President Joe Biden on Wednesday unveiled fresh efforts to slash credit card late fees and drive down the prices that Apple Inc and Google parent Alphabet Inc charge on mobile app stores. The move is part of a larger policy drive to promote competition in consumer markets, officials said. Speaking at the White House , Biden also called on lawmakers to ban "junk fees," which he said jacked up costs for consumer services such as accommodation, concert tickets, mobile plans and air travel, in which officials said air carriers can charge family members extra to be seated next to young children. Read Also Google may soon let users translate text within images in Chrome Google plans to add Microsoft 365 integration to ChromeOS "The bottom line is these unfair fees add up. It's a basic question of fairness," Biden told reporters. Biden has been beating the drum on inflation, criticizing Republicans who now control the House … [Read more...] about google: President Joe Biden moves to slash US credit card fees, app charges
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Republican States Ask Federal Judge to End DACA
A group of nine Republican states, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, asked a federal judge on Tuesday to overrule President Joe Biden’s updated Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. “This lawsuit is about the scope of executive power, not the wisdom of any particular immigration policy,” the states argued in their motion for summary judgment. “No President can unilaterally override Congress’s duly enacted laws simply because he prefers different policy choices.” The lawsuit will be heard before U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, who held that the 2012 Obama-era DACA memo was unlawful in the Summer of 2021. Hanen’s ruling was ultimately upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. However, the Fifth Circuit remanded the case to the district court in light of an updated DACA rule Biden issued that went into effect on October 31. Immigration advocates rally to urge to urge Congress to pass permanent protections for DACA recipients and … [Read more...] about Republican States Ask Federal Judge to End DACA
Smanos W020i Wi-Fi Alarm System Review
If you're ready to add a security system to your home or apartment but want to avoid the costs and contracts associated with a professional monitoring service, a do-it-yourself option like the Smanos W020i Wi-Fi Alarm System ($269.99) offers a cost-effective alternative. This easy-to-install kit comes with a pair of door/window sensors, a keychain remote, and a high-definition Wi-Fi security camera , and you can add components such as motion sensors, water detectors, and additional door/window sensors as needed. Unfortunately, the camera's image quality is subpar. Moreover, the W020i uses a proprietary wireless protocol, which means it doesn't work with third-party connected devices such as cameras, sensors, and lights , nor does it support If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes. Design and Features You Can Trust Our Reviews Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission … [Read more...] about Smanos W020i Wi-Fi Alarm System Review
Arlo Smart Security System (VMS3230) Review
Installing a home surveillance system is easier than ever thanks to the proliferation of Wi-Fi cameras, but most of these cameras still require an AC power source. This may not be an issue for indoor applications where power outlets are usually plentiful, but for outdoor usage it puts limitations on where you can place your cameras. Enter the Arlo Security System VMS3230 ($349.99), a completely wire-free home surveillance camera system that uses a pair of palm-sized, battery-powered cameras and a base station to help you track motion in and around your home and view live and recorded video from your smartphone or PC. These neat-looking cameras are a cinch to install and can be placed just about anywhere, and they deliver sharp daytime and nighttime video. However, in order to conserve power they don't offer any audio capabilities, and you can't pan and zoom on the fly. Design and Features ($349.99 at Staples) (Opens in a new window) , which comes with two cameras, a base … [Read more...] about Arlo Smart Security System (VMS3230) Review
Carbon capture is here—it just isn’t evenly distributed
Global emissions have continued to burn through the carbon budget, meaning each year brings us closer to having put enough CO 2 in the atmosphere that we'll be committed to over 2°C of warming. That makes developing carbon-capture technology essential, both to bring atmospheric levels down after we overshoot and to offset emissions from any industries we struggle to decarbonize. But so far, little progress has been made toward carbon capture beyond a limited number of demonstration projects. That situation is beginning to change, though, as some commercial ventures start to either find uses for the carbon dioxide or offer removal as a service for companies with internal emissions goals. And the Biden administration recently announced its intention to fund several large capture facilities. But I recently visited a very different carbon-capture facility, one that's small enough to occupy the equivalent of a handful of parking spaces in the basement of a New York City apartment … [Read more...] about Carbon capture is here—it just isn’t evenly distributed
Jemele Hill Claims Police in U.S. Never Designed to Protect Black People
Former ESPN talker and left-wing writer Jemele Hill told an audience at Vanderbilt University that the police in the U.S.A. were not designed to protect blacks. Hill was invited to the school to serve as the keynote speaker for the 15th annual Murray Lecture. In the wake of the release of the video of the police-involved death of Tyre Nichols, the grievance writer blasted police with both barrels, according to The Tennessean . “If that young man was white, do you think they would have beat him like that,” Hill asked her audience. “It wouldn’t have happened. Not at all. It wasn’t the race of the officers that mattered, it was the race of the victim that mattered.” A photo of Tyre Nichols is displayed outside the sanctuary during church service at Mt. Olive Cathedral CME Church on January 29, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee. ( Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images) She added that the police were designed to oppress black people in America. “When you’re critiquing the … [Read more...] about Jemele Hill Claims Police in U.S. Never Designed to Protect Black People
Lowe’s Iris Smart Hub (Second Generation) Review
Perhaps the most highly visible home automation hub thanks to its placement in Lowe's stores around the country, the Iris Smart Hub ($59.99) is a reasonably priced device that controls numerous Iris-branded and third-party devices, including contact and motion sensors, thermostats, locks , and more. It contains circuitry to control Z-Wave and ZigBee smart home products , supports Amazon Alexa voice commands, and is relatively easy to install. However, it lacks the versatility of our Editors' Choice, the Wink Hub 2 , and requires a subscription to unlock its full potential. Design and Features is considerably smaller than the Wink Hub 2 (7.2 by 1.2 by 7.2 inches) and just a tad deeper than Samsung's SmartThings Hub ($69.99 at Home Depot) (Opens in a new window) (1.3 by 4.2 by 4.9 inches). It has a white finish, with an Ethernet port and two USB ports on the back, alongside a power jack and a reset button. Three LED indicators on the front glow solid green when … [Read more...] about Lowe’s Iris Smart Hub (Second Generation) Review