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Amazon Under Investigation for String of Warehouse Deaths as Scrutiny Grows
Amazon Under Investigation for String of Warehouse Deaths as Scrutiny Grows
Four Amazon warehouse workers have died in separate incidents over a span of less than four weeks. While the details of each death are still forthcoming, the fatalities shine an even stronger spotlight on a common complaint about Amazon: that it requires a brutal pace of work and puts employees at risk of injury and overheating.
A range of circumstances surround the deaths. Rafael Reynaldo Mota Frias, 42, reportedly died of a heart attack in Carteret, New Jersey, as Prime Day was underway on July 13. Another worker, Rodger Boland, died after falling from a short ladder and hitting his head in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Alex Carillo, 22, died six days after an Aug. 1 forklift crash in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
A fourth worker, Eric Vadinsky, died after a workplace incident in Monroe Township, New Jersey, on Aug. 4. The deaths are all under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which has six months to release its findings.
Amazon expressed condolences to all the families of the deceased. "Each of these tragic incidents have affected our teams greatly, and we are providing resources for families and employees who need them," said Amazon spokesman Sam Stephenson. "Our investigations are ongoing and we're cooperating with OSHA, which is conducting its own reviews of the events, as it often does in these situations."
The investigations come at a time when Amazon already faces probes from federal and state regulators on workplace safety as well as worker pushback against what they say are dangerously hot work spaces. Most recently, a group of workers walked off the job at an Amazon air hub in San Bernardino, California, protesting hot working conditions and pay.
The deaths also come as people reexamine the role of Amazon in their lives in light of dangerous working conditions reported by news outlets, advocates and workers themselves. A group of 70 TikTok influencers signed onto a pledge in August promising to close down their Amazon storefronts and wish lists and to avoid entering into new agreements with Amazon to monetize their videos when users click through to Amazon's marketplace.
Called out by the TikTokers: reports of excessive heat in warehouses and in trucks that workers must load and unload in the sun. A photo shared by More Perfect Union, a workers' rights group, shows the cargo area of an Amazon truck registering an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
"Amazon is treating its workers like crap," TikToker @asianlefty said in a video pointing out worker complaints of hot work spaces and limited water, adding that he was joining the People Over Prime Pledge.
Amazon spokesman Stephenson pointed out that the company's warehouses have climate control. "Our teams are trained to follow robust safety procedures when operating during warmer weather, and our policies meet or exceed industry standards and OSHA guidance," he said.
It's hard to draw broad conclusions from four deaths, said Eric Frumin, director of health and safety at the union-affiliated Strategic Organizing Center, adding that warehouse deaths are statistically rare throughout the industry.
Still, workplace safety experts say the deaths raise questions.
"One workplace fatality is too many," said Marissa Baker, assistant professor at the University of Washington's department of environmental and occupational health sciences.
These are also not the first fatalities Amazon has seen in the last 12 months. While it's unclear exactly how many Amazon workers have died in the company's warehouses over the years, five employees and a delivery driver employed by Amazon's contractor died in a collapsed warehouse during a tornado in December.
While OSHA investigated the incident and required Amazon to review its severe weather policies, the deaths don't appear in two OSHA datasets that collect information on fatalities. When asked by CNET, OSHA didn't provide information for why the deaths weren't recorded in its datasets. In a statement, Amazon said it reports all deaths to OSHA in accordance with the law.
In general, both fatalities and injuries are undercounted, Baker said. "It doesn't mean that the data we do have should be ignored or can't be relied on," she said. But she added there needs to be more standardization in recording injuries and deaths at work.
Frumin, the health and safety director at the Strategic Organizing Center, added that OSHA investigations must be thorough to create prevention plans for the future.
When looking into Boland's death in Robbinsville, he said, investigators have to ask why someone fell off a three-foot ladder in the first place. Even if a similar fall doesn't lead to someone's death in the future, it could still cause serious injury. Regulators in the state of Washington have said Amazon workers often skip using tools like step stools, or use them unsafely, because they fear they'll be penalized if they slow down enough to use them correctly.
For Mota Frias, who died of cardiac arrest on Prime Day, investigators will have to look at whether heat and the pace of work made his medical emergency worse.
Amazon has denied responsibility for his death. Company spokesman Stephenson said the death "was related to a personal medical condition." Amazon workers told the Daily Beast that the area where Mota Frias worked was dangerously hot, but Stephenson said claims that heat was a factor are false. OSHA will also make a determination on the question, Stephenson said, adding, "we fully expect that it will reach the same conclusion."
A heart attack on the job can be work-related, even if it stems from an underlying health condition, Frumin said. Additionally, he said, workers who fear losing their jobs will often work through health scares.
Frumin also believes it's worth looking into the fact that the death happened on Prime Day, when advocates say increased production demands lead to higher injury rates.
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9 Great Reads From CNET This Week: Webb Telescope, Amazon, iPhone Security and More
9 Great Reads From CNET This Week: Webb Telescope, Amazon, iPhone Security and More
Breathtaking. Spectacular. Jaw-dropping. Whatever your adjective of choice, it still may not adequately convey the majesty of the images we saw this week from the James Webb Space Telescope, in its very first returns in what looks to be a promising career of gazing deep into space with unprecedented clarity.
In our coverage, CNET's Monisha Ravisetti and Jackson Ryan walk you through each cosmic image in detail, and Monisha also has a fabulous explainer on the imaging science behind the Webb telescope. For those of you who like a little politics with your science, Eric Mack digs into why some people object to James Webb as a namesake. Plus, Jackson wasn't thrilled with Monday's press conference.
Those articles are among the many in-depth features and thought-provoking commentaries that appeared on CNET this week. So here you go. These are the stories you don't want to miss.
The JWST delves into nebulas, colliding galaxies and an active black hole, and even provides a breakthrough look at an alien world.
NASA
Workers hustle through Prime Day in a job where getting hurt is common. Getting help can be hard.
Getty Images
The tech giant has always talked the talk about security. Now it's walking the walk.
James Martin/CNET
Two words: infrared imaging.
NASA, ESA/Hubble and the Hubble Heritage Team
Nerd out with me on this unofficial Stranger Things tour.
Species are likely to die long before we have a chance to discover them. How can we ensure they're not lost forever?
Australian Museum
Commentary: Between Apple's iOS 16 and a report that Glance will shortly be launching on Android phones, the lock screen is evolving.
Three of the best AR projects from Tribeca Fest blaze uncharted pathways -- to time-traveling meta therapy, unearthed history and Shakespearean rock.
Tribeca Festival
Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion, but then he changed his mind.
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Magic Erasers Help Keep My Home Clean, and Prime Day Makes Them Cheap
Magic Erasers Help Keep My Home Clean, and Prime Day Makes Them Cheap
This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
Seeing grime around my house makes me uncomfortable. If something is noticeably dirty, I have to clean it or it bothers me. With the help of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers I'm not spending all my time scrubbing away to keep things clean, and these cleaning pads are over 30% off for Amazon Prime Day.
I've used these cleaning pads to scrub away stains in my sink, to get soap scum out of my bathtub and to give my microwave a nice shine after some food inevitably pops inside it when I've warmed something up. I've used them to get rid of the coffee stain that builds up on the inside of the coffee pot, too. You can watch as dirt and stains disappear from whatever it is you're cleaning.
These cleaning pads can also be used on other items around your house you might not think to use them on. I've used them to scrub away scruff marks my Roomba sometimes leaves on my baseboards, and I've used them to help keep some sneakers in my collection nice and clean.
The sole on the left has been scrubbed with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser while the sole on the right has not.
Zach McAuliffe/CNET
The Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are a staple in my house to keep almost everything clean, and I can't recommend them enough. I'm going to stock up on them while they are on sale.
For even more savings, you can buy a bulk pack of 100 magic sponge erasers for 30% off for Amazon Prime Day as well. I haven't used these so I can't speak to their effectiveness, and some people who reviewed them said they are smaller than Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Buying 100 of them at once though might make up for the difference in size though.
Save $100 on This 128GB 11-inch iPad Pro During Early Prime Day Deals
Save $100 on This 128GB 11-inch iPad Pro During Early Prime Day Deals
While it can be difficult to find direct discounts on Apple items, a number of authorized Apple retailers have offered some products, including iPads, at big bargains. With Prime Day on the way, Amazon's biggest members-only sale of the year, you can expect to see markdowns on everything from top tech to everyday essentials.
Prime Day may not start until July 12, but early Prime Day deals have already begun, including $100 off the 2021 11-inch iPad Pro with 128GB of storage, which brings the price of the M1-powered iPad Pro to just $699.
The 2021 iPad Pro was selected as one of our picks for best iPads available, particularly if you're a creator. This iPad has improved performance and battery life over its predecessor, and it comes equipped with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.
The M1 chip allows you to use intensive apps with ease, including graphics apps like those in Adobe Creative Cloud. However, if you're going to be working on massive projects, you'll probably want to opt for a larger 1TB iPad Pro, which also comes with an increase to 16GB of RAM. But keep in mind, those upgrades will cost a lot more.
For the average user who just wants better, faster performance, with lightning-fast app launch, fast downloads and high-quality streaming, this iPad Pro is still a major upgrade, with the iPad Pro's M1 processor putting its processing power on par with M1 Macs. It also features an 11-inch Liquid Retina display with ProMotion, True Tone and P3 wide color.
Video calling is great on the iPad Pro as well. The device is equipped with four-speaker audio and five studio-quality microphones, along with a 12-megapixel wide camera and a 10-megapixel ultra wide camera. It has a lidar scanner for photos, video and immersive AR. It's also compatible with helpful accessories like the second-gen Apple Pencil, the Magic Keyboard and the Smart Keyboard Folio.
If a different iPad model is more appealing to you, be sure to check out all the best Prime Day iPad deals available now.
Read more: iPad Air 2022 vs. iPad Pro 2021: Which M1 Tablet Is Best?
Amazon Says Prime Day 2022 'Biggest' Ever, as US Online Sales Near $12B
Amazon Says Prime Day 2022 'Biggest' Ever, as US Online Sales Near $12B
This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
Amazon Prime Day 2022 is officially over. And according to the company, it was the "biggest Prime Day event in Amazon's history." Amazon stuck with its norm of not releasing total sales figures but said Thursday that Prime members purchased more than 300 million items worldwide and "saved" over $1.7 billion.
But the extent of Amazon's sales can be read in the tea leaves of the Adobe Digital Economy Index. Overall, Adobe said, US e-commerce sales reached nearly $12 billion on July 12 and 13 combined -- the two days of Amazon's sale. That compares with $11 billion on the equivalent days of Prime Day last year. On average, online sales were up 141% on those two days this week, compared with an average day last month. Not all of those extra sales went to Amazon, however. A few other major retailers, including Target and Best Buy, ran competing sales this week.
Products that saw the biggest discounts, according to Adobe, included toys at 15% off on average and apparel at 12% off. Electronics, TVs and computers saw smaller discounts, averaging at 8% or lower.
Read more: Amazon Prime Day 2022: Best Deals on TVs, Laptops, Apple and More Still Available
Amazon said some of the bestsellers in the US this year included beauty products, diapers, toothbrushes, teeth-whitening strips, lunchboxes, clothes and vacuums. The top-selling tech products included the Apple Watch Series 7 and Beats headphones and earbuds. Some of Amazon's own Echo, Fire TV and Blink devices were among the top sellers too.
Amazon also said more than 60,000 items were purchased per minute in the US during the two-day sale, while worldwide that figure reached 100,000 per minute.
Prime Day has been around for eight years and typically happens in the summer, except in 2020 during the start of the pandemic when it got pushed back to October.
The official Amazon Prime Day event is over, though some sales are still available.
Should You Buy An Apple Watch Right Now? It's Complicated
Should You Buy An Apple Watch Right Now? It's Complicated
This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Apple's most popular product.
Apple's September event is coming up in just a few days, which means new iPhones and Apple Watches are likely right around the corner. With that in mind, you might be wondering whether it's worth buying an Apple Watch right now. The answer is complicated, and it depends on how much you're willing to spend and what you want out of a smartwatch.
Apple is expected to release three new Apple Watch models this year: the Series 8 (the successor to the Series 7), the Apple Watch SE (a new version of Apple's $279 watch) and the Apple Watch Pro (a high-end sports watch). The Series 8 and 8 Pro are expected to include a temperature sensor that may be capable of detecting whether you have a fever, according to Bloomberg. Both watches will also likely come with a new processor, but only the Pro is expected to feature a larger display, longer battery life and a sturdier design.
The new SE, by comparison, would be a refreshed version of Apple's budget watch, meaning it might run on an older processor and could be missing certain features like ECG monitoring and an always-on display.
If you're considering the Series 7, buying one right now is potentially a wise move -- as long as you can find a deal. If you don't care about having the rumored upgrades mentioned above, this could be your last chance to snag the Series 7.
Get ready for Apple's next event
You can get the GPS-only version of the Series 7 for just $300 at Walmart, which is $100 less than Apple's usual $400 price. Amazon is also currently offering the cellular version of the Apple Watch Series 7 for $400, a notable drop from the $500 that Apple typically charges. Check out our full story on Apple Watch deals for even more discounts.
Although it'll be missing the Series 8's upgrades, the Series 7 still has a large screen with a keyboard, a recent processor, health features like ECG and blood oxygen tracking and compatibility with Apple's upcoming WatchOS 9 update.
But remember there's a chance retailers could knock down the Series 7's price following the Series 8's debut -- especially as Black Friday approaches. A second Amazon Prime Day is also rumored for October. But the Series 7 may also become more difficult to find after the Series 8 arrives, and deals may sell out quickly.
The case is a little different if you're thinking about buying the Apple Watch SE. Amazon is offering a pretty compelling deal that brings the price for the GPS-only 40-millimeter model down to about $230. That's a decent discount compared to Apple's regular $279 price, but it might be worth waiting to see what Apple has in store for the rumored second generation Apple Watch SE.
The current model is probably fine for most casual users, but it also runs on Apple's S5 processor that will likely soon be three generations old. If you're able to stretch your budget, you might be able to get a newer watch that will last longer. (Plus, I'm hoping to see some upgrades like the addition of an always-on display in the 2022 model).
So, should you buy an Apple Watch right now? If you can find a good deal on the Series 7, go for it. Buying a discounted Apple Watch SE (if you can find one) isn't a terrible idea. But you might not get as much mileage out of it since it's already running on an older processor. And don't even think about buying an Apple Watch Series 3. It runs on a much older processor, which means it will probably start to feel slow, and it isn't compatible with the latest Apple Watch software.
We'll know more about what's next for the Apple Watch when Apple holds its next event on Sept. 7.
Magic Erasers Help Keep My Home Clean, and Prime Day Makes Them Cheap
Magic Erasers Help Keep My Home Clean, and Prime Day Makes Them Cheap
This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
Seeing grime around my house makes me uncomfortable. If something is noticeably dirty, I have to clean it or it bothers me. With the help of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers I'm not spending all my time scrubbing away to keep things clean, and these cleaning pads are over 30% off for Amazon Prime Day.
I've used these cleaning pads to scrub away stains in my sink, to get soap scum out of my bathtub and to give my microwave a nice shine after some food inevitably pops inside it when I've warmed something up. I've used them to get rid of the coffee stain that builds up on the inside of the coffee pot, too. You can watch as dirt and stains disappear from whatever it is you're cleaning.
These cleaning pads can also be used on other items around your house you might not think to use them on. I've used them to scrub away scruff marks my Roomba sometimes leaves on my baseboards, and I've used them to help keep some sneakers in my collection nice and clean.
The sole on the left has been scrubbed with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser while the sole on the right has not.
Zach McAuliffe/CNET
The Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are a staple in my house to keep almost everything clean, and I can't recommend them enough. I'm going to stock up on them while they are on sale.
For even more savings, you can buy a bulk pack of 100 magic sponge erasers for 30% off for Amazon Prime Day as well. I haven't used these so I can't speak to their effectiveness, and some people who reviewed them said they are smaller than Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Buying 100 of them at once though might make up for the difference in size though.
Netflix's 'Queen's Gambit' Mobile Game Will Play Chess on the Ceiling
Netflix's 'Queen's Gambit' Mobile Game Will Play Chess on the Ceiling
What's happening
Netflix is widening its library of mobile games to include a handful spun off from its popular shows.
Why it matters
It's the first time since Netflix kicked off its gaming initiative that it's tapping into stories and characters already popular on Netflix.
Netflix will be rolling out a chess game based on The Queen's Gambit, the limited series that caused Google searches for "chess" to spike to a 14-year high when it was released. It'll even put Beth Harmon's drug-induced upside chessboards up on the ceiling.
It's one of a handful of mobile games coming to Netflix based on some of its popular existing shows, including Spanish heist thriller La Casa de Papel, also known as Money Heist; fantasy series Shadow & Bone; reality show Too Hot to Handle; and game show Nailed It. (And no, Squid Game: The Game isn't one of them.)
It marks the first time since Netflix kicked off a dedicated mission to add games that the company is leveraging its own stories and characters already popular with its subscribers to anchor new game titles.
The Queen's Gambit Chess game and Nailed It!: Baking Bash will be released sometime before the end of 2022, while the rest didn't have timing details. By the end of the year, Netflix said it plans to more than double its number of available games to about 50. The move is part of Netflix's effort to invest in video games as part of its standard subscriptions, in the hope they'll entice new subscribers and give existing ones more reasons to keep their membership.
The news was announced during a presentation Friday wrapping up Netflix's Geeked Week, an online fan event.
Last year, Netflix confirmed that would expand into gaming, starting with ad-free games for mobile devices like phones and tablets at no added cost to subscribers. So far, Netflix has 22 casual, mobile games available, some of which were previously released. Netflix has sketched out broad ambitions for gaming, indicating that it ultimately envisions pursuing console games for Xbox and PlayStation, too.
Gaming widens Netflix, the world's biggest subscription video service, from its bedrock business of TV shows and movies. As Netflix has grown, it has repeatedly called out gaming phenoms like Fortnite as some of its toughest competition because of the massive amount of entertainment hours they command worldwide. Gaming is also Netflix's most meaningful move into a new kind of entertainment since it started streaming in 2007 and since it released its first original show in 2012.
The gaming initiative took on new significance after Netflix reported its first drop in subscribers in a decade earlier this year, and the company has warned that memberships are expected to decline even more.
Netflix isn't alone in this gaming expansion. Amazon, which operates Prime Video, has invested in Luna, its cloud gaming service, and also has its own gaming studio. Google, parent of YouTube, has put money into its own Stadia game-streaming service. And Apple, which makes its own films and TV shows for Apple TV Plus, also widened into Apple Arcade.
But Netflix would be unique by making games part of its one and only subscription. Others offer their gaming services as standalone products, typically also in a bundle with a bunch of other memberships.
Netflix's games are playable and downloadable via links in Netflix's mobile app, but they need to be installed separately from Netflix's app on your device. You can download the games directly from the Apple and Google app stores, typically at 10 a.m. PT on the day of their release; Netflix also usually posts links to the games' app store listing starting at 2 p.m. PT. In the Netflix app, Android mobile and iPhone users should see a dedicated games row if you scroll down your home tab, with Android additionally having a dedicated games tab. Tablet users should also see a dedicated games row or find games in the categories dropdown menu.
Amazon Prime Day camera and accessory deals: GoPro, Sony, DJI, Lowepro and more
Amazon Prime Day camera and accessory deals: GoPro, Sony, DJI, Lowepro and more
This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
Amazon Prime Day means some excellent camera and accessory deals if you're a photography enthusiast or aspire to become one. Even in 2021, there are plenty of times it's worth trying something besides your smartphone for capturing memories and getting creative.
There are a lot of discounts in the photography section for Prime Day, but we've pored over the options for the best deals and gear.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
When you spot an action camera attached to a surfboard, ski helmet or mountain bike handlebars, chances are it's made by GoPro, the company that pioneered the market for these small, rugged video cameras. The GoPro Hero 8 Black 4K camera arrived in 2019 and won a CNET Editors' Choice for its value and all-important image stabilization. This GoPro bundle is 26% off and its accessories -- a tripod, head strap, extra battery and a 32GB memory card -- are useful. The batteries are from GoPro, not a third-party manufacturer. The newer top-end GoPro Hero 9 adds some improvements, but the Hero 8 remains a solid, more affordable choice.
DJI
Gimbal mounts use pivots to keep cameras steady -- or in the case of the DJI OM 4, your smartphone. It's 20% off for Prime Day. This is handy for shooting video when you're walking. This model has a built-in battery for 15 hours of use and a magnetic mounting system that lets you easily attach and detach your phone. And motorized Dynamic Zoom and Spin Shot add little cinematographic effects to your video.
Amazon
Rokinon lenses aren't generally as good as higher-end models from better known Japanese camera companies, but they're a lot cheaper. At 48% off, this 14mm Rokinon ultrawide lens for Canon EF and EF-S mount cameras (those full-frame and smaller APS-C sensors, respectively) is an affordable way to try out a new perspective on your photography. It has a 115.7-degree field of view on full-frame cameras and 89.9 degrees on APS-C, and some weather sealing to handle rougher conditions.
Amazon
Lowepro has been making camera backpacks for decades. The Truckee BP 250 LX is designed for tourists, hikers, street photographers out for a day in the city, and anyone else who has to carry a modest amount of camera equipment. It'll accommodate an SLR and three midsized lenses in the bottom padded compartment, a 15-inch laptop in an inside zippered sleeve, a water bottle and tripod in side pockets, and lunch and a rain jacket in the top.
Score a Kid-Friendly Kindle for Just $50 With This Early Prime Day Deal
Score a Kid-Friendly Kindle for Just $50 With This Early Prime Day Deal
Ditch the traditional bookshelf and upgrade to an e-reader for your child. E-readers save space, are ultraportable and grant access to a massive library of options whenever you want to explore something new.
In anticipation of Prime Day, plenty of early Prime Day deals have already arrived, helping you save money on a ton of popular items, and right now, Kindle Kids devices are discounted by $60 at Amazon, bringing the price to just $50 for these e-readers designed for especially for children. This offer is available through July 11.
The Kindle Kids e-reader has a 6-inch, black-and-white, glare-free, 167-ppi display and 8GB of storage. It can connect to Bluetooth headphones or speakers. That means your kids can access a ton of audiobooks from Audible, too. These e-readers are specifically for reading, so your kids won't be distracted by apps, videos or games while they're using their device, like they might on a traditional tablet.
The Kindle Kids also has a long battery life -- it can last weeks on a single charge, which is great for when you're on the go. And when you buy a new Kindle Kids e-reader, you'll get a kid-friendly cover, a one-year subscription to the Amazon Kids Plus service and a two-year guarantee to replace broken devices.
Amazon Kids Plus has a ton of children's literature available. Some titles, like the Harry Potter series, are included for free, while there are thousands of other books available for purchase as well. After the first year, your subscription will renew at $5 a month, but you can cancel anytime by visiting the Amazon Parent Dashboard. You'll find parental controls on the dashboard, too, allowing you to adjust age filters, add books to your child's library, view reading progress and more. You can also use Amazon Kids Plus on other compatible Kindle devices, Fire tablets, Echo smart speakers and more.
There are also tools to help your child tackle more challenging books such as Vocabulary Builder, which can help look up words and create flash cards for practicing new words, and Word Wise, which can automatically show simple on-screen definitions above difficult words. At $50, this is a great time to invest in an e-reader that can help your child form strong, healthy reading habits.
Amazon boxes + Transformers = Amazon Prime Halloween costume
Amazon boxes + Transformers = Amazon Prime Halloween costume
Earth is threatened by a malevolent species of sentient robots. You also need a refill of toilet paper and some cucumber-mint-scented hand sanitizer, and you need them fast. Who are you going to call? Amazon Prime, defender of both our planet and two-day shipping.
Caron Arnold, creative director of Fusion Marketing in St. Louis, conquered the office Halloween costume contest with a clever and beautifully built costume that combines Optimus Prime from "Transformers" with Amazon Prime's fast shipping service.
Arnold says it took her about 10 hours over the course of several days to compile a collection of cardboard boxes, complete with Amazon tape advertising the Echo voice assistant, into a wearable costume that looks like Optimus Prime in bipedal form (his other incarnation is as a semi truck).
A lot of hot glue went into the construction. Arnold took some inspiration for the build from a more traditional-looking Transformers Instructables project.
Arnold doesn't work for Amazon and the online retailing behemoth isn't one of her firm's clients. She does, however, make extensive use of Prime. She collected her Prime boxes, and co-workers contributed their own containers to the cause.
The clothing under the costume is a perfect match for the color scheme. Arnold, a Star Wars fan, says the leggings have a C-3PO design, while the turtleneck and gloves came from Amazon. The crowning glory of the outfit is the tape gun that replaces Optimus Prime's usual weapon, an ion blaster.
Arnold prefers the old-school "Transformers" animated television series to the new blockbuster movies. Her general fondness for robots (Data from Star Trek and R2-D2 from Star Wars are favorites) made the costume a perfect fit for her. And, yes, she took first place in the contest.
Last minute shopper? These stores offer same and next-day delivery
Last minute shopper? These stores offer same and next-day delivery
This story is part of Gift Guide, our year-round collection of the best gift ideas.
If you haven't finished up your holiday shopping, you may be noticing that it's becoming harder and harder to find gifts that you can get delivered in time. We've passed the shipping deadline for several online retailers already, and if you're against going to an actual store to shop you may be feeling a bit hopeless.
There are some stores out there that offer same-day and next-day shipping options in certain areas, so you may be able to pull this off. Keep in mind that these services are not available in all locations and often have specific requirements for order amounts and daily time deadlines.
Below is some information that may be able to help you get the perfect gift for that special someone in time for the holidays.
Read more: Holiday shipping deadlines expired: Do Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Apple curbside pickup instead
Amazon
Amazon's same-day delivery service is available to Prime members in various ZIP codes across the country. To qualify for free same-day shipping you'll need to spend $35 on qualifying products, which are marked as "Prime Free Same-Day Delivery." There is a daily cut-off time and the listing will tell you how much time you have left to order it so you can receive it the same day.
Best Buy
Some Best Buy locations offer same-day delivery on in-stock products. You need to place your order by 5 p.m. local time daily (except Sunday, which is 3 p.m.) to qualify. This service is far more limited than Amazon and Walmart's, but be sure to check and see if you can get anything delivered the same day, otherwise you may want to opt for curbside pickup.
Walmart
Walmart offers free same-day shipping on orders of $35 or more as part of its Walmart Plus subscription. The items will need to be available in your local Walmart for the same-day shipping to happen, otherwise there are a ton of items that are available with free next-day shipping. Walmart Plus members can have anything shipped to their home for free without limits.
Target
Target's same-day delivery service is powered by Shipt, which is a bit different from the others in this list. Shipt is a third-party service that requires a membership in order to get the benefits. One great part of the service is that you can schedule the delivery (within available times) and in some locations you can get the order as soon as 60 minutes after placing it.
Sephora
Sephora has partnered with Instacart for its same-day deliveries. If you're a member of Sephora's Beauty Insider program you can get free same-day delivery through Christmas using code SAMEDAY.
Macy's
Through a partnership with DoorDash, Macy's is able to deliver a lot of items to you the same day or the very next day. Eligible items have a special icon next to them so you can easily identify these as you shop. You will need to pay a $15 fee for orders that would qualify for free standard shipping, or $26 for any other order.
GameStop
For orders placed on GameStop's site or mobile app you can get same-day delivery when you pick "Deliver Today" during the checkout process. It's available up until three hours before your local store closes, and does vary based on inventory at that store.
Costco
While it's mainly for groceries, Costco does offer same-day delivery through Instacart for orders of $35 or more. It's worth noting that the price in the app and the price in Costco's warehouse are often different, so you will likely be paying a little extra on each item for the convenience.
Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond may not be the first place you think of, but it offers thousands of items with same-day delivery for a $10 flat-fee. Availability will vary based on local inventory, but it's worth checking to see what it has if you can't find what you want elsewhere.
TV Shopping? Consider buying a 2021 TV (and Save Money)
TV Shopping? Consider buying a 2021 TV (and Save Money)
What's happening
New 2022 TV models are now available, but plenty of 2021 TVs are still out there.
Why it matters
2022 TVs might be newer, but they're also more expensive and have similar features to the 2021 models. You'll save money right now by grabbing a 2021 unit. Or wait until the fall when 2022 TVs will be on sale.
If you're looking to get a new TV without breaking the bank, opting for last year's model or waiting a few months until prices drop on 2022 models are your best bets to get all the features you want while still saving money. That's because TVs are a mature technology, which means that new, groundbreaking features don't come out every single year. Changes are incremental, with new models adding only minor updates year-over-year. For example, a 2021 TV at a given size or price will generally have similar picture quality and features to its 2022 counterpart. There are still deals on 2021 TVs, which are significantly less expensive than the current models.
When deciding which TV to buy and when, everyone should know about the annual television pricing cycle. It starts at CES, the huge tech show that happens every January, when new TVs (plus other tech like laptops and car technology) are announced each year. Later in the spring and summer -- basically now -- many of the new models are already on the shelves. But those new sets are at their highest prices of the year. During the fall, manufacturers start slashing prices to make way for next year's crop of new TVs.
If you want the latest and greatest technology you're probably already set on a 2022 model and you'll certainly be able to save money on those in the fall. But if you're looking to get a new TV right now, scooping up a deal on a 2021 set is going to be the most affordable option. Just know that you'll probably have to jump on a bargain when you see them, as eventually manufacturers will sell out of their 2021 models.
Read more: LG C1 vs. LG C2: Which OLED TV Should You Buy?
Sony and Samsung TVs with QD-OLED, a new technology promising better picture quality, are expensive and only available in 55- and 65-inch sizes.
Sony
If I buy a 2021 model now, what new features am I missing?
To put it succinctly, not too much. There's always something new around the corner, but changes from year-to-year are usually incremental. If you worry about missing out on the latest and greatest tech, it should give you peace of mind that even if something really new hits the market, it's going to be very expensive.
New QD-OLED TVs from Samsung and Sony are a good example. They combine OLED displays with quantum dot technology, and claim higher brightness and better color compared to current OLED TVs. One of these new sets might sound enticing, but QD-OLEDs come with a premium price tag, so they might be tough to recommend over more-affordable OLEDs like the LG C2.
Read more: QD-OLED: Everything We Know About the Newest TV Tech From Samsung and Sony
In 2022, traditional OLED TVs are arriving in untraditional sizes. This year, LG introduced the 42-inch C2 Series TV, the smallest OLED on the market, while also laying claim to the largest OLED available with the 97-inch G2 TV.
New for 2022, LG's OLED C2 now comes in 42- and 97-inch sizes.
Richard Peterson/CNET
Mini-LED TVs are also on the rise and could deliver close-to-OLED picture quality, but the new models we know about so far will also be expensive. The Sony Z9K and X95K are the company's first models with mini-LED, and the TCL X925pro has a new kind of slimmer mini-LED backlight, but none of them will be cheap. Samsung, TCL and Vizio are expected to announce more TVs later this year, many of which will use mini-LED, but we doubt they'll offer huge improvements over the 2021 models.
Also rolling out across the country is NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0. This is free over-the-air 4K TV, and it's moving forward quite quickly -- it might already be available in your city. In 2022 we'll see more TVs with built-in tuners that cost less than ever. Don't feel you need to rush to upgrade, or get those specific models however, since in the worst case you'll be able to buy a cheap external tuner and connect that to your TV.
Read more:Gaming Modes, Webcams and QD-OLED: Which 2022 TV Trends Stand Out?
There's also HDMI 2.1. While 2.1 has several new technologies that are great, it's not going to make any current TVs obsolete (unless it's a current 8K TV, but that's yet another story). As long as your current TV works with your current sources, you should be fine.
Really old TVs, older than 10 years, might have issues connecting to modern streaming and disc sources, but there's no real workaround for that. If your TV doesn't work with a new Roku or Blu-ray player, then you might need to upgrade if you want to use one of those.
Do I need to upgrade?
Forget all the new tech. If your TV works and you're happy with it, keep it. Don't feel any pressure to upgrade.
Modern TVs are, on average, brighter and have better picture quality than the TVs from a few years ago. Unless you're the type of videophile who wants to tweak every setting and fixates on nits and color accuracy, however, you probably don't need a new TV.
The pressure to upgrade is pervasive in our tech culture, but TVs tend to last (and be perfectly functional) longer than most devices. They don't, for example, have batteries that lose capacity like mobile phones -- or have wires that wear out like headphones. A TV from five or even 10 years ago likely works fine, though it might not look as good as the current 4K HDR TVs. So again, if that's not a huge deal for you, you can likely keep what you have for a few more years.
Read more: Best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S
This is even true when considering new consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. If you've got a PS4, Xbox One or any console connected via HDMI, the new consoles should work fine. They might look better on a new TV, but they'll still look great on yours.
If your TV is having issues, or you just want something larger, that's a different story. New TVs are much cheaper per inch than TVs of the past. You'll be able to replace your current TV with something the same size, looks better and is cheaper than your old TV. Or you can pay the same amount as your old TV and get something that's far bigger.
When is the best time to buy a TV?
TV sales are the biggest in the fall and culminate on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There are always some incredibly cheap 4K TVs on offer, but that's not the whole story.
First of all, the TVs that get the huge discounts are usually either no-name brands, or low-end models from name brands. They're fine if you just want a cheap TV, but they're not going to offer the picture quality of an even slightly higher-end model. The best TVs go on sale as well, but deep discounts on those are less common.
TV sales happen all year, but Black Friday season sees the biggest discounts.
Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images
Second, massive discounts on TVs are rare in general. It might be counterintuitive, but TVs typically don't have much mark-up. There isn't a lot of profit in a $500 TV. So unless the store is trying to clear out stock, you shouldn't expect a gigantic drop in price even during sales. Plenty of good discounts are available, they're just not going to be "50% off" or similar, unless there's a specific reason that model is getting such an extreme discount. Or it's a doorbuster in limited quantities.
Third, most big companies don't allow stores to offer their own pricing. This is called UPP, or unilateral pricing policy. It means that a TV from that company is going to cost the same, whether it's on Amazon, in Best Buy, or anywhere else. Well, anywhere else that wants to continue selling TVs from that company. If this sounds sketchy, it is, but that's a topic for a different article.
The Samsung Frame may look sophisticated, but your current TV might work just as well.
Samsung
All in all, is it worth upgrading my TV?
Here's the short version:
Get a new TV now if:
Your current TV is having issues, or is too old to connect to a streaming service like Netflix.
You're willing to buy from a place that has a price-match policy, in case there's a sale.
You want something bigger than what you have now.
Don't get a TV now if:
Your current TV works fine.
There's literally anything else you need or want to spend money on.
If you've got the itch for something new, but you're still on the fence, consider giving your TV a bit of a makeover. If you've never adjusted the settings, it's easy to do and will probably make your TV look better than it ever has. That might tide you over for a bit.
And if you finally decide that, yes, you're ready to buy a new TV now, we at CNET do have some guidelines and suggested models.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff Morrison does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, airplane graveyards and more.
You can follow his exploits on Instagram and his travel video series on YouTube. He also wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel.
§
NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, is continuing its rapid rollout across the country. Major markets like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and more all have stations transmitting. Meanwhile New York, Boston, and many other markets are slated to have broadcasts later this year. While not every station in every market has a NextGen TV counterpart, more and more are coming on the air.
What's NextGen TV? It's an update to the free HDTV you can already get over-the-air in nearly every city in the US. There's no monthly fee, but you do need either a new TV with a built-in tuner or a standalone external tuner. The standard allows broadcast stations to send higher quality signals than ever before with features like 4K, HDR, 120 Hz, and more. ATSC 3.0 proponents also claim better reception indoors and on-the-go -- whether it's on your phone, or even in your car. The best part is that if you're watching it on your TV it uses the same standard antennas available today.
One potential downside? ATSC 3.0 will also let broadcasters track your viewing habits, information that can be used for targeted advertising, just like companies such as Facebook and Google use today.
Read more:Best TV antennas for cord cutters, starting at just $10
NextGen TV to you
ATSC.org
Here's the top-line info:
If you get your TV from streaming, cable or satellite, NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 won't affect you at all.
The transition is voluntary. Stations don't have to switch. Many have already, however, for reasons we'll explain below.
It's not backwards-compatible with the current HD standard (ATSC 1.0), so your current TV won't be able to receive it. Your current antenna should work fine though.
Stations that switch to NextGen TV will still have to keep broadcasting ATSC 1.0 for five years.
There are multiple models and sizes of TV with built-in tuners available now from Hisense, LG, Sony, Samsung and others.
As of the beginning of 2022 the majority of the largest markets in the US have at least one channel broadcasting NextGen TV. By the end of 2022, nearly all major and many minor markets will have multiple channels .
Here's the map of actual stations as of January 2022. Orange denotes stations that are live now. Blue is launching before summer. White sometime after the summer.
ATSC
How it will work in your home
Put simply: If you connect an antenna to your TV you will receive free programming, just like most people can get now. Yet, that is selling the potential benefits of NextGen TV short.
NextGen TV is IP-based, so in practice it can be moved around your home just like any internet content can right now. For example, you connect an antenna to a tuner box inside your home, but that box is not connected to your TV at all. Instead, it's connected to your router. This means anything with access to your network can have access to over-the-air TV, be it your TV, your phone, your tablet or even a streaming device like Apple TV. There will be traditional tuners as well, of course, but this is a new and interesting alternative.
This also means it's possible we'll see mobile devices with built-in tuners, so you can watch live TV while you're out and about, like you can with Netflix and YouTube now. How willing phone companies will be to put tuners in their phones remains to be seen, however. You don't see a lot of phones that can get radio broadcasts now, even though such a thing is easy to implement. We'll talk more about that in a moment.
'Voluntary'
In November of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission approved ATSC 3.0 as the next generation of broadcast standard, on a "voluntary, market-driven basis" (PDF). It also required stations to continue broadcasting ATSC 1.0 (i.e. "HD"). This is actually part of the issue as to why it's voluntary.
During the mandatory DTV transition in the early 2000s, stations in a city were given a new frequency (channel, in other words), to broadcast digital TV, while they still broadcast analog on their old channel. These older channels were eventually reclaimed by the FCC for other uses when the proverbial switch was flipped to turn off analog broadcasts. Since a changeover isn't occurring this time around, stations and markets are left to themselves how best to share or use the over-the-air spectrum in their areas.
Because there's no new bandwidth, broadcasters will temporarily share transmitters. Two or more stations will use one tower for ATSC 1.0 (HD) broadcasts and those stations will use another tower for ATSC 3.0 (UHD) broadcasts. This will mean a temporary reduction in bandwidth for each channel, but potentially a limited impact on picture quality due to the better modern HD encoders. More info here.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
While it's not a mandatory standard, many broadcasters still seem enthusiastic about NextGen. At the beginning of the roll-out, then executive vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters Dennis Wharton told CNET that the improvement in quality, overall coverage and the built-in safety features mean that most stations would be enthusiastic to offer ATSC 3.0.
John Hane, president of the Spectrum Consortium (an industry group with broadcasters Sinclair, Nexstar and Univision as members), was equally confident: "The FCC had to make it voluntary because the FCC couldn't provide transition channels. [The industry] asked the FCC to make it voluntary. We want the market to manage it. We knew the market would demand it, and broadcasters and hardware makers in fact are embracing it."
Given the competition broadcasters have with cable, streaming and so on, 3.0 could be a way to stabilize or even increase their income by offering better picture quality, better coverage and, most importantly, targeted ads.
Ah yes, targeted ads…
Broadcast TV will know what you're watching
One of NextGen TV's more controversial features is a "return data path," which is a way for the station you're watching to know you're watching. Not only does this allow a more accurate count of who's watching what shows, but it creates the opportunity for every marketer's dream: targeted advertising.
Ads specific to your viewing habits, income level and even ethnicity (presumed by your neighborhood, for example) could get slotted in by your local station. This is something brand-new for broadcast TV. Today, over-the-air broadcasts are pretty much the only way to watch television that doesn't track your viewing habits. Sure, the return data path could also allow "alternative audio tracks and interactive elements," but it's the targeted ads and tracking many observers are worried about.
The finer details are all still being worked out, but here's the thing: If your TV is connected to the internet, it's already tracking you. Pretty much every app, streaming service, smart TV and cable or satellite box all track your usage to a greater or lesser extent.
Return data path is still in the planning stages, even as the other aspects of NextGen TV are already going live. There is a silver lining: There will be an opt-out option. While it also requires Internet access, if this type of thing bothers you, just don't connect your TV or NextGen TV receiver to the internet. You will inevitably lose some of the other features of NextGen TV, however.
That said, we'll keep an eye on this for any further developments.
Free TV on your phone?
Another point of potential contention is getting ATSC 3.0 tuners into phones. At a most basic level, carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are in the business of selling you data. If suddenly you can get lots of high-quality content for free on your phone, they potentially lose money. Ever wonder why your phone doesn't have an FM radio tuner? Same reason.
T-Mobile made a preemptive strike along those lines all the way back in September 2017, writing a white paper (PDF) that, among other things, claims, "In light of the detrimental effects that inclusion of ATSC 3.0 can have on the cost and size of a device, the technology trade-offs required to accommodate competing technologies, and the reduced performance and spectral efficiency that it will have for other mobile bands and services, the decision as to whether to include ATSC 3.0 in a device must be left to the market to decide."
"The market" determined you didn't need an FM tuner in your phone, and in the few phones that had an FM tuner, if you bought it through an American provider, it was almost always disabled.
TV broadcasters, on the other hand, are huge fans of ATSC 3.0 on mobile phones. It means more potential eyeballs and, incidentally, a guarantee of active internet access for that return data path. John Hane of the Spectrum Consortium feels that tuners built into phones is "inevitable," and that international adoption of ATSC 3.0 will help push it forward. Wharton says that the focus is getting TVs to work, but mobile is in the plan.
Then there's portable TVs, of which there are HD versions on the market and have been for years. The next-generation ATSC 3.0 versions of these will likely get better reception in addition to the higher resolution offered by the new standard.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Cost (for you)
NextGen TV is not backward compatible with current TV tuners. To get it, you'll eventually need either a new TV or an external tuner.
However, you shouldn't feel a push to upgrade since:
1. NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 isn't mandatory, and it doesn't affect cable, satellite or streaming TV.
2. HD tuners cost as little as $30 to $40 now, and NextGen TV tuners, which currently sell between $200 and $300, will eventually be cheap as well.
3. Even after they start NextGen broadcasts, stations will have to keep broadcasting regular old HD.
Here's the actual language:
"The programming aired on the ATSC 1.0 simulcast channel must be 'substantially similar' to the programming aired on the 3.0 channel. This means that the programming must be the same, except for programming features that are based on the enhanced capabilities of ATSC 3.0, advertisements and promotions for upcoming programs. The substantially similar requirement will sunset in five years from its effective date absent further action by the Commission to extend it."
In other words, the HD broadcast has to be essentially the same as the new 3.0 broadcast for five years, perhaps longer depending on future FCC actions.
Which brings us to point 3. By the time people had to buy them, HD tuners were inexpensive and are even more so now. The HD tuner I use is currently $26 on Amazon. The first generation NextGen tuners available now are more expensive than that, though they're not outrageous. We'll discuss those below. By the time anyone actually requires one, however, they'll almost certainly be affordable.
Which is good, because there aren't any planned subsidies this time around for people to get a tuner for cheap. I'm sure this is at least partly due to how few people actually still use OTA as their sole form of TV reception. Maybe this will change as more stations convert, but we're a ways away from that.
As you can see, there are lots of parts that need to get upgraded all along the chain before you can get 3.0 in your home.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
Here's another way to think about it: The first HD broadcasts began in the mid-90s, but when did you buy your first HDTV? As far as the 3.0 transition is concerned we're in the late-90s, maybe generously the early 2000s, now. Things seem like they're moving at a much more rapid pace than the transition from analog to DTV/HDTV, but even so, it will be a long time before ATSC 3.0 completely replaces the current standard.
How to get NextGen right now
LG
If you want to check it out for yourself, many of you already can. The first stop is to go to WatchNextGenTV.com. That website will help you find what stations in your area are broadcasting, or which ones will soon.
Next up you'll need something to receive it. If you're in the market for a new TV there are several options available from Hisense, LG, Samsung, and Sony. Here's our list of all the 2022 TVs with built-in next-gen tuners.
If you want to check out NextGen TV without buying a new television, you'll need an external tuner. It's still early days, so there aren't many options.
The Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI DVR
Nuvvyo
At CES 2022 Nuvvyo announced the Tablo, a quad-tuner box that can connect to a TV directly, or transmit over a network to Rokus, Apple TVs, or computers on your home network.
The Silicon Dust has two models, the $199 HomeRun Flex 4K and the $279 HomeRun Scribe 4K. Both have ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 tuners.
If you want a more traditional tuner, BitRouter plans to start shipping its first ZapperBox M1 tuners in the spring. You can reserve one now for $249. It doesn't have internal storage, but BitRouter plans to add the ability to save content on network-attached storage, or NAS, devices via a firmware update. They also plan to add the ability to send the content around your home network, like what the Scribe 4K does.
Zapperbox
Then there's what to watch. Being early in the process, you're not going to find much 4K content, possibly not any. This was the same with the early years of HDTV. It's also going to vary per area. There is certainly a lot of 4K content being produced right now, and that has been the case for several years. So in that way, we're in better shape than we were in the early days of HD.
Basic and paid cable channels over-the-air?
One company is using the bandwidth and IP nature of NextGen to do something a little different. It's a hybrid paid TV service, sort of like cable/satellite, but using over-the-air broadcasts to deliver the content. It's called Evoca, and right now it's available only in Boise, Idaho. Edge Networks is the company behind it, and it wants to roll it out to other small markets where cable offerings are limited, and broadband speeds are slow or expensive.
It's an interesting idea for underserved and often forgotten-about markets.
Read more: Cable TV channels and 4K from an antenna?
Seeing the future
The transition from analog broadcasting to HD, if you count from the formation of the Grand Alliance to the final analog broadcast, took 16 years.
Though many aspects of technology move rapidly, getting dozens of companies, plus the governments of the US and many other countries, all to agree to specific standards, takes time. So does the testing of the new tech. There are a lot of cogs and sprockets that have to align for this to work, and it would be a lot harder to fix once it's all live.
But technology moves faster and faster. It's highly doubtful it will take 16 years to fully implement NextGen TV. As we mentioned at the top, dozens of stations are already broadcasting. Will every station in your city switch to NextGen TV? Probably not, but the bigger ones likely will. This is especially true if there are already other NextGen TV stations in your area. There's a potential here for stations to make additional money in the long run with 3.0, and that's obviously a big motivator.
There's also the question of how much content there will be. If it follows the HDTV transition model, big sporting events in 4K HDR will come first, followed by lots and lots of shows featuring nature scenes and closeups of bugs. Seriously -- this was totally a thing. Then we'll see a handful of scripted prime-time shows. My guess would be the popular, solidly profitable ones that are produced (not just aired) by networks like CBS and NBC.
So should you hold off buying a new TV? Nope, not unless you only get your shows over the air. And even if you do, by the time there's enough content to be interesting, there will be cheap tuner boxes you can connect to whatever TV you have.
For now, NextGen TV seems to be well on its way.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
