros and ConsCreate professional logos in minutes using AIA user-friendly interface that's easy to use, even with no design experienceOffers a wide range of icons, fonts, and color options for extensive customizationDownload in high-quality JPEG and PNG formatsReceive complete ownership rights for their logosOffers additional branding tools like business card templates, social media graphics, and moreAffordable compared to traditional design servicesThere are no free download optionsThere may be some glitches or lagsThe logos may not look unique due to shared resourcesTransparent file not included in the basic packageWhat is Turbologo?It can be challenging to get a professional logo designed when you're just starting out. Luckily, Turbologo is there to help!Key Features & Unique Selling PointsTurbologo is an AI-powered logo generator that offers several notable features:A user-friendly interface for creating logos quicklyThere's a wide range of customization options, including various fonts, colors, and design elementsTurbologo uses AI to generate relevant logo icons based on the company name and industry providedYou can customize and refine your AI-generated designs to suit your preferencesVector file downloads in multiple formats (SVG, PDF)Target Audience & Typical Use CasesI've found that Turbologo works exceptionally well for small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs who need professional branding but don't have massive budgets. It effectively helps small businesses across various sectors create professional brand identities.Overview of the AI TechnologyTurbologo uses AI-powered logo generation to create professional logo designs quickly. It uses advanced AI technology to:Generate multiple logo variations based on your inputSuggest relevant icons and symbols for your specific industryOffer customization options for colors, fonts, and layoutsI particularly appreciate how the platform guides you through the design process. You don't need any design experience to get great results!With Turbologo, you can go from initial concept to finalized logo in under an hour. That's pretty impressive considering traditional logo design can take weeks and cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars! Of course, you'll want to spend time tweaking and refining your chosen design, but the initial heavy lifting is handled remarkably well by the AI.Who is Turbologo Best For?Turbologo is best for the following types of people:Small business owners can use Turbologo to quickly create affordable and professional logos that represent their brand without any design expertise.Startup founders can use Turbologo to design logos that align with their vision to help them establish a strong brand identity during the early stages of their business.Entrepreneurs can use Turbologo to generate logos to save time and money while growing their ventures.Individuals launching personal projects can use Turbologo to create appealing logos with a professional touch.Professionals without design experience can use Turbologo to easily create customized logos.Turbologo Key FeaturesHere are Turbologo's key features you should be aware of.AI-Powered Logo GenerationTurbologo's main feature is its AI-powered logo generation that uses advanced technology to create unique logos.The platform generates multiple logo variations quickly and requires no design experience. It gives you personalized suggestions based on the information you give it so that the final design aligns with your vision!Extensive Customization OptionsTurbologo offers extensive customization options by offering the following:An extensive library of icons and symbolsA wide range of fontsCustomizable colors, layouts, and design elementsYou can also preview your logo to refine it until it’s perfect.Multiple Download FormatsTurbologo includes high-resolution file downloads in multiple formats, including:PNGSVG (only available in the Standard and Business plans)PDFJPEGThe Standard and Business plans come with full copyright ownership of your logos to ensure your designs are exclusively yours!Additional Branding ToolsTurbologo also offers additional branding tools beyond logo creation, including:Business card templatesLetterhead templatesEmail signature designsSocial media templates, including:Facebook coversInstagram post templatesThis ensures consistency in your branding across platforms!How to Use TurbologoHere's how I used Turbologo to design a high-quality, AI-generated logo in minutes:Sign Up for TurbologoDesign a LogoEnter Your Company NameChoose Your IndustrySelect Logos for InspirationChoose Your Color InspirationSelect the Icons for Your LogoCustomize a LogoDownload & Share Your LogoStep 1: Sign Up for TurbologoI started by going to turbologo.com and hitting “Sign Up” on the top right.Step 2: Design a LogoOnce my account was created, I was taken to my dashboard!Right in the center were a couple of things I could create with Turbologo:LogoBusiness CardLetterheadEmail SignatureInstagram PostFacebook CoverCreate New DesignI hit “Logo” to design my first logo with Turbologo!Step 3: Enter Your Company NameNext, Turbologo asked me to enter my company name and slogan (this was optional). After doing so, I hit “Continue.”Pro tip: Try different variations of your name. Sometimes shorter versions or slight arrangements can lead to better design options.Step 4: Choose Your IndustryNext, I was asked to choose my company industry.There were lots to choose from, but none were exactly what I was looking for. I selected the closest option and hit “Continue.”Be as specific as possible! Selecting a precise industry (like “organic coffee shop” instead of just “food and drink”) gives you much more targeted results. The AI uses this information to generate relevant icons and style choices.Step 5: Select Logos for InspirationFrom there, I was asked to choose logos for design inspiration.You can skip this part, but I'd recommend taking the time to select logos that resonate with your vision. This helps create a design that aligns with your style and preferences!Step 6: Choose Your Color InspirationNext, I was asked to choose my color inspiration. I could choose up to three color palettes.Again, you can skip this step. However, I'd recommend selecting colors that align with your brand's personality.Step 7: Select the Icons for Your LogoFrom there, Turbologo asked me to choose icons for my logo (you can choose up to five). I wasn't sure if I wanted an icon, so I skipped this step.However, if you feel an icon would make your logo more visually appealing or memorable, feel free to add one! There are lots to choose from and they can help enhance recognition.Step 8: Customize a LogoNext, I was presented with endless logos I could hover over to preview, save, and edit. Most of them were good, but I felt that some of them missed the mark.Regardless, there were plenty to choose from so it wasn't hard to find some I liked! I hit “Customize” on the logo I liked the most.Choose the ones that are closest to your vision, but don't overthink this part. Your gut reactions help the AI understand your aesthetic preferences better than if you spend too much time analyzing each option.Hitting “Customize” on my logo took me to a page where I could click any element to make edits or double-click on the text to edit the text.Turbologo gives you lots of customization of control. You can adjust:Font styles and sizesIcon placement and scaleColor combinations (including gradients)Spacing and alignmentBackground variationsI was impressed by how user-friendly Turbologo made the logo customization. The ability to instantly see changes made it easy to experiment with different colors, fonts, and layouts to perfect my design!Below were some examples of the logo I created in different contexts: a sign and a T-shirt. This helped me visualize how the logo would look in real-world applications and gave me a clearer idea of its versatility and impact!Step 9: Download & Share Your LogoOnce I was happy with how my logo looked, I could download or share it on the top right.Turbologo offers multiple file formats for downloading your logo:Raster Formats:PNG: Universal raster images ideal for screen use, with lossless compressionJPEG/JPG: Standard image format for digital platformsHigh-resolution versions of these files are available with premium plansVector Formats:SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics): Can be zoomed without quality loss, indexable by search enginesPDF: Flexible format supported by multiple applicationsVector files are available in ‘Standard' and higher plansOne final note: Think carefully about which package you need. The premium options include useful features like full commercial rights. I've found the “Standard” package to be the sweet spot for most small businesses.Ultimately. good logo design isn't just about making something look pretty. It's about creating a visual identity that communicates your brand's values and connects with your target audience. Take your time with each step, and don't be afraid to start over if you're not completely satisfied with the results.Top 3 Turbologo AlternativesHere are the best Turbologo alternatives.Wix Logo MakerThe first Turbologo alternative I’d recommend is Wix Logo Maker. What I love about Wix Logo Maker is how it connects branding, website creation, and social media assets into one easy-to-manage system!Both Turbologo and Wix Logo Maker use advanced AI technology to create logos quickly and efficiently. They allow customization of fonts, colors, and icons and deliver high-resolution logo files in formats like PNG, JPEG, and vector.However, there are some key differences worth mentioning. Turbologo focuses on simplicity and provides unlimited downloads with no extra cost for re-editing. On the other hand, Wix Logo Maker seamlessly integrates with other Wix tools so you can create a logo and instantly use it on your Wix website, social media, and branded merchandise.For an affordable and flexible logo generator, choose Turbologo. For an all-in-one solution with full website integration, choose Wix Logo Maker!Design.comThe next Turbologo alternative I’d recommend is Design.com. Like Turbologo, it creates AI-generated logos tailored to your brand in minutes! What I love most about Design.com is its unmatched flexibility and originality for endless customization.Both platforms simplify logo creation using AI and come with business card and social media templates. However, they differ in several ways.On the one hand, Turbologo offers unlimited downloads after purchase and logo ownership. Meanwhile, Design.com emphasizes transparent files, multiple variations, and a seamless process for refining designs with added keywords. Design.com also boasts a large library of designs and allows free exploration and customization without upfront payment to experiment without commitment!The key difference between the two lies in the pricing model. Design.com’s free features make it more appealing to those testing ideas, while Turbologo’s paid-only downloads cater to those looking for a more straightforward experience.For a fast, budget-friendly solution with comprehensive branding tools, choose Turbologo. For free experimentation and more unique logo options, Design.com is the perfect choice!PicsartThe final Turbologo alternative I’d recommend is Picsart. I love Picsart for its vast amount of resources, intuitive interface, and versatility.Both platforms use AI to simplify design, allowing beginners to create professional logos without any design expertise. They offer a variety of customization tools and templates, but their primary focus is what sets them apart.On the one hand, Turbologo specializes in streamlined logo creation with additional branding assets like social media kits and business cards. On the other hand, Picsart extends beyond logo creation, providing a comprehensive suite of creative tools for photo and video editing, custom graphics, and more.While Turbologo is better if you want a streamlined logo and brand asset creation, Picsart's wider range of creative tools is better for experimenting with various design formats beyond just logos.For a simple, efficient tool to create a polished logo with added branding options, choose Turbologo. If you want a platform that supports a wide range of creative projects alongside logo design, choose Picsart!Turbologo Review: The Right Tool For You?Turbologo made it easy for me to create a polished, professional logo in minutes. It had plenty of customization options to match my vision!Turbologo is definitely worth considering if you’re looking for an affordable, user-friendly tool with additional branding features. However, there is a lack of free downloads and the occasional glitches are worth noting.If you're curious about the best Turbolog alternatives, here's what I would recommend:Wix Logo Maker is best for connecting your logo directly to your Wix website.Design.com is best for testing design ideas for free before committing.Picsart is best for anyone juggling multiple creative projects. Its versatile tools go beyond just logo design!Thanks for reading my Turbologo review! I hope you found it helpful.Try Turbologo for free and download your logo for as low as $19.99!Visit Turbologo →Frequently Asked QuestionsIs Turbologo worth it?Turbologo is worth it for small businesses and entrepreneurs looking for a fast, affordable, and user-friendly logo design solution with AI customization and full copyright ownership. It comes with extensive customization, multiple pricing tiers starting at $19.99, and the ability to create unlimited logo variants for free before purchasing.Is Turbologo free?Turbologo offers a free plan to create unlimited logo variants, browse templates, and make edits without downloading. However, to download and use the logo, you must purchase one of Turbologo's paid plans: Lite, Standard, or Business.Is $500 too much for a logo design?$500 can be reasonable for a professional logo design. This is especially true for small businesses or startups wanting a high-quality, custom logo from a professional designer. However, with the rise of AI logo makers like Turbologo, Wix Logo Maker, and Picsart, businesses now have more affordable alternatives that can produce professional-looking logos for a fraction of the traditional cost. [ad_2] Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

After spending so many weeks in heavy winter jackets and thick layers, I could use some fresh shopping inspiration. So, I’m scrolling through J.Crew's new arrivals to pull together a list of must-buy finds. I need to be prepared for warmer spring weather, and there’s no better time than the present to stock up.With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s not surprising that nearly all of my picks came in a cherry red hue. If you’ve been considering trying the shade this season, why not do so with stylish ballet flats or a spring-ready trench coat? If that wasn't enough to excite you for the new season, J.Crew's new arrivals section is also filled with rich-looking closet staples that work now and later. Think: cozy sweaters, T-shirts, light jackets, and trendy denim.The collection is downright massive, so keep scrolling to shop 25 of my curated picks. This list includes a little bit of everything, so you're bound to find a new go-to piece (or two). J.Crew Brushed Cashmere Short-Sleeve Sweater-Polo A cozy cashmere sweater I can wear year-round is one that I want in my closet. I'm grabbing this pick in multiple colors. J.Crew Stratus Side-Stripe Pant in Textured Satin Athleisure outfits have never been cooler, as proven by these pants. They feature a sporty stripe in a crinkled satin so they stay elevated. J.Crew Cinched-Waist Sweater-Jacket This sweater could basically pass as a blazer, that's how elevated it is. J.Crew Rain-or-Shine Trench Sure, a camel trench coat will always be a classic, but you can't deny that this vinyl version is fun. Plus, it's in one of winter's trendiest colors: cherry red. J.Crew Pintuck Dress in Stretch Knit Cotton Poplin Remember the drop waist dress trend from last summer? Well, it's coming back this spring. Refresh your closet with this under-$100 find you can wear again and again. J.Crew Lower-Rise Wide-Leg Jean in 1984 Rigid Baggy jeans will continue their hot streak as a reigning denim trend in 2025, and this pair ticks every box—they have an elevated feel and a fit inspired by vintage denim. J.Crew Collared Short-Sleeve Cardigan Sweater in Stripe When all you can be bothered to wear jeans and a T-shirt, try this knit instead. You'll find that the final effect is so much more chic. J.Crew Pleated Knee-Length Skirt in Bow-Print Viscose Chiffon With this bow-printed find, J.Crew keeps the coquette trend alive and well in 2025. J.Crew Crisscross Stud Earrings Big, '80s-inspired jewelry isn't going away anytime soon, so get your hands on this under-$50 pair to add some major glam to your looks. J.Crew Marled Cashmere Sweater-Skirt I'm a sucker for a good matching set—they take the thought out of getting dressed. This skirt looks adorable paired with its matching polo top. J.Crew Belted Sweater Shell in Merino Wool Who knew a belt could make such a big impact on a simple top? It's removable, too, so you get two looks in one. J.Crew High-Rise Straight Jean in 1996 Semi-Stretch Classic denim lovers, rejoice! Timeless styles like a high-waisted straight-leg silhouette are returning this year, so why not refresh your collection before spring? Come spring, you'll need a chic rain jacket in your outerwear rotation. As the name suggests, this J.Crew pick is perfect: It has a water-resistant finish, a longer length, and a drawstring waist for added shape. J.Crew Camp-Pocket Wide-Leg Pant When in doubt, a white monochromatic outfit never fails. I'd pair these cool cargo with sweaters for now, and button-down shirts come spring. J.Crew Ballet Dress with Chiffon Skirt I'm convinced this dress would look fabulous on anyone. The flowy silhouette is so dreamy that it would make for the perfect Valentine's Day outfit. J.Crew Tweed Lady Jacket With Leather Trim I've always been obsessed with J.Crew's Lady Jackets, but this all-black version is calling my name. J.Crew New Soleil Pant in Linen When spring finally arrives, these linen pants will be a staple in your wardrobe. J.Crew Premium Rib Short-Sleeve Polo Shirt in Stripe Elevated basics like this make a world of difference in your outfits. Whether you wear it with your favorite jeans or dress it up for the office, it's much more polished than your white T-shirt. J.Crew Capri Pant in Stretch Ponte The capri pants trend isn't for anybody, but if you are on board, these feature a stretchy-yet-polished, supportive, and comfortable feel. J.Crew Square-Toe Ballet Flats in Satin Ballet flats are not going away anytime soon, so if you're looking for a fresh take on the trend, I found them. I'm obsessed with the cool square toe on this pair, and the fun red shade makes them even better. J.Crew Tie-Neck Button-Up Shirt in Leopard Crepe de Chine This tie-neck blouse is about as feminine as it gets. The leopard print may feel especially trendy right now, but rest assured, it's a print you can wear repeatedly. J.Crew New Denim Trouser in 1996 Semi-Stretch With a trouser-like look, consider these your most elevated pair of jeans. You'll love their stretchy, broken-in comfort, too. J.Crew New Winona Penny Loafers in Italian Spazzolato Leather These are the kind of classic loafers you can keep in your closet for years. Their easy-going style pairs well with everything you own. J.Crew Elena Puff-Sleeve Dress in Crepe de Chine Say hello to your new every-occasion dress. With its breezy silhouette, you can easily style it up or down for the office, date night, brunch, vacation, or anything else on your agenda. J.Crew Collection Calf Hair Jacket in Zebra Print If I could drop my month's rent on this jacket, I would do it in a heartbeat. it's a luxe statement piece that would rake in compliments non-stop. Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Demystifying the D Cup: Understanding Bra Sizing, Breast Anatomy, Styles, Brands, and Common Questions Introduction: In a world inundated with discussions about bras, breast sizes, and terminology, finding accurate information can be overwhelming. Among the commonly discussed terms is the "D cup," often associated with discussions about boobs and breast sizes. However, it's important to recognize that the D cup is just a small fragment in the intricate landscape of bra sizing and breast diversity. In this comprehensive guide, we aim to delve beyond the D cup, offering insights into bra sizing mechanics, breast anatomy, diverse bra styles, recommended brands, and answers to frequently asked questions. Understanding Bra Sizing: Bra sizing revolves around two primary measurements: the band size and the cup size. The band size corresponds to the circumference of your ribcage beneath your bust, while the cup size is the difference between your bust and band measurements. Contrary to popular belief, the D cup represents a mere 4-inch difference between these measurements, not an all-encompassing standard of breast size. The cup size's perception varies with changes in band size; thus, a 32D and a 38D indicate different breast volumes. Understanding the mechanics of bra sizing is crucial to finding a comfortable and supportive fit. The relationship between the band size and the cup size ensures that bras accommodate various body types and breast shapes. It's essential to remember that the D cup is not a universal indicator of a specific breast size, but rather a reflection of proportionality between the bust and band measurements. Parfait Charlotte Padded D Cup Bra - BlackDiscover the Ideal Fit: Explore HauteFlair's Exclusive Collection of D Cup Bras! Click Now to Start Shopping  Sizing Insights: Sister Sizing: Sister sizing refers to bras with different band sizes but the same cup volume. For instance, a 32D has the same cup volume as a 34C or a 36B. This allows for more flexibility when finding a comfortable fit. Sister sizing opens up a realm of possibilities when it comes to selecting bras. Sometimes, a slight adjustment in band size can lead to a more comfortable and supportive fit. Exploring sister sizes can help you fine-tune your bra collection to accommodate fluctuations in body shape or personal preference. Shape Matters: Breast shape plays a vital role in finding the right bra. Some breasts are fuller on top, while others are fuller on the bottom. Knowing your shape helps in choosing styles that enhance your natural contours. It's important to recognize that breasts come in various shapes, and each shape has its own considerations when selecting a bra style. A balconette style might work wonders for someone with fuller breasts on the bottom, while a plunge style might suit those with a more even distribution. Understanding your breast shape guides you toward styles that not only fit well but also flatter your body's unique characteristics. Breast Anatomy: Before delving deeper into the D cup and its significance, it's essential to understand the complexity of breast anatomy. Breasts consist of glandular tissue, connective tissue, and fat. While glandular tissue contributes to milk production, fat provides volume and shape. Genetic factors, hormones, and weight fluctuations influence breast size and shape, making every individual's breasts unique. Dispelling Myths: It's crucial to debunk common myths surrounding breast sizes. The D cup doesn't necessarily denote excessively large breasts. Breast sizes span a wide spectrum, ranging from smaller A cups to larger G cups and beyond. The cup size is only one factor in determining breast size; the band size and overall breast volume also play significant roles. Factors Influencing Breast Size: Genetics: Genetics significantly influence breast size. Family history can provide insights into the likelihood of having similar breast sizes. Hormones: Hormones, particularly estrogen, drive breast development. Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can trigger changes in breast size due to hormonal fluctuations. Weight: Fluctuations in weight can impact breast size. Gaining or losing weight can lead to changes in breast volume due to variations in fat content. Age: Breasts change over time due to factors like hormonal shifts, gravity, and changes in muscle tone. SHOP NOW: Panache Evie Balconnet D Cup Strapless Bra-5320 in Black & NudeImportance of Proper Bra Sizing: Wearing the correct bra size is essential for comfort, support, and breast health. Ill-fitting bras can cause discomfort, back pain, and even affect posture. It's important to recognize that the D cup doesn't define an inherently large breast size. Instead, it signifies a particular difference between bust and band measurements. Finding Your True Bra Size: Measurements: To determine your accurate bra size, measure your underbust (band) and overbust (bust) using a soft measuring tape. Online calculators and guides can assist in finding your ideal size. Professional Fitting: Visiting a lingerie store for a professional fitting can be immensely helpful. Experts can recommend bras that provide optimal support and enhance your natural shape. Prioritizing Comfort: Comfort should take precedence over conforming to a specific cup size. A well-fitting bra should feel snug without being too tight, with the underwire sitting comfortably against your ribcage and the cups encompassing your breasts smoothly. D Cup Bra Sizing Chart and Bra Sister Size Chart D Cup Bra Sizing Chart Band Size D Cup International Equivalent 30 30D 65D 32 32D 70D 34 34D 75D 36 36D 80D 38 38D 85D Bra Sister Size Chart D Cup Sister Sizes 30D 28DD, 32C 32D 30DD, 34C 34D 32DD, 36C 36D 34DD, 38C 38D 36DD, 40C Bra Styles Recommendations: T-Shirt Bra: T-shirt bras offer seamless cups ideal for fitted tops. Brands like Panache and Parfait provide a range of sizes, ensuring both comfort and discretion. T-shirt bras are a wardrobe staple, providing a seamless look under clothing. Brands like Panache and Parfait have mastered the art of combining functionality and style, offering t-shirt bras that cater to a range of cup sizes. Whether you're a D cup or beyond, these bras provide the confidence of a smooth silhouette. Balconette Bra: Balconette bras provide a lifted, rounded shape and a lower cut that suits various necklines, especially flattering for fuller breasts. Balconette bras are renowned for their ability to create a flattering, lifted shape while offering great support. If you have a D cup or larger, brands like Panache and Freya offer balconette options that enhance your natural curves and provide a sophisticated look under different types of clothing. Sports Bra: Active individuals require proper support during workouts. Brands like Freya and Shock Absorber offer sports bras designed for different impact levels. When it comes to sports bras, comfort and support are non-negotiable. Brands like Freya and Shock Absorber understand the importance of maintaining breast health during physical activities. Their sports bras, catering to larger cup sizes, ensure that you can pursue your fitness goals without compromising on comfort. Lace Bralette: For a more relaxed option, lace bralettes offer light support and comfort, perfect for lounging or layering. Lace bralettes offer a touch of elegance while embracing comfort. Brands like Parfait and Panache cater to D cup wearers seeking a blend of style and ease. These bralettes are ideal for moments when you want a hint of support without the structure of a traditional bra. Push-Up Bra: This style enhances cleavage and creates a flattering lift. Brands like Victoria's Secret, Parfait, and Freya offer a range of push-up bras. Push-up bras are designed to accentuate your natural curves and provide a boost of confidence. While Victoria's Secret is renowned for its push-up styles, it's worth exploring brands like Parfait and Freya for push-up bras that cater to D cup sizes, ensuring both support and allure. Brand Recommendations: Panache: Renowned for its wide range of sizes and styles, including D cup options, Panache prioritizes support, comfort, and diverse fashion preferences. Panache is a brand that's dedicated to offering an extensive range of sizes, ensuring that women with D cup sizes can find bras that align with their comfort and style preferences. With a focus on quality construction and supportive designs, Panache stands as a reliable choice for well-fitting bras. Parfait: Specializing in bras for larger cup sizes, Parfait focuses on fashion-forward styles without compromising support. Parfait understands the unique requirements of women with larger cup sizes and has tailored its offerings to cater to these needs. Their commitment to both fashion and function makes them a go-to brand for those seeking stylish options that provide the necessary support. Freya: Known for youthful designs and innovative technology, especially in sports bras and swimwear, Freya caters to various sizes, making it ideal for D cup wearers. Freya has carved a niche for itself in the realm of lingerie and activewear, offering vibrant designs and technical innovations. With a strong emphasis on catering to different sizes and body types, Freya ensures that D cup wearers can find options that reflect their personality and requirements. Shock Absorber: For high-impact sports bras, Shock Absorber minimizes bounce and provides optimal support during rigorous activities. Shock Absorber is a brand that recognizes the importance of maintaining breast health during physical activities. Their high-impact sports bras are designed to reduce bounce and discomfort, ensuring that women with D cup sizes can engage in sports and workouts with confidence. Commonly Asked Questions About D Cup Bra Size: 1. Is a D Cup Considered Large? Perception of breast size is subjective. A D cup doesn't necessarily denote large breasts; it signifies a moderate cup volume relative to the band size. The notion of what constitutes a "large" breast size varies among individuals and cultures. It's important to remember that cup size is relative to band size, and a D cup on a smaller band might appear different than a D cup on a larger band. The key is finding a bra that fits comfortably and provides the necessary support, regardless of the cup size. 2. Will Wearing a D Cup Make My Breasts Look Bigger? A well-fitting bra enhances your natural contours, but it won't drastically alter your breast size. A well-fitting bra enhances your natural shape and provides support, but it doesn't magically alter your breast size. The goal is to create a comfortable and flattering silhouette that aligns with your preferences. Remember that the right bra should complement your body, not drastically change it. 3. Do All Brands Have Consistent Sizing? Sizing can vary due to design and manufacturing differences. Trying on bras and consulting size charts when exploring new brands is crucial. Sizing inconsistencies are common across different brands due to variations in manufacturing processes and design philosophies. This is why it's crucial to try on bras whenever possible or refer to each brand's size chart for accurate guidance. Brands like Panache and Parfait often provide detailed sizing information to help you make informed choices. 4. Can Breast Size Change Over Time? Yes, breast size can change due to hormones, weight, pregnancy, and aging. Regular professional measurements are advisable. Your breast size can evolve throughout your life due to a range of factors. Hormones, weight fluctuations, and life events such as pregnancy can all influence breast volume. As a result, it's recommended to get professionally measured periodically to ensure that you're wearing the right bra size for your current body shape. 5. Are There Stylish Options for D Cup Bras? Absolutely! Brands like Panache, Parfait, and Freya offer a plethora of stylish designs, from lace to vibrant patterns. The world of lingerie has evolved to offer a vast array of stylish options for D cup wearers. Brands like Panache, Parfait, and Freya have embraced fashion-forward designs that cater to a variety of tastes. Whether you prefer classic elegance or bold patterns, you can find D cup bras that align with your personal style. Conclusion: The D cup is just a fraction of the intricate world of bra sizing and breast diversity. By understanding bra sizing mechanics, exploring diverse bra styles, discovering brands catering to D cup wearers, and embracing body positivity, you embark on a journey of comfort, confidence, and self-appreciation. Whether your cup size is A, D, or G, the key is to find a bra that fits well, supports your body, and aligns with your unique style. Remember, the D cup is not a destination; it's a part of your journey towards understanding your body and embracing its uniqueness. Source link

[cleverhottubmiracle]

[ad_1] If you want to pay online, you need to register an account and provide credit card information. If you don't have a credit card, you can pay with bank transfer. With the rise of cryptocurrencies, these methods may become old.Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain. Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.So, What is Blockchain?A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:Blockchain collects information in “blocks”.A block has a storage capacity, and once it's used up, it can be closed and linked to a previously served block.Blocks form chains, which are called “Blockchains.”More information will be added to the block with the most content until its capacity is full. The process repeats itself.Each block in the chain has an exact timestamp and can't be changed.Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.How does blockchain work?Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.Here’s how it works:Someone or a computer will transactsThe transaction is transmitted throughout the network.A network of computers can confirm the transaction.When it is confirmed a transaction is added to a blockThe blocks are linked together to create a history. And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.A new transaction is added to the system. It is then relayed to a network of computers located around the world. The computers then solve equations to ensure the authenticity of the transaction.Once a transaction is confirmed, it is placed in a block after the confirmation. All of the blocks are chained together to create a permanent history of every transaction.How are Blockchains used?Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.What is Blockchain Decentralization?Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.Pros and Cons of BlockchainBlockchain has many advantages and disadvantages. ProsAccuracy is increased because there is no human involvement in the verification process.One of the great things about decentralization is that it makes information harder to tamper with.Safe, private, and easy transactionsProvides a banking alternative and safe storage of personal informationConsData storage has limits.The regulations are always changing, as they differ from place to place.It has a risk of being used for illicit activities Frequently Asked Questions About BlockchainI’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.Is Blockchain a cryptocurrency?Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.Is it possible for Blockchain to be hacked?Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.What is the most prominent blockchain company?Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.Who owns Blockchain?Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It���s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.What is the difference between Bitcoin and Blockchain technology?Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency What is the difference between Blockchain and a Database?Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.Final SayingBlockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments sectionFOLLOW US ON TWITTER Follow @AdilAhmad_c [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Sniper Elite: Resistance is a odd entry in the long-running and highly enjoyable series about shooting Nazis in the junk. Running alongside Operation Kraken from Sniper Elite 5, it’s technically a sequel but ultimately ends up feeling more like a big expansion pack as very little has changed. The few new additions are forgettable, and so your potential enjoyment comes down to whether you feel like the series is due for a big overhaul, or whether you’re still happy to shoot Nazi’s from across the map. Luckily for Resistance, I was in the second camp going in. Now that I’ve finished it, though, Sniper Elite 6 needs to up its game lest the series become stuck in the past. Series stalwart Karl Fairbourne has been replaced for this adventure by Harry Hawker, a Brit with a budget Jason Statham accent and exactly the same level of personality as Karl- i.e. not much. Where Karl was gruff, Harry is also gruff, except now it’s gruff with a beard and a slightly crazed-looking facial model. Seriously, look at his eyes – the man is clearly in the throes of a psychotic break. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZxMs6mvovQ[/embed] Available On: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PC, Game PassReviewed On: PS5Developed By: RebellionPublished By: RebellionReview key provided by the publisher. Unfortunately, his chattiness levels have been upped to a slightly annoying degree. “A scoped rifle, this will come in handy” exclaims the sniper for the hundredth time. “I know it like the back of my hand” he says while picking up another sniper rifle. If you didn’t know a sniper’s rifle like the back of your hand, Harry, I’d be a bit worried about your job title, mate. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: who plays the Sniper Elite series for the story and characters? I’m guessing very few of us. Resistance does little to change this fact, weaving together a fictional WW2 story of superweapons, while also barely involving the actual resistance fighters that the game’s own name alludes to. Its bland stuff told through stilted cutscenes that bookend missions and voice acting that ranges from lazy to completely over-the-top. Kudos go to the bomber pilot in the opening tutorial mission who gets show down. That man gave it all in his performance. Perhaps this is one area in which the series could look to improve going forward, though. A little more effort into the story could help keep it feeling fresh. Honestly, it’s hard to care about the weak story and non-existent characters when the game is so damn fun to play, though. I’ve had a soft spot for this franchise for years because it perfectly encapsulates everything brilliant about the double-A gaming space – it’s a bit janky, a bit rough around the edges, but it’s also scratching an itch that no other games quite scratch. It’s like a comfort food to me, a little digital playground where I can mess around with Nazis, line up absurdly long-distance shots and revel in the franchise’s staple gory x-ray camera shots of intestines exploding and brains being penetrated. Of course, you can choose to turn the X-ray sequences off which is probably a good idea as they do slow the pace of the game down quite a bit. Like the title on the box would suggest, sniping is the name of the game, and it’s as satisfying as ever. Resistance keeps up Sniper Elite 5’s level design ethos, meaning the maps are big, varied and have plenty of handy vantage spots where you can happily spend 30 minutes delivering long-range bullet-parcels to unsuspecting Nazi soldiers like the world’s most violent courier. Like before, there are a host of options to choose from to make sniping as easy or as hard as you like. You can turn off things like bullet drop, for example, and make heavy use of the focus mode that draws a square on the screen to indicate where you need to aim to account for wind, drop and travel time. Or you can go the hardcore route, turn all that crap off and attempt to use all that school maths you never remembered. Whatever method you opt for, sniping is a blast, especially when you decide to try out explosive ammo and watch in shocked awe as a soldier is launched skyward by your well-aimed bullet to the crotch. Look at him go! That’s an Olympic-level height, that is. It’s also still a lot of fun to think like a sniper, too, by laying down traps to take out any Nazi who happens to hear your gunshots, or by sabotaging a generator so that its failing engine covers up your shots. In other words, being a sniper is still an immensely fun and enjoyable gameplay loop. Harry’s adventures take him to a varied selection of levels, too. There’s a beautiful vibrant French town that boasts a church, a small castle, flats and even a very nice library. There’s a sizable dam you visit twice in the campaign, offering scenic views and ample opportunities for long-range violence. A rain-soaked island plays home to a vast Nazi bunker and buckets full of atmosphere. Notably, the developers said they took inspiration from Sniper Elite 5’s “Spy Academy” mission which was and still is widely viewed as the pinnacle of the series. Unfortunately, while I can see where they tried to emulate that level’s sprawling layout, excellent verticality and dramatic vibe, none of Resistance’s locations come close nor sticks in the memory quite like “Spy Academy” did. Worse, the locations are starting to feel samey and recycled, like visiting yet another train station or countryside manor. But while the levels don’t hit quite the same, they are still well designed with plenty of room to mess around. Exploring can lead to finding underground tunnels, gaps in fences, climbable walls and various other ways of reaching objectives. It’s like a Hitman-lite kind of vibe. These levels play host to plenty of optional content. There’s always a side-mission to complete, plus each area has a special target to kill, including a secret special method of execution that will unlock bonus guns to use. Various weapon benches hidden in the levels also open up more weapons and customisation options for all them. It gives the game solid replay value. Just like the previous Sniper titles, pretty much everything outside of the elite-level sniping is where the game struggles. While the levels are big and offer plenty of uninterrupted views that are perfect for sniping, the game likes to force you into buildings, bunkers and barns where a sniper rifle isn’t so useful. Stealth is meant to be the preferred approach using a mixture of melee takedowns (non-lethal is an option, but there’s really no reason to use it) and silenced weapons. Something I really appreciate about this series is that silencers do not automatically render a gun completely silent, they just reduce the audible range at the cost of power. It means you have to be aware of how close enemies are, otherwise they will be alerted to your presence. Overall, the stealth is functional. It’s fine. But it plays like every other basic stealth game, right down to hiding in the tall grass and whistling to lure enemies to their doom. Getting into gunfights is pretty much the same; functional and competent but lacking any oomph, any element that makes it stand out. In theory firefights should be best avoided, but in reality you can blaze through Nazis easily, and escaping the area is a doddle, so getting spotted and shooting everything is not a punishment – hell, it’s probably quicker and easier in most regards. It’s not like I actively dislike sneaking and shooting – both elements work just fine and can be fun in small doses, but I also didn’t look forward to them like I did the sniping. If we get a Sniper Elite 6, and I assume we will, this are key areas in which the series needs to improve. The biggest problem with this being essentially a reskin is that many of the same problems that plagued Sniper Elite 5 have carried over, the biggest of which is he brain-dead AI. Sure, it is kind of fun to think that all Nazis had the brainpower of a goldfish suffering from a concussion, but they don’t make for very challenging foes on the battlefield. Examples of dumb behaviour include getting stuck in scenery, and then running up a wide open road toward the known sniper before stopping, contemplating life for a moment and then running back down the road away from aforementioned lunatic sniper. Sometimes they’ll attempt to flank you by literally running all the way around the map, which is a highlight. Defeat at the hands of the Nazi’s will rarely ever come because they are smart and dangerous, but because you got complacent and put yourself in dumb situations. Their intelligence is not improved when searching for you, either. In fact, they seem even less inclined to really press your last known position, making traps less effective overall. It also makes escaping the area too easy, as you’ll often have minutes before an enemy soldier will come looking. It makes screwing up and being heard meaningless because you can just pack up and amble off. Invasion Mode is back and as fun and tense as it was in Sniper Elite 5. Provided you don’t turn off the option it allows another player to enter your game as a counter-sniper with one goal: stick a bullet in your brain. It’s an intense game of cat and mouse as you suddenly find yourself trying to complete objectives while constantly scanning the horizon for the glint of a scope. Of course, you can opt to enter other people’s games and ruin their day. As the Invader you have a few extra abilities to aid in your search for Harry Hawker, including your Nazi allies calling out potential locations. Finally spotting your pretty and delivering an across-the-map game over screen is immensely satisfying. The only completely new piece of the game are the Propaganda missions which are unlocked by taking down posters found throughout the levels. These timed missions task you with killing targets in a given timeframe, either by using stealth, sniping or something else. Bonus time is provided for stuff like headshots or blowing up vehicles using a heavy weapon. These are a fun diversion, worth a replay or two in order to get the high scores. All of the rest of the stuff from the previous games in the series is still here, too. You can jump into the multiplayer or team up with a friend in co-op which is always fun. I honestly don’t have much to say about the multiplayer aside from that it’s enjoyable enough for a few matches but probably won’t hold your attention. In Conclusion… ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. It’s not the most exciting or revelatory conclusion, but Sniper Elite: Resistance is basically more Sniper Elite 5 in a slightly different skin. It’s a stopgap, hardly surprising given the subtitle instead of a number in the title. That makes reviewing it a tad tricky. It can be unfair to criticise a game too harshly for being more of the same because that’s really the point of a sequel. You’re probably going to pick up Call of Origins: Subtitle of Fate 69 because you enjoyed the previous 68 games. Likewise, you’ll want to pick up Sniper Elite: Resistance because you enjoyed the previous games. And yet, there’s also merit to pointing out when a series is stagnating and Sniper Elite is heading that way. I’d argue it hasn’t evolved its core mechanics since Sniper Elite 3. Regardless, Sniper Elite: Resistance is a fun sniper sandbox, retaining the excellent long-range shooting that has made the series so enjoyable. The big, open levels have plenty of scope for nailing headshots from hundreds of meters away, and for toying with dumb Nazi soldiers. Provided the series hasn’t worn out its welcome yet, Sniper Elite: Resistance is a damn good time. [ad_2] Source link