TP-Link has a new “cheap” router. The Deco XE75 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E mesh router that should lower the cost barrier for the new 6GHz wireless technology standard. The new two-pack mesh whole home router is available now for $299.99. It’s certainly one of the first signs of Wi-Fi 6E technology reaching affordable pricing, and, best of all, the Deco XE75 seems to cut very few features.
The Deco XE75 covers about 5,500 square feet with the pair and is $200 cheaper than a two-pack of the recently released Eero Pro 6E that covers just 4,000 square feet. And the Deco claims to have a very fast peak wireless network speed of 5.4 Gbps. Though that’s a bit slower than the Linksys Atlas Max 6E at 8.4 Gbps, the Deco still undercuts it by about $600.
The savings mean you won’t get advanced options like the 5 Gbps ethernet found on the Atlas Max, let alone the 10 Gbps option available on the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E. But each of the Deco’s nodes do come with three gigabit ethernet ports, allowing you to take full advantage of a home gigabit internet plan.
The Deco XE75, the new Eero Pro 6E, and the Linksys Atlas Max are all tri-band, meaning devices can connect via 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands. Older Wi-Fi 5 routers also came in tri-band flavors, supporting both 2.4 and 5GHz bands while providing backhaul — a dedicated local network communication lane — on a separate 5GHz band. Now with Wi-Fi 6E, routers can use the 6GHz band to support even higher bandwidth devices while working double duty for backhaul.
Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E routers like the Deco XE75 don’t really need that extra 5GHz band since there aren’t many 6GHz-compatible devices out there yet. You would theoretically need multiple brand new PCs that have the tech and several of the latest Samsung Galaxy phones all simultaneously pushing the network to its limits before you experience congestion.
Two come in a set.Image: TP-Link
The Deco has also been tested to support up to 200 devices on the network, which could be a lot more than the Eero Pro 6E’s advertised 100-plus devices. And while Deco doesn’t have robot antennas like the TP-Link Archer AXE200 Omni, it does have an AI-driven mesh system for better connections.
Overall the Wi-Fi 6E standard is rolling out slowly since its debut, and the lack of endpoint devices supporting the tech means buying a more affordable regular Wi-Fi 6 or a premium Wi-Fi 5 router might be better worth it. But if you somehow actively own multiple Wi-Fi 6E devices and want the latest tech, then, at $299, the Deco XE75 brings you affordable Wi-Fi 6E.
Production of the new Air Force One jet by Boeing faced disruption early this year due to problems at the planemaker’s factory, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The disruption involved attempts to place one of the two jets under development onto jacks but the weight on some of the jacks exceeded the limit, causing concerns over aircraft damage, the report added.
Boeing and the Pentagon are in negotiations over a delivery schedule for the new Air Force One jets, the Journal reported.
Last year, Boeing said that it found two empty tequila bottles on one of the Air Force One planes being developed in San Antonio facility, though alcohol is banned at all Boeing factories, according to media reports.
Former President Donald Trump had criticized the US planemaker for high price tags for the heavily modified 747-8 aircraft. The company, however, received a $3.9 billion contract in 2018 to build two aircraft to be used as Air Force One jets.
The disruption involved attempts to place one of the two jets under development onto jacks but the weight on some of the jacks exceeded the limit, causing concerns over aircraft damage.Getty ImagesBoeing and the Pentagon are in negotiations over a delivery schedule for the new Air Force One jets.Getty Images
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner has also been plagued by production defects, while delivery delays have led to multiple complaints from airlines.
The aircraft maker did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Brigadier General Denise Donnell was sworn in Saturday as the new commander of the 5,900-member New York Air National Guard, the aerial arm of the New York National Guard.
She is the first female officer to hold the position.
Donnell takes over from Major General Timothy LaBarge, who is retiring after commanding two air wings and leading the New York Air National Guard since 2018 during a 39-year career.
“This is a proud day in New York to recognize the achievements and leadership skills of a woman who has risen through the ranks to serve as a model of selflessness for all New Yorkers,” Gov. Hochul said.
Donnell, a Georgetown University graduate who served in the Navy from 1993 to 2002, is a command pilot with over 4,400 hours of flying time, including 280 hours in combat.
She’s flown the Navy’s P-3 Orion anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft, the Air Force’s C-5A Galaxy, LC-130 Hercules “Skibird” and the C-17 Globemaster III, and has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. As a naval aviator, Donnell served as an evaluator pilot, mission commander, and quality assurance officer assigned to Patrol Squadron 46, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.
Gov. Kathy Hochul praised Brigadier General Denise Donnell for her “model of selflessness.”AP Photo/Hans Pennink
The change of command ceremony took place at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.
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While many of this week’s deals only lasted for a limited time, some of them are still available. Apple’s new iPad Air is $29 off and down to $570, while the iPad mini is $40 cheaper than usual and down to $459. Amazon’s much-improved Echo Buds are 58 percent off and down to only $50, and you can still grab 8BitDo’s Pro 2 controller for just over $40. Here are the best tech deals this week that you can still get today.
iPad Air (2022)
The latest iPad Air is $30 off right now, bringing the 64GB model down to $570 and the 256GB version down to $720. The new M1-powered iPad earned a score of 90 from us for its super-fast performance, long battery life and improved front camera.
Apple’s latest iPad mini is on sale for $459, which is $40 off its normal price. We gave the small tablet a score of 89 for its lovely display, refined design and excellent battery life.
Amazon’s latest Echo Buds are a whopping 58 percent off, bringing them down to only $50. These were already solid, affordable earbuds at their regular $120 price, but they’re an even better option at this price. We gave them a score of 80 for their improved sound quality, good ANC and smaller size.
8BitDo’s excellent Pro 2 controller is 15 percent off and down to $42.50. In addition to being compatible with Nintendo Switch, Windows, macOS, Android and Raspberry Pi, the Pro 2 has a familiar layout plus two back buttons, and all of its inputs are customizable using the companion apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. The Pro 2 is included in a wider gaming accessories sale
The Bose QC45 headphones are on sale for $279, which is their all-time-low price that we saw last Black Friday. We gave the cans a score of 86 for their excellent sound quality, strong ANC and comfortable fit.
Amazon has knocked $100 off Samsung’s Galaxy S22 smartphone, bringing the handset down to $700 for the 128GB model and $750 for the 256GB version. We gave the flagship phone a score of 87 for its slick design, strong performance and excellent camera array.
The T7 Touch portable SSD in 1TB is on sale for $140 right now. This palm-sized drive works with most devices thanks to the duo of cables it comes with, and it supports 1,050 MB/s read speeds, 1,000 MB/s write speeds, AES 256-bit encryption and Dynamic Thermal Guard.
Xbox Stereo Headset 20th Anniversary Special Edition
You can pick up this special edition Xbox headset for $50, which is 29 percent off its normal price and a record low. This is a wired headset that has green accents and support for Windows Sonic spatial sound.
PowerA’s Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox is 32 percent off and down to only $26. It’s a good option if you want another controller for your console but don’t want to pay the premium attached to the first-party options. This one has a familiar, ergonomic design, dual rumble motors and mappable buttons.
Samsung’s 65-inch The Frame smart TV is $300 less than usual on Amazon right now, so you can grab it for $1,500. In addition to Quantum Dot technology and built-in Alexa, The Frame series has Art Mode, which shows artwork on the screen when you’re not watching TV.
Dyson is getting into headphones in the most Dyson way possible: the Zone, a pair of noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones with air purification technology built in, thanks to a bizarre-looking magnetic face visor. It’s both the strangest and most ambitious product that the company has ever made.
Today’s announcement is just an initial reveal of the Zone headphones ahead of a fall release date, and Dyson isn’t announcing specific details like price or specifications (including how much the headphones weigh or how long the battery will last) at this time.
The goal of the Zone is to make living in urban spaces more comfortable by attempting to mitigate both air and noise pollution.
The air purification half of the Zone doesn’t reinvent the wheel for Dyson. Instead, it miniaturizes the company’s existing air filtration technology into a unique form factor. The Zone pulls in air through each earpiece using a pair of tiny compressors. The air is then filtered and piped through the (slightly bizarre-looking) “visor” for the user to breathe in — sans most of the particles and pollutants.
Despite what it looks like, the visor doesn’t make contact with your face like a mask would. Instead, it sits in front of your face, creating a gap where a bubble of clean air can gather and be breathed in. (The company showed off a separate attachment that could be clipped on in instances where you might need a proper full-contact face mask, too.)
The Dyson Zone on the company’s testing platform, Frank.Image: Dyson
The visor snaps on through a series of magnets, allowing for it to be removed if you just want to use the headphones as headphones. It also has hinges that flip it down so that you can talk to people normally without having to take off the whole apparatus. The Zone’s filtration system also offers multiple settings for different levels of exertion. For example, if you’re running up a flight of stairs or trying to catch a bus, you’ll breathe heavier (and need more air) than if you’re on a leisurely stroll. There’s even an automated setting that uses accelerometers to automatically adjust the airflow.
Dyson says the Zone can filter out up to 99 percent of particle pollution — although the filters aren’t reusable and will need to be replaced after about a year. (The company says the exact amount of time will depend on how much air pollution you encounter and how actively you use the headphones.)
The headphone part is a little more traditional, despite being a new product category for Dyson. The company says its goal with the Zone was to create “faithful” reproductions of a musician’s original tracks. Noise cancellation is provided through a mix of passive cancellation from the overall design and active noise cancellation through a series of microphones.
There are three different modes for noise cancellation on the Zone. Isolation mode has active ANC when the face visor is raised. Lowering the visor automatically shifts into conversation mode, which disables ANC so you can hear the person you’re talking to. There’s also a transparency mode, which filters out important sounds like car horns and sirens. Charging is done over USB-C, and the headphones connect to a Dyson Link app, which can provide more detailed information on the air quality around you.
I was able to try a prototype of the Zone a few weeks ago, and it certainly seems to do what the company claims. I could feel the jets of air being pumped in front of my face — although I was indoors, so it was hard to tell just how much cleaner it was.
ANC worked well, too (but, again, a quiet hotel room isn’t the best test scenario), and the audio quality for music was good without particularly dramatic bass (which, arguably, was the company’s goal).
On the flip side, the Zone headphones are also very big and noticeably heavy. Dyson has done an admirable job of cramming all this technology into a pair of headphones, but they’re still comparatively bigger and bulkier than, say, a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Additionally, the whirring of the compressors was still slightly audible when the motors were running at faster speeds and I wasn’t listening to music to drown it out, even despite the noise cancellation.
The Zone is certainly one of the most unique products from Dyson (or likely any company) that we’ll see this year. There are still a lot of crucial details we don’t know — including price and battery life. And while mask-wearing has been normalized considerably over the past two years, we’ll have to see whether customers will be willing to embrace this extremely odd-looking product.
Dyson just unveiled its first wearable product and… it’s not what you think it is. The device is called the Dyson Zone, and it’s a set of noise-canceling, air-purifying headphones. It comes with a detachable visor for the bottom half of the wearer’s face that looks, to put it mildly, odd. That vizor actually blows filtered air to your nose, mouth and chin, sort of like a portable fan dedicated to the lower portion of your face. Dyson integrated a smaller version of its air filtration system into the earcups, and the idea is that people can protect themselves from pollution while out and about.
The Zone might seem like a response to the pandemic, but Dyson says this device has actually been six years in the making. It’s not borne from a desire to keep out COVID-19 germs, per se, and more as a means to help people breathe less-polluted air wherever they go. The Zone is not only a wearable air filtration system, but it’s also the company’s first audio product. In fact, Dyson describes it as “headphones delivering pure air and pure sound.”
If you’re thinking this thing looks absurd, you’re not alone. My first reaction to seeing the Zone on a mannequin’s head during a virtual briefing was complete and utter amusement. Shortly after, I saw it on an actual person on the demo call and it did not look like they were enjoying themselves. So when Dyson offered to show the contraption to me in person, I knew I had to see and try this thing out for myself. Sadly, I wasn’t allowed to take any photos or video of the Zone, so I’ll do my best to describe the experience.
Dyson
My biggest takeaway after spending some time with a prototype is that, yes, it does look just as ridiculous in real life. But somehow, in spite of its wild appearance, I still really want one. Dyson said it engineered the headset to fit comfortably and distribute weight evenly, by drawing inspiration from horse saddles. There are three cushions on the headband, and the central one is slightly curved like a saddle to distribute the load through “contact areas.”
When I put on the Zone and adjusted its arms to fit my head, it felt balanced and didn’t feel heavy. The earcups themselves were spongy and soft, and once they clamped on there was a noticeable noise canceling effect. That’s because the demo unit had already been set to enable active noise canceling when it’s worn. By clicking through a physical switch on the earcup, I toggled through different sound profiles, and though I occasionally heard some static, the pass-through and complete cancellation modes were effective.
Three ANC modes are available: Isolation, Conversation and Transparency. Isolation provides the highest level of muffling, while Conversation, which kicks in when you dip the visor, turns off the filtration motors to let you better hear who you’re talking to. Transparency allows certain sounds to pass through, so you can be aware of your surroundings.
For an initial foray into the audio space, the Zone is impressively satisfying. A company rep streamed Spotify to the demo unit and I enjoyed the ample bass and clear sound in songs like Doja Cat’s Say So.
Dyson
The highlight of my time with the Zone, though, has got to be when I snapped the magnetic visor on. After I figured out where on the headphones to aim the edges, taking the attachment on and off was easy. Once the mask was connected, the motors in the earcups whirred to life and a gentle, clean-smelling trickle of air started blowing at my lips and nose. It was surprisingly comfortable and, for an obsessive clean freak like me, felt borderline magical. This could not only be the personal air bubble I’ve dreamed of, but also might be a portable air conditioner for the lower half of my face, which would be a blessing in the summer.
Four air purification modes are available as well — low, medium, high and auto. You can toggle these to, say, use the maximum level when you need a higher purification speed if you’re breathing rapidly during a quick jog on the streets. For the Auto mode, the Zone will use onboard accelerometers to determine which setting to choose.
The visor was also designed to diffuse two jets of airflow and at no point during my time with the Dyson Zone did I feel like I was being overwhelmed or pummeled by wind. The earcup’s compressors draw air through dual-layer filters, including negatively charged electrostatic filters to catch particles like allergens and dust. A potassium-enriched carbon layer captures gas pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone.
Earlier versions of the Zone took the form of a snorkel-like mouthpiece connected to a backpack (like oxygen tanks in a scuba diving setup). 500 prototypes later, the company settled on the headset and visor combination, and the mouthpiece can deliver clean air without touching the wearer’s face. “Developing a non-contact solution was a must for Dyson engineers, to avoid the discomfort and irritation often associated with full-contact alternatives,” the company said in a statement.
Dyson
It does leave room for you to insert a face mask, though, and Dyson provides attachments for coverings that would meet FFP2 filtration standards in the box. It also includes a “community face covering attachment” that would form a “sealed solution” so you can mask up while keeping your filtered air clean.
Dyson also made a companion app that shows the air quality of the region you’re in, though at the time of the demo it didn’t offer information that was more location-specific than a city. You couldn’t, for instance, see if your place of work had more air pollutants than the park you’d walk to for lunch.
The company hasn’t shared pricing and availability information for the Zone just yet, other than to say it’s coming this year. I can already see this being a great device for my future travels — whether in an airplane or a commuter train, and at the demo I even went to lay down on a couch to see how comfortable the Zone would be to wear on a redeye flight. It felt surprisingly comfortable for the admittedly brief period of time I was lying down. But of course, there are still things I’d need to know before spending money on the Zone — like battery life and real-world performance. Hopefully, Dyson will share more information on those things soon.
All products recommended by Reporter Door are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The billionaire owners of the Chicago Cubs are planning to meet with fans of the Chelsea soccer team in a bid to defuse public outcry over claims they are racist and should be denied a chance to buy the west London club.
Tom Ricketts, the son of Joe Ricketts, will reportedly meet representatives of two fan groups in London on Wednesday after Chelsea supporters waged a social media campaign opposing the family’s proposed bid to own the club.
The hashtag #NoToRicketts was trending on Twitter as outraged fans accused the family of harboring Islamophobic and racist sentiments.
“Our family rejects any form of hate in the strongest possible terms,” the Ricketts family said in a statement.
“Racism and Islamophobia have no place whatsoever in our society. We have developed deep and abiding partnerships with the Muslim community in Chicago, as well as with all communities of color.”
The Ricketts family is being scrutinized anew three years after decade-old emails surfaced in which Joe Ricketts called Islam “a cult.”
Fans of Chelsea have waged a social media campaign with the hashtag #NotoRicketts.Getty Images
Joe Ricketts, a self-made billionaire who made his fortune after building securities brokerage firm TD Ameritrade from the ground up, issued a statement disavowing the emails.
Chelsea, which has several Muslim players on its roster, is up for sale after its current owner, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, was hit with sanctions by the British government earlier this month.
Abramovich, who is thought to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is reportedly seeking to offload his UK-based assets in light of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Western governments have come under intense pressure to punish Russian oligarchs who are believed to be cronies of Putin.
In 2009, the Ricketts family purchased the Cubs, with Joe Ricketts using 34 million TD Ameritrade shares — worth $403 million — to finance the buy.
The Ricketts family is among 10 different bidders who are looking to buy Chelsea FC. The Raine Group, the American merchant bank that is handling the sale, is expected to announce a shortlist of four finalists later this week, Sports Illustrated has reported.
Chelsea has been put up for sale after its owner, Russian owner Roman Abramovich, was hit with sanctions in the United Kingdom.Getty Images
Chelsea has made an effort to crack down on racism from fans in recent years. In 2020, hidden camera footage obtained by The Athletic caught several supporters of the club making pro-Nazi salutes.
SHANGHAI, March 22 – Not a single country managed to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality standard in 2021, a survey of pollution data in 6,475 cities showed on Tuesday, and smog even rebounded in some regions after a COVID-related dip.
The WHO recommends that average annual readings of small and hazardous airborne particles known as PM2.5 should be no more than 5 micrograms per cubic meter after changing its guidelines last year, saying that even low concentrations caused significant health risks.
But only 3.4% of the surveyed cities met the standard in 2021, according to data compiled by IQAir, a Swiss pollution technology company that monitors air quality. As many as 93 cities saw PM2.5 levels at 10 times the recommended level.
“There are a lot of countries that are making big strides in reduction,” said Christi Schroeder, air quality science manager with IQAir. “China started with some very big numbers and they are continuing to decrease over time. But there are also places in the world where it is getting significantly worse.”
India’s overall pollution levels worsened in 2021 and New Delhi remained the world’s most polluted capital, the data showed. Bangladesh was the most polluted country, also unchanged from the previous year, while Chad ranked second after the African country’s data was included for the first time.
China, which has been waging war on pollution since 2014, fell to 22nd in the PM2.5 rankings in 2021, down from 14th place a year earlier, with average readings improving slightly over the year to 32.6 micrograms, IQAir said.
Hotan in the northwestern region of Xinjiang was China’s worst-performing city, with average PM2.5 readings of more than 100 micrograms, largely caused by sandstorms.
It fell to third on the list of the world’s most polluted cities after being overtaken by Bhiwadi and Ghaziabad, both in India.
Four juvenile inmates and three wardens at an Ohio detention center were hospitalized late Sunday after fentanyl spread through air vents, according to officials.
The health alarm at Northwest Ohio Juvenile Detention Center in Stryker was sparked after some of the young inmates started collapsing, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office told WTOL.
After a search, response teams found fentanyl had been released in the air ventilation system, Deputy Jeff Lehman told the station, saying that an investigation was still looking into how it got there.
The remaining Juveniles were moved to an adult prison where they will stay until the matter is resolved.Google MapsResponse teams found fentanyl had been released in the air ventilation system but are still unsure how it got there. Corrections Center of Northwest
The four juveniles and three staff members were all taken to a local hospital in stable condition, the deputy told WTVG.
The other juveniles were transferred to the adult detention facility, where they will remain separated from adult inmates while the health scare is fully investigated, the officials said.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is typically 50 times more potent than heroin and is the most common drug in overdose death, and inhaling the substance can have fatal consequences, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Delta Air Lines is giving a 4% bump in salary to most of its employees — the first raise staffers have received since before the COVID-19 pandemic brought global air travel to a halt.
Ed Bastian, the airline’s top boss, informed staffers they would receive a raise in a companywide memo on Thursday — noting the Georgia-based firm had “come a long way since the darkest days of 2020.”
“This well-earned base pay increase, for eligible scale and merit employees globally, is the direct result of the dedication, hard work and excellence that you demonstrate every day,” the Delta CEO told staffers.
The pay hikes take effect on May 1 and apply to approximately 75,000 employees, a Delta spokeswoman told Reuters. Pilots and some senior-level executives are not eligible for the increases.
Earlier this year, Delta executives said they expect the airline to post a loss in the first fiscal quarter of 2022, due in part to the Omicron variant surge that interrupted the airline industry’s recovery. However, the company expects to achieve full-year profitability.
Delta says the pay bump applies to about 75,000 employeesGetty Images
Bastian confirmed that outlook in his note to employees. He said Delta is “forecasting a profit for the month of March” and was “seeing healthy demand for spring and summer travel” as more corporate offices reopen.
“We continue to be optimistic in our ability to generate a profit this year,” Bastian added.
Delta last hiked pay for most of its staffers in 2019, when it provided 4% raises for base salaries.
Delta expects to turn a profit in fiscal 2022.Getty Images
The increases were announced as Delta, other airlines and companies across various sectors grapple with a nationwide labor shortage, though a spokesman for the airline told the Wall Street Journal that the hikes weren’t meant to increase retention or lure new workers.
Delta and other major US airlines received $54 million in congressional aid to maintain payrolls during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
