These are the cleaning robots, water monitors, and toys actually worth buying for pool season. This is not news to anyone who owns one, but the uninitiated may not know about the inordinate amount of daily labor and chores that lie behind a pool's clear, sparkling, perfectly chlorinated (or salted) water. Luckily, pool tech has come a long way in the past decade--gone are the hours spent scooping leaves and dead bugs out of the water with a long-handled net, laboring over pH strips, and trying to relax on floaties too small for your adult-sized behind. We've now got robots that clean your pool, apps that monitor water quality from your phone, and even a slushie machine for proper pool-party margs. With gas and plane ticket prices soaring to astronomical levels, there's never been a better time for a staycation at your own pool.

New York City's Summer of Ludd festival is teaching people how to live offline amid the suffocating presence of Big Tech. A papier-mâché woman is the backdrop to a play about the Luddite movement. On a Sunday evening in the middle of Tompkins Square Park in New York City's East Village, hundreds of people gather in front of a giant papier-mâché face of a woman wearing a crown. She's the backdrop of a play, her body made up of curtains that look like a dress but serve a dual purpose, allowing actors to scurry on and offstage. I'm here to watch a performance called " Luddite Recreations," which is a history of the Luddite movement--a group of artisans and textile workers who resisted the adoption of machines during the early years of the Industrial Revolution in England and whose resistance to being displaced from their work was met with violence by the British monarchy.

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Don't get Pushing Buttons delivered to your inbox? Wed 1 Jul 2026 10.00 EDTLast modified on Wed 1 Jul 2026 10.02 EDT It was once a truth universally acknowledged that an ageing console in possession of good revenue must be in line for a price reduction. Those days may be over. In March, Sony announced a price increase of £90 for the PS5, while last month Microsoft informed gamers that it would be charging at least £75 more for the Xbox Series S and X consoles from August. All three were first released back in 2020.

With these high-tech automatic litter boxes, gone are the days of scooping and smells. I can confidently say that having an automatic litter box has been the biggest game changer for me when it comes to cat ownership. I can't recommend them enough. They can be pricey, but never having to scoop poop again is priceless. We at WIRED--well, our WIRED cats--tested a dozen of the highest-rated and most technologically advanced automatic litter boxes on the market for at least a week, often more (using standard clay clumping litter unless otherwise indicated), to see if they were really worth the money--or the hype. Our new favorite automatic litter box is the Purobot Max Pro 2 because of its compact design and camera for monitoring. The Litter-Robot 4 is a close second, mostly because of its LitterHopper attachment that easily refills litter for you. Plus, we still love the more basic Petkit PuraMax 2 (and think it's a great option for most people). Check out our related guides, like the Best Automatic Feeders, Best Cat Water Fountains, Best Pet Cameras, and Best Cat Toys . We've got you covered; see our Best Dog Accessories . The Purobot Max Pro 2 is the newest model from Petkit.

The Oura Ring 5 is the smallest, most discreet and best smart ring available. The Oura Ring 5 is the smallest, most discreet and best smart ring available. Tue 30 Jun 2026 02.00 EDTLast modified on Tue 30 Jun 2026 02.02 EDT The Guardianâ s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Ouraâ s new Ring 5 is a massive upgrade for smart rings, dramatically shrinking in size and weight to bring them right into line with standard wedding bands and other jewellery.

'We're up against forces that have all the money in the world': Erin Brockovich on her battle against AI datacentres In 1993, she squeezed a $333m settlement from a Californian energy company in a scandal over contaminated water. Three decades later, she has a new target in her sights - and it's global When Erin Brockovich woke to find 30 emails from people from the same town, she realised something was going on. People email Brockovich all the time because of what happened in 1993, when she was instrumental in suing Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on behalf of residents of the town of Hinkley, California, whose groundwater had been contaminated. The case resulted in a settlement of $333m - then the largest ever payout for a direct-action lawsuit. When she was immortalised by Julia Roberts in the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, she became the hero we didn't know we needed, a modern day Joan of Arc.

Those new to Space City are often surprised to discover it's one of the country's best dining locales. Here's where to eat, stay, work, and eat some more while visiting Houston for business. Houston has long been known as the energy capital of America, if not the world, but tech has been slowly grinding its way to prominence here, with over 230,000 of the metro area's 7.9 million residents employed in the tech sector. That, of course, only tells part of the story: Techies wind up here to market technology services to companies in the city's bustling oil and gas, health care, and logistics sectors. You may also come to attend a trade show at the sprawling George R. Brown Convention Center. Or find yourself passing through as part of a layover at the massive George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), a virtually mandatory stop for trips to Central and South America.

Prime Day has officially ended, but many of our favorite, hand-picked deals are still available through the weekend. Amazon Prime Day is over, and many of the deals we saw through the week are gone. Plenty of our favorite deals are still around, and you'll notice that while some Amazon prices have reverted back, some other retailers are offering deal prices throughout the weekend. And just as a reminder: We don't recommend products that haven't personally used ourselves. The WIRED Reviews team tests products all year round to ensure we can vouch for the deals we suggest. One of the best budget wireless chargers is even more affordable thanks to Prime Day. You can buy fancier, faster wireless chargers, but if you just want a simple option that'll top off your phone, this is worth checking out. It can deliver up to 10 watts, though you'll need to supply your own wall adapter. This remains one of my favorite Windows laptops, and I'm ecstatic that it's gotten a decent price drop for Prime Day. It's certainly the most compelling alternative to the MacBook Air, I still think the screen is incredibly unique, with its taller 3:2 aspect ratio. Once you see it in person, you'll notice the difference right away. With more vertical screen space, you see more lines of spreadsheets, more content of websites, and more space on your canvas as a creator.

Ninja Creami Swirl, Crispi, Slushi, and Cafe Luxe Pro are all on Prime Day deals that will soon go away. Life is all about the shots you take--and the ones you don't. Amazon Prime Day ends today. When it does, the Ninja deals will vanish. So this is likely the last time till autumn to get deals on the Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl that turned one of my colleagues into an excitable fanatic for Froyo and soft-serve.