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notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-09-18 04:00 pm
Read Outrunning The Echo Chamber
Me: "They help immigrant youths, especially kids separated from their families."
Coworker: "You know that’s a scam, right? Those charities just undermine America. Half of them are funneling money to domestic terrorists."
lifehacker_feed) wrote2025-09-18 04:00 pmWe may earn a commission from links on this page.
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Yesterday, at its 2025 Meta Connect conference, Meta finally unveiled its first Ray-Ban smart glasses that actually have a screen inside them. I have yet to try them for myself, but according to my colleagues over at CNET, seeing is believing. If you want to book a demo to try out the new Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, you're in luck: They're popping up in select stores across the country, and you can already schedule your visit. In fact, you'll need to if you actually want to take a pair home.
Meta's Ray-Ban Display smart glasses are similar to the smart glasses the two companies have already been releasing since 2021, but if the name didn't give it away already, now they have a screen inside them. This isn't AR, so you don't get head tracking or a large virtual display situated in your environment, but you do get a little heads-up 600x600 screen over your right eye that you can use to, say, check on texts or watch an Instagram Reel. It's also private, according to my colleagues over at CNET, with some clever manufacturing keeping people from seeing what's on your display through the transparent lens.
And it comes with a special "neural wristband" for actually navigating content, which can pick up thumb movements, pinches, and the like and translate them into swipes and taps.
It all sounds fancy— dare I say "innovative"?—even if it comes with a $799 price tag (the last generation of Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses was $379). But if you're going to be dropping that much on such an unproven product, I don't blame you for wanting to go hands-on with it before buying. And it seems, neither does Meta.
Even though Meta's Ray-Ban Display Smart Glasses technically start shipping on Sept. 30, you can't buy them online. Instead, you'll have to do an in-store demo before you can actually get a pair. These demos are available at Ray-Ban stores, but also partners including LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, and Best Buy. You can book demos straight through a specific store's site if you have a favorite, as seen on this Best Buy link, but the best way to see all the demos available near you is through Meta's own site.
Just navigate to this scheduler page on the Meta site and enter your address to see participating stores near you and the dates when they have demos available. Then hit "Schedule a Demo" on a store of your choosing to be taken to that store's site to finish booking.
While Meta's site showed me appointments starting today, none of the stores I clicked through to had availability until October, so don't be surprised if the scheduler's data is a little behind.
Generally, you can just head to your Ray-Ban Display Demo and be golden. But if you wear prescription lenses, you'll either need to wear contacts or know your lens details. Meta's demo kits can accommodate a range of -4.00 to +4.00 prescriptions, so plan accordingly.
Then, it's just a matter of trying the glasses on. When you're done, you can either buy your pair, or hold off. If you wait, you'll be sent an email with details from your appointment.
Meta says it's limiting purchases to people who have tried a demo right now to ensure fit and satisfaction, but that more buying options will come "over time." That's great news for folks who live outside of the U.S., as demos are currently limited to Meta's home country. However, the company says demos will expand to Canada, France, Italy, and the U.K. in early 2026.
lifehacker_feed) wrote2025-09-18 03:30 pmStrava's new Training Zones feature promises to help runners and cyclists better understand their training load across metrics like heart rate, power, and pace. That sounds like useful information, but if you've recently discovered that most of your runs fall into what's commonly called the "gray zone" (Zone 3), take a deep breath: You aren't doing everything wrong, you don't need to panic, and you definitely don't need to completely overhaul your training.
Here's why—and how you can use training zones as the helpful tool they're meant to be, rather than as a source of anxiety.
Before diving into how Strava offers insights into training zones, let's quickly go over what they really are. As Lifehacker senior health editor Beth Skwarecki has previously explained, talk of different zones is overhyped, since these zones aren't clearly defined.
Most talked about is the coveted Zone 2, even though no one can agree on what exactly it is. On the flip side, I always see warnings about Zone 3 being the "no man's land" of training—too hard to be easy, too easy to be hard. This dread is overblown.
Zone 2 training is celebrated because it helps build your aerobic base and burns calories without incurring significant fatigue. But guess what Zone 3 training also does? It builds your aerobic base, it burns even more calories, and it typically adds only marginally more fatigue than Zone 2. For most recreational runners, the difference between the zones is far less dramatic than the online discourse suggests.
Heart rate zones are indeed a completely valid way to describe how hard you're working during a cardio workout. But it's hardly a matter of "Zone 2 good, Zone 3 bad," particularly given that different devices and apps define the zones differently. Your "Zone 2" might be 60% to 70% of max heart rate on an Apple Watch, but 65% to 75% on a Peloton. At 73% of your max heart rate, the Apple Watch would categorize your effort as Zone 3, while the Peloton would call it Zone 2. Which is right? Neither, really—because these boundaries are largely arbitrary.
The concept of training zones is sound when considered in the right context, but the specific percentages and boundaries aren't set in stone. They're guidelines, not gospel. Your physiology doesn't magically change the moment you cross from 69% to 71% of your max heart rate. And if you're a recreational runner focused on health and enjoyment, the difference between Zone 2 and Zone 3 is a mere technicality.
Strava's Training Zones use a familiar five-zone system. The feature allows you to filter by sport and analyze training load across different timeframes (seven days, one month, and three months), providing insights into how your training varies across activities.
Heart Rate Zones:
Zone 1 – Endurance
Zone 2 – Moderate
Zone 3 – Tempo
Zone 4 – Threshold
Zone 5 – Anaerobic
These zones indicate exercise intensity levels and are automatically calculated based on your max heart rate. Strava uses the standard formula of 220 minus your age, defaulting to 190 bpm if no age is provided. Your zones update automatically on your birthday unless you've manually set your max heart rate.
Luckily, you don't need to accept the default settings as law. Strava allows subscribers to set different heart rate zones for running versus cycling, and you can adjust these zones anytime.
When you scroll down in the Progress tab on Strava, you'll see Training Zones. Within that menu, select the Pencil (edit) icon. If you know your actual max heart rate from testing, use that instead of the age-based estimated maximum.
Even if you don't have exact numbers, you can adjust your zones based on feel. Your perceived exertion might be a better guide than your heart rate monitor. Toggle the "auto-calculate" option to manually adjust each individual heart rate zone. If Strava tells you you're in Zone 3-4, but you can easily hold a conversation during that workout, you could then widen the range for Zone 2 to more accurately reflect what you know to be lower effort for you. When a run feels easy and conversational, it's probably serving its purpose, regardless of whether your device says you're in Zone 2 or Zone 3.
Instead of obsessing over individual workout zones, examine your training distribution over weeks and months. Are you doing mostly easy runs with some harder efforts? That's what matters, not whether your easy pace puts you at the top of Zone 2 or bottom of Zone 3.
Training zones should inform your training, not dictate it. They're tools to help you understand intensity and plan progression, not rigid boundaries that determine success or failure. Strava's Training Zones feature can provide valuable insights into your training patterns and help you make more informed decisions about your workouts.
The next time your watch beeps to tell you you've crossed into Zone 3, remember: The boundaries aren't real, but how your body feels is.
sat_am_cereal_feed) wrote2025-09-18 11:20 am
Hovertext:
How come nobody asks for all-powerful, all-knowing, and at least PRETTY good?
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flashexchanges2025-09-18 10:44 ambrithistorian) wrote2025-09-18 10:39 amI was trying to type the information for an art exhibition into the to-do app on my phone. I had typed "University of," and the three options that autocorrect offered me were "Nature," "Art," and "Style."
Obviously none of these were correct, but they're all universities I would have considered attending if I had known about them earlier in my life. ;)
notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-09-18 03:00 pmRead What Kind Of Pack Mentality Is This?!
Customer: *Pointing to the cigarettes.* "I'd like Salem Light 100s."
Me: "I'm sorry, we don't have Salem Light 100s. We have—"
Customer: "—Yes, I want Salem Light 100s."
Me: "I'm sorry, we don't have Salem Light 100s. We have Salem Lights and Salem 100s."
notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-09-18 02:30 pmRead That Phone Is Indestructible, And So Is Your Reasoning
I'm a mom to a twelve-year-old son who has been arguing with us for his "need" to get a smartphone for a while now.
Son: "Everyone else at school has one!"
Me: "You don’t need one."
Son: "Yes, I do. It’s a safety thing! You need to be able to contact me if there’s an emergency, and same if I need to contact you!"
fred_mouse) wrote2025-09-18 10:55 pmFor some days, I've seen people mention the Martha Wells Humble Bundle offer and gone 'nah, I don't need it, I've got most of the Murderbot stuff, I DON'T NEED IT'.
And then someone posted that it has the short stories, and I nearly caved. And then someone shared it on Tumblr, and I don't remember what was said, and I was like 'it won't hurt to look, right'?
I will tell you that I did not cave because it has a Murderbot book I have either not read or have entirely forgotten reading (and may not, in fact, own). I did not cave because of short stories, for I noticed not the presence of said short stories. I caved because nearly the first thing I saw was The Emilie Adventures, which I know not if I will love, but has been in my wish list many many years (best guess: 2018, which is the copyright date of what I think is the first Murderbot book I read, which was at the time the most recent. The two Emilie stories are copyright 2013 and 2014, but by the time I tried to acquire them, no legal avenues worked).
So now I have 14 ebooks, some of which I have read and some of which are short stories, and I do not have the oomph to put them in the acquired books list (which has a gaping hole in it in which I either bought no books, or did not record them), along with the three that turned up ... yesterday (and one I really wanted is not sodding available and my money has been refunded. I hate this 'warehousing glitch' or whatever the excuse is, it happens so sodding often).
icanhascheezburger_feed) wrote2025-09-18 07:00 amBeing pregnant is one of the most vulnerable periods of your life, and that is just as true for cats as it is for humans. That's why we constantly see stories of pregnant cats asking humans for help. Because they know. They know that their babies have a much better chance of surviving and thriving with those weird creatures who just want to pamper them all day long. And this pregnant cat was no different.
This pregnant kitty needed help. She was all alone, outside and sick, and she knew that even if her babies will be born healthy, she will not have the strength and health that she needs to take care of them, not alone, not outside in difficult conditions. So, when kind humans showed up and offered their help, she took it, and now, safe and sound with her babies in their new home, the momma is not only happy, she is thriving.
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icanhascheezburger_feed) wrote2025-09-18 06:00 amOne thing that we truly did not know about cats before adopting one was the fact that they are obsessive. When they want something, they do not give up until they get it. The same is true when they love something. And you never know what that something that they are obsessed with will be until the moment that you see it with your own eyes.
We have seen cats be obsessed with some of the most ridiculous things over our time writing for ICHC. We have seen cats obsessed with cucumbers. We have seen cats obsessed with almonds, not even eating them, most like battling them and saving them. And our cats at home are obsessed with bread and with carrots for some reason. We don't know why, but we have stopped questioning it. Now, it's just about providing them with their obsession and keeping them happy. Which is what this human decided to do when they found out that their cat has a particular love toward snap peas.
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lifehacker_feed) wrote2025-09-18 02:00 pmWe may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news.
If you’re looking for in-ear earbuds with superior sound quality, long-lasting battery life, and a secure fit, the Beats Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds are a reliable option, especially for those who are fans of Beats headphones. Right now, you can get an open-box pair for just $100 on Woot, a 60% discount.
The Powerbeats Pro feature over-ear hooks that have a secure fit and are ideal for vigorous workouts and sports, with users praising how stable they remain during movement. Compatible with the Apple ecosystem, they’re easy to pair with iOS and allow for fast device switching. They also have a strong battery life, offering nine hours of playback for the buds alone. With the included charging case, they last up to 24 hours. Volume can be controlled on the earbuds via physical buttons, as can controls that let you control and skip tracks. The IPX4 rating makes them suitable for rainy days and sweaty workouts.
The headphones feature an intense bass-heavy punch and bright highs for a sculpted sound signature, notes this PCMag review. This is mostly a pro, but it may make some tracks like orchestral music sound overly boosted—and you can’t tweak EQ on the companion app. And despite their powerful audio performance, they don’t feature Active Noise Cancellation. Still, they’re widely regarded as some of the best premium earbuds, and with their combination of sound, battery life, Apple compatibility, and a secure fit for fitness lovers, the Beats Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds are a good deal at just $100.
lifehacker_feed) wrote2025-09-18 01:30 pmWe may earn a commission from links on this page.
Along with display-style glasses, Meta's 2025 line of smart spectacles includes a new version of Oakley Meta glasses. Called Vanguard, these shield-style smart glasses will cost $499 and go on sale Oct. 21.
Vanguards feature a wrap-around frame and a 12MP camera that shoots 3K video from a center-mounted camera that can be operated hands-free. According to Meta, Vanguard glasses have a battery life of up to nine hours of daily use, improved audio, and (of course) integration with Meta's AI.
At the company's Meta Connect 2025 keynote, the company also announced partnerships with Garmin and Strava. Garmin users will be able to sync their glasses with Garmin devices to track progress and get performance summaries through the Meta AI app. Strava users will be able to share activities from their glasses and access their workout history. Both devices will allow activity data—distance traveled, pace, heart-rate, and more—to be overlaid on video.
bettyw) wrote in davis_square2025-09-18 10:09 amcakewrecks_feed) wrote2025-09-18 01:00 pmPresenting the world's most painful landing:
Or perhaps the world's most unfortunately shaped, colored, and placed mat logo.
Either way, I'm sure it made a real splash on the audience.
Beth C., would you care to join me in a casual crossing-of-the-legs?
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
settiai) wrote2025-09-18 09:55 am
lifehacker_feed) wrote2025-09-18 01:00 pmWe may earn a commission from links on this page.
At the company's Meta Connect 2025 event yesterday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg officially unveiled its long-rumored and recently leaked display-focused smart glasses. Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses will cost $799 and go on sale on Sept. 30.
The next generation of Meta smart glasses will feature a full-color, monocular, 600 × 600 pixel HUD in one of the lenses that will only be visible to the user. Display smart glasses will also include improved versions of the audio, video, and AI capabilities of non-display Meta glasses.
Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses will be controlled through a wearable device dubbed the "Meta Neural Band," which allows users to "type" on any surface to send messages as well as control other aspects of the display and smart glasses through small muscle movements.
According to Zuckerberg, users will be able to “silently control their glasses with barely perceptible movements.” An example from the keynote: turning up the volume on music by mimicking the motion of turning a dial. The wristband will have 18 hours of battery life and is IPX7, so it can be fully immersed in water up to one meter.
At the keynote, Zuckerberg showed off texting on the Display glasses, and touted that video calls through WhatsApp would be available on the new glasses (although, notably, the demo didn't actually work at the event).
Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses will feature a 12MP camera with 3X zoom, and the addition of a display screen gives users a viewfinder and the ability to see pictures and videos you take before you send them or save them.
I'm not the "looking-forward-to-things" type, but I'm really looking forward to trying out Displays. I'm not the type that fans out over giant tech companies either, but I can't deny it: Overall, the best new hardware of any type I've used in last 10 years was made by Meta. Meta's Quest VR headsets are excellent and inexpensive (even if I'm not entirely sold on VR as anything but a cool gimmick), and I have nothing but praise for Meta Ray-Bans, and this after wearing second generation Metas as my everyday eyewear for around a year.
I have questions, though: I'm not sure if texting and otherwise computing from my glasses with a wristband is something I need in my life; despite keynote assurances from Mark Zuckerberg, I wonder how intuitive the neural control will actually be; and Meta's vision of "personal superintelligence" creeps me out. But overall, if the Display works as well and as easily as other recent Meta gear in my house, these glasses will be amazing. They could be life-changing for people with hearing problems—Display glasses will be able to add "subtitles" to conversations in real time. They could genuinely make living with ADHD a little easier, too: If I lose my car keys it will (presumably) be able to tell me where I left them.
I'm old enough to remember when being technology ready-for-anything meant carrying around a digital camera, a flip phone, a calculator, a GPS unit, a watch, and more, all of which I'd lose along the way. All that gear has now collapsed into a smart phone. If Display works the way Meta promises, this could be the next collapse, where you don't even need the phone, just the glasses you were going to wear anyway.
And that's a big "if." Neural wristbands, heads-up displays, and AI “seeing what you see” all sound incredible, but hype from a keynote touting amazing features that turn out to be half-baked crap that no one wants is a tech-industry cliche at this point. But I'm still excited. By the end of the month, I might get to see the future; who wouldn't be excited?
notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-09-18 01:30 pm
Mother: "Oh, that's not good! You don't need to put him on that artificial stuff! Insulin is just doctors shilling for Big Pharma. You should just rub lemon balm essential oils into his daughter's heels every night."
