Google Drive no longer has a 5 million item limit, a Google Workspace spokesperson said Monday evening. 

The about-face comes after people began complaining on Reddit and Google’s own support site of a previously unknown 5 million item cap on Drive. When people found out that Google deliberately implemented the change, they were particularly irked by the lack of communication from the search giant. Those with a large number of files in their Drive account were suddenly unable to upload new items or create additional folders, forcing some to consider deleting or consolidating millions of items.

The Google Drive team has since updated people on the situation via Twitter, saying that though the change affected only a small number of users, the team is now instead looking at alternate methods for optimization.

The team also tweeted that in the future it would do a better job communicating changes.

Google declined to comment.

When Google began rolling out a Drive limit in February, it went against industry norms. Microsoft’s OneDrive, Dropbox, Amazon Photos and Box don’t have item limits. The limit also meant that regardless of whether a person paid for 2TB or 30TB of storage, given enough small files, they’d hit the item limit well before reaching their storage cap.

The competitive cloud storage market was worth $78.6 billion in 2022, according to Markets and Markets.

The post Google Rescinds 5 Million Item Limit on Drive first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Apple/CNET

Apple Watch SE (2022): $219

Save $30

The Apple Watch SE is designed to be affordable but today’s price is an all-time low. Take advantage of this $30 discount while you can.

$219 at Amazon$219 at Best BuyYou’re receiving price alerts for Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40mm] Smart Watch w/Midnight Aluminum Case & Midnight Sport Band – S/M. Fitness & Sleep Tracker, Crash Detection, Heart Rate Monitor, Retina Display, Water Resistant

If you’re an iPhone owner who’s been considering a new smartwatch, the prices of Apple’s top-tier Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra might be enough to put you off. But you don’t have to spend $400 and up for a modern smartwatch with the inexpensive Apple Watch SE in Apple’s lineup, and right now you can snag one at an all-time low price of just $219 at Amazon and Best Buy. 

The second-gen Apple Watch SE is already designed to be an affordable alternative to Apple’s flagship watches, but today’s price makes it an ideal entry point to the WatchOS ecosystem. The device has many of the same features as its pricier siblings, including wrist-based notifications and calls, workout tracking, heart-rate monitoring and sleep tracking. It also works with Apple Pay for convenient contactless payments. 

The device lacks some premium features, like an always-on display or the ability to take an ECG, but the Apple Watch SE is still the best value smartwatch from Apple. It would be a solid upgrade for anyone still rocking a Series 3 (or older), with a larger display and much speedier processor.

Monitor fitness goals without breaking the bank.

We’ll help you find the best deal on your next smartwatch or fitness tracker.

The post Apple Watch SE Is Back Down to Just $219 at Amazon first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Most Americans have two weeks left before income tax returns are due to the IRS, but not everyone has to file taxes. If you received Social Security benefits in 2022, you might not have to file a tax return this year — that depends on a few factors, though.

Your age, your marital status and how much income you earn outside of Social Security benefits all have an impact on whether you need to submit a tax return to the IRS. And even if you aren’t required to file, it might be a good idea if you want to receive refundable tax credits or a refund for income taxes you paid during the year. 

For more information on tax season, here’s an explanation of your Social Security Benefit Statement and the best tax software for filing your return in 2023. 

How do I know if my Social Security benefits are taxable?

Your Social Security benefits may be taxable if one-half of your Social Security benefits plus all of your other income is greater than the base amount of your filing status (the base amount for determining tax liability) which is:

• $25,000 for single filers, head of household, or a qualifying surviving spouse
• $25,000 for married people filing separately who lived apart from their spouse in 2022
• $32,000 for married couples filing jointly 
• $0 for married people filing separately who lived with their spouse

Other forms of income include wages, self-employment, interest, dividends and other reported taxable income. 

One way to understand whether your benefits are taxable is to consider gross income, your total earnings before taxes. 

You will need to file a return for the 2022 tax year:

• If you are an unmarried senior at least 65 years old and your gross income is more than $14,700. 
• If you are filing a joint return with a spouse who is also 65 or older and your gross income is more than $28,700.
• If you are filing a joint return with a spouse who is under 65 years old and your gross income is more than $27,300.

Another way to understand whether your Social Security benefits are taxable is to look at combined income, which is your adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your Social Security benefits. 

• If you are a single tax filer and your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000, the SSA says you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits.
• If you are a single tax filer and your combined income is more than $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 85% of your benefits. 
• If you are filing a joint return and your combined income is between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits.
• If you are filing a joint return and your combined income is more than $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 85% of your benefits. 
• If you are married filing separately and didn’t live with your spouse last year, your Social Security benefits are taxed as if you were a single filer.
• If you are married and filing separately while living with your spouse you probably will have to pay taxes on your benefits. 

On line 6b of Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, you will report the taxable portion of your Social Security benefits. 

Should I file a tax return even if I’m not required to?

The biggest reason to file a tax return even if you don’t have to is to receive a tax refund. 

If you had federal tax income withheld from your pay or if you made estimated tax payments in 2022, you may want to file a tax return this year. You could receive a tax refund of any surplus withholding. 

Another circumstance where filing is encouraged is if you qualify for tax credits that provide you with refunds, including the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit or the child and dependent care tax credit. The earned income tax credit is fully refundable, meaning it goes toward your tax refund if you have no tax liability.

How can I see my Social Security benefit amount for 2022? 

The Social Security Administration sends out a Social Security Benefit Statement by mail or online in January with your benefits from the previous year disclosed inside. The information in the statement provides you with the earnings you will disclose in your tax return if you end up filing one.

For more information on Social Security and tax season, here’s a tax season cheat sheet and why you should create an online IRS account prior to tax season’s arrival.

The post Do Social Security Recipients Have to File Income Taxes? first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Filing your income taxes isn’t easy, but if you’re lucky, there’s a reward at the end — some cash back via your tax refund. Tax changes in 2023 have led to slightly smaller refunds than last year, but the average tax refund is still $2,903 so far this season.

Once you’ve finished and filed your tax return, there’s not much to do except wait for your tax refund. However, it’s easy to tell when your IRS money will arrive so you can plan for it financially.

Whatever format you chose for your tax refund, we’ll show you how to track the status of your return and any money the IRS owes you. For more tax tips, learn about tax breaks for homeowners and the biggest tax credits for 2023. 

How do I track my tax refund?

The quickest way to monitor your tax refund is with the IRS’ Where’s My Refund? page, which also lets you know if your return has been rejected because of errors. To use the IRS’ tracker tools, you’ll need to provide a Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, your filing status (single, married or head of household) and your refund amount in whole dollars.

Go to the Get Refund Status page on the IRS website and enter your personal data, then press Submit. If you’re not taken to a page that shows your refund status, you may be asked to verify your personal tax data and try again. If all the information looks correct, you’ll need to enter the date you filed your taxes, along with whether you filed electronically or on paper.Make sure it’s been at least 24 hours before you start tracking an online return, or up to four weeks if you mailed your return. Read on: Best Tax Software for 2023 

How do I track a refund from a previous year?

The Where’s My Refund tool lists the federal refund information the IRS has from the past two years. If you’re looking for return details from previous years, you’ll need to check your IRS online account. 

From there, you’ll be able to see the total amount you owe, your payment history, key information about your most recent tax return, notices you’ve received from the IRS and your address on file. 

Use the IRS2Go mobile app to track your tax refund

The IRS also has a mobile app called IRS2Go that can monitor your tax refund status. It’s available for both iOS and Android and in English and Spanish. You’re able to see if your return has been received and approved in the app, and if a refund has been sent. 

To log in, you’ll need your Social Security number, filing status and the expected amount of your refund. The IRS updates the app overnight, so if you don’t see a status change, check back the following day. 

Read on: 7 Tax Mistakes That Can Get You Audited

What does the status of my tax return mean?

The IRS tools will show you one of three messages explaining your tax return status.

• Received: The IRS now has your tax return and is working to process it.
• Approved: The IRS has processed your return and confirmed the amount of your refund, if you’re owed one.
• Sent: Your refund is now on its way to your bank via direct deposit or as a paper check sent to your mailbox. (Here’s how to change the address on file if you’ve moved.)

Why does Where’s My Refund Show ‘Tax Topic 152’ or an IRS error message?

Although the Where’s My Refund tool typically shows a status of Received, Approved or Sent, there are a variety of other messages some users may see.

One of the most common is Tax Topic 152, indicating you’re likely getting a refund but it hasn’t been approved or sent yet. The notice simply links out to an informational topic page on the IRS FAQ website explaining the types and timing of tax refunds.

The delay could be an automated message for taxpayers claiming the child tax credit or earned income tax credit sent because of additional fraud protection steps.

Tax Topic 151 means your tax return is now under review by the IRS. The agency either needs to verify certain credits or dependents, or it has determined that your tax refund will be reduced to pay money that it believes you owe. You’ll need to wait about four weeks to receive a notice from the IRS explaining what you need to do to resolve the status.

There are other IRS refund codes that a small percentage of tax filers receive, indicating freezes, math errors on tax returns or undelivered checks. The College Investor offers a list of IRS refund reference codes and errors and their meaning. 

Should I call the IRS about my tax refund?

Getting live phone assistance is notoriously difficult at the IRS. In 2022, only about 13% of taxpayers reached a human being, according to Erin M. Collins, the national taxpayer advocate.Congress has increased the agency’s funding, and the IRS said it has hired more than 5,000 new telephone representatives. Still, the agency says you should only call if it’s been at least 21 days since you filed your taxes online, or if the Where’s My Refund tool tells you to. You can call 800-829-1040 or 800-829-8374 during regular business hours. Otherwise, the IRS is directing taxpayers to the Let Us Help You page on its website and to in-person help at Taxpayer Assistance Centers around the country. You can contact your local IRS office or call 844-545-5640 to make an appointment. If you’re eligible for assistance, you can also contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778. 

What does ‘IRS TREAS 310’ mean on my bank statement?

If you receive your tax refund by direct deposit, you may see IRS TREAS 310 listed in the transaction. The 310 code simply identifies the transaction as a refund from a filed tax return in the form of electronic payment. You may also see TAX REF in the description field for a refund.

If you see a 449 instead of 310, it means your refund may have been offset for delinquent debt.

Why was my tax refund mailed instead of direct deposit?

There are a few reasons why your refund may be mailed rather than deposited electronically into your account. Keep in mind:

• You must provide the correct account and routing number.
• Funds can only be deposited into an account with your name or your spouse’s name (or both for a joint account). 
• The IRS can only direct deposit up to three refunds into one account.

If you’re receiving a refund check in the mail, here’s how to track it from the IRS office to your mailbox.

The post Waiting for a Tax Refund? How to Tell Exactly When Your IRS Money Will Arrive first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

The Motorola Edge 40 Pro, Motorola’s new premium phone, has top specs, a triple rear camera, a sharp display with a high refresh rate and one of the fastest charging rates among phones you can buy. That gives Android phone fans an alternative to Samsung, but only if they’re in Europe or Latin America, as Motorola hasn’t announced when (or if) this phone will come to the US.

The Motorola Edge 40 Pro has a starting price of 899 euros (roughly $980, £780, AU$1,440), pitting it squarely against top-tier phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus ($1,000, £1,049, AU$1,649). It’ll be available across Europe in the coming days, with a slower rollout to select Latin American markets in the coming weeks.

The Motorola Edge 40 Pro is a follow-up to last year’s Motorola Edge Plus 2022 (don’t mind Motorola’s confusing naming), a phone we felt was a good top-tier choice with a cleaner version of Android than other handsets. The new Edge 40 Pro improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, even if it may be tough to notice some of the incremental boosts to performance and screen quality.

For instance, the Edge 40 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which Motorola says has 35% faster CPU performance and 40% better battery efficiency than the silicon in last year’s Edge Plus 2022. This should put it toe-to-toe with other top Android phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. It packs 12GB of RAM and comes with 256GB or 512GB of storage space.

The new Motorola phone’s big 6.67-inch display brings back the stylish waterfall-style curved edges, and has a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, up from 144Hz in its predecessor, making gaming, watching shows and scrolling the internet or menus even smoother. It also supports Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 Plus for a wide gamut of colors.

While the Edge 40 Pro’s main suite of 50-megapixel standard and 50-megapixel ultrawide cameras may not have changed from last year’s phone, it did swap out its predecessor’s 2-megapixel depth sensor for a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto lens. But instead of zooming in, it seems this will be used mostly to add depth in portrait modes. If you want a phone with zoom capabilities, you’ll want to opt for the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. Otherwise the Edge 40 Pro will likely take comparable photos to other premium phones; take a look at comparison photos in our review of its predecessor, the Edge Plus 2022 to get an idea.

The Edge 40 Pro also inherits its predecessor’s 60-megapixel front-facing camera, though selfies should benefit from the new chipset’s Cognitive Image Signal Processor that uses AI to optimize different areas of each picture (subjects, buildings, background) separately for more true-to-life photos. Like the Edge Plus, the new phone can take video in up to 8K resolution or in 4K with HDR10 Plus for far more diverse color shades.

But one area the Edge 40 Pro could stand above its competitors is quickly refilling battery: It supports up to 125-watt recharging, just a hair faster than the 120-watt charger that comes with the Xiaomi 13 Pro. Qualcomm says its charger can fully juice up a dead battery in 23 minutes, or, in the time it takes to listen to a couple songs, get enough battery life to last through the day.

The Edge 40 Pro battery’s 4,600-mAh capacity is respectable and roughly equal to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus’ 4,700-mAh battery, but the latter is capped at 45-watt charging, so Motorola’s phone takes the lead on paper. The Edge 40 Pro also supports 15-watt wireless charging and 5-watt power sharing to charge up other devices.

The post Motorola Edge 40 Pro Brings 125W Charging to Premium Android Phones first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

The ReMarkable 2 is one of the cheapest and most effective E Ink tablets available. Starting at $279, it has a gray-scale screen that’s perfect for distraction-free reading and seamless writing or drawing with its included pen. And now you can expand the tablet’s capabilities to include distraction-free typing with ReMarkable’s Type Folio. 

The $200 Type Folio (AU$299, £179) is thin and sleek and acts as a case, kickstand and keyboard for the device – surprising considering there’s little difference in appearance between it and ReMarkable’s original $129 Book Folio. It weighs about a pound and connects to the ReMarkable 2 magnetically while allowing access to the sides of the device.

Type Folio for the ReMarkable 2

$200 at ReMarkable

Out of the box, it’s hard to tell if there is a keyboard included in the Type Folio. When you put the tablet in the case, all you see is the cover flap, just like a book cover. The clever design hides the keyboard under the tablet; you’ll need to lift the ReMarkable 2 up and slide it forward in order to expose the keys. The cover flap folds behind the keyboard to give you a clutter-free typing area. 

The Type Folio has two viewing angles: one that sits upright and is great for typing and one that’s nearly flat and designed for combining handwriting with typing. The tablet automatically switches to portrait view as soon as either keyboard setting is engaged. 

Anyone who has used a compact tablet keyboard will feel right at home here. The small but functional keyboard’s full-sized letter keys are nice, and the 1.3mm of key travel gives just the right amount of satisfying clack. It can be set up with Mac or Windows typing shortcuts, but the layout is a little too cramped to use them quickly, especially for larger hands. Also, the Enter, Delete and function keys are squeezed into the end of the keyboard, making them slightly difficult to navigate.

The biggest hurdle for most people, though, will likely be the ReMarkable 2 itself. The tablet is generally very responsive to key inputs, but it’s still a different experience compared to a laptop or tablet with an LCD screen. E Ink displays don’t refresh as quickly as LCDs, and the result is a slight mirage effect whenever you move the cursor quickly. It’s most pronounced when attempting to delete text, as you can see the cursor jumping back across the page as you delete. It’s not particularly distracting, but it is certainly noticeable. 

The typing experience on E Ink tablets is also prone to ghosting, where you can see a faint image of E Ink underneath your page. Refreshing the page gets rid of ghosting, but it’s not practical to close out and reopen a document every time it happens. Ghosting is something you’ll encounter on all E Ink devices, even the best Amazon Kindles. That said, it seems more prevalent when typing, as my frequent use of the Delete key would leave a slightly gray box underneath my paragraphs. 

While typing on the ReMarkable 2 certainly has its quirks, it’s also fairly pleasant. I don’t have to worry about pop-up notifications, and I’m not tempted by the internet since there’s no web browser. It’s also better for my eyes, as the ReMarkable and other E Ink tablets lack the harmful blue light associated with LCD screens. I loved how seamlessly I could integrate handwriting with my typing, too, but I would have liked typing options on the included notes app to be more robust.

Also, there’s currently no way to adjust margins, and there are only four type settings: title case, subhead, paragraph and bullet points. You can use keyboard shortcuts to easily toggle among them, but I’d love more complete font and paragraph settings. I prefer to write double-spaced, for example, but that’s not possible right now. 

Additionally, I wish it were slightly easier to position the cursor on the screen. There’s no mouse support, so you have to tap on a location or navigate using the directional arrows on the keyboard. And worst of all, the note app lacks any spelling and grammar checker – a truly horrific omission for someone as error-prone as I am. 

Also read: Best E Ink Tablets for 2023: Devices Made for Reading and Writing

The biggest downfall of the Type Folio, however, is inextricably linked to the ReMarkable 2’s greatest weakness: the lack of any lighting whatsoever. Most E Ink tablets have some sort of lighting to illuminate the display for use in the dark. The ReMarkable 2 and the Type Folio have no lighting whatsoever. If you want to use them in the dark, you’re turning on a lamp. Considering even the cheapest Kindle e-reader now comes with front lighting, the ReMarkable 2 feels outdated. Especially compared to competitorOnyx Boox Tab Ultra, which has front lighting and an optional keyboard case for $109 that pairs with a superfast refresh mode for zero cursor lag. 

Ultimately, at $200, the ReMarkable 2 Type Folio keyboard cover is best suited for casual typing. The ReMarkable 2 excels at handwritten notes and PDF management, but that’s about it. Those looking for a way to write long-form pieces on a distraction-free E Ink tablet should opt for the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra, where you’ll get access to a speedy device with the software you’ll need to actually get work done.

The post Remarkable Type Folio Review: Works Well, but Not in the Dark first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to electric mowers, so we’ve done the legwork for you by rounding up our pick of the best electric lawnmower deals currently available. We’ll keep this list updated so you don’t have to pay full price whenever you’re ready to make the switch.

Best electric lawnmower deals available right now

Sun Joe

Sun Joe MJ400E Home Electric Corded: $112

Save $27

If you need a compact and lightweight mower, and have easy access to power in your yard, then you could spend relatively little to ditch your gas mower with this Sun Joe corded electric mower. You won’t need to fuss with batteries with this nippy 14-inch model, and its 10.6-gallon hard-top rear bag collects your clippings as you go.

$112 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Sun Joe MJ400E Home Electric Corded: $112

Summer barbeques start with a grill.

Compare grill prices at Home Depot, Amazon or Walmart using the CNET Shopping extension, and don’t overpay for summertime memories.

The Home Depot

Makita 18-Volt Cordless Lawnmower: $399

Save $200

This lawnmower from Makita is a bestselling cordless walk-behind model that has a quiet mode, folding handles for compact storage and is built to resist to dust and water. You can save $89 right now and get a mower that can cut up to a third of an acre in 43 minutes or less.

$399 at The Home Depot

Ryobi/CNET

Ryobi One Plus HP 18-Volt, 16-Inch Walk Behind Lawnmower: $299

Save $70

This cordless walk-behind electric lawnmower is foldable for easy and compact vertical storage. It also has both an adjustable handlebar and single-lever height adjustment, along with a 40 minute run-time per charge. And both mulching and bagging functions are included with this model. 

$299 at The Home Depot

Greenworks

Greenworks 40-Volt, 20-Inch Walk Behind Lawnmower: $274

Save $125

This lawnmower has a 20-inch wide cutting path and a convenient push-button start. The speed of the blade will also increase automatically when you need more power. And this mower adds even more versatility by offering rear bagging and mulching capability, too.

$274 at Walmart

Worx/CNET

Worx 40-Volt, 14-Inch Cordless Lawnmower: $262

Save $38

This mower can cut up to 5,000 square feet per charge and comes equipped with an on-board battery meter, a full-bag indicator for the collection bag and a six-level height adjustment lever. It’s only 29 pounds, making it easy to work with. And in tough terrain you can even turn up the torque to power through and turn it back down to conserve battery power on the rest of your lawn. It also comes with two Power Share batteries that can be used in other Worx tools, as well as a dual-port charger, so you can charge both batteries at once. 

$262 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Worx 40-Volt, 14-Inch Cordless Lawnmower: $262

Who is an electric lawnmower suitable for?

There are various pros and cons of electric mowers, so you’ll want to assess your needs before ditching gas for batteries. 

The most considerable downsides to battery-powered electric mowers are about power. Gas mowers have more power for tackling hilly terrain or larger yards where the torque and battery life of an electric mower may let you down. 

That being said, the average household could get along just fine with an electric mower, and easy-to-replace rechargeable batteries can be used to extend the range affordably. Electric mowers are also preferable for those who want a quieter operation or need easier maneuverability since they’re usually lighter than their gas-powered counterparts, not to mention the environmental benefits.

Summer barbeques start with a grill.

Compare grill prices at Home Depot, Amazon or Walmart using the CNET Shopping extension, and don’t overpay for summertime memories.

The post Best Electric Lawnmower Deals: Save on Sun Joe, Worx, Greenworks and More first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

My family and I love board games, so I’m always on the lookout for the best board game deals. I’ll never be a rich man: Every board game deal I see, I end up buying for my gaming table. Now you too can enjoy the feeling of having more board games than you’ll ever need. You’re welcome. Check out our roundup of the best board game bargains available right now below, and we’ll continue to update this page as offers come and go, so be sure to check back often. 

Board game deals

James Bricknell/CNET

Qwirkle: $25

Save $10

Qwirkle is a fantastic family game that uses colors and shapes the way scrabble uses words. Combine different lines of colors and shapes to score big against your opponents. It’s a fun and easy game to learn and suitable for your younger players too.

$25 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Qwirkle Board Game

Funko

The Haunted Mansion Disneyland Edition: $13

Save $12

Haunted Mansion is one of my family’s favorite Disneyland rides and now, it’s one of our favorite board games too. The game itself is a card management game where you try and get as many of certain types of cards as possible while trying to avoid being haunted by the traveling ghost.

$13 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Funko Disney The Haunted Mansion – Call of The Spirits: Disneyland Edition Game

Ravensburger

Villainous: $35

Save $5

Ravensburger can be hit or miss when it comes to board games, but Villainous is one of its better efforts. You play as one of the notorious villains from Disney’s animated movies, and you have to complete your story before those pesky heroes ruin everything.

It’s a lot of fun for anyone who loves Disney, as we do in our house, and there are a lot of expansions too, including Marvel villains.

$35 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Villainous: $35

Buffalo Games

Wonka Golden Ticket: $16

Save $4

Golden Ticket is a simple game full of the nostalgia associated with the Roald Dahl classic. The imagery from this game pulls heavily from the 1971 movie, which starred Gene Wilder, and has players moving around the city looking for that elusive golden ticket. 

It’s a lot of fun, especially if you try to embody those characters from the movie who you get to play as.

$16 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for The Golden Ticket Game Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Board Game

Dan Ackerman

Gloomhaven: $106

Save $59

Gloomhaven is an excellent pick for those looking for a bit more of a challenge. This RPG-lite board game was named one of our favorite co-op games for 2023, and blends dungeon crawling and classic board game mechanics. It’s designed for between one and four players who must team up to explore forgotten ruins and face off against terrifying automated monsters. 

$106 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Gloomhaven: $106

Hasbro/CNET

Betrayal at the House on the Hill: $28

Save $28

This 3rd edition cooperative board game is definitely for older kids, recommended for ages 12 and up. However, if something a little spooky sounds like the right fit for you, Betrayal at House on the Hill from Hasbro is an option worth checking out. It’s over 50% off right now and allows up to six players 60 to 90 minutes of play in a haunted house they must work together to survive. 

$28 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Betrayal at the House on the Hill: $28

Iello

King of Tokyo: New Edition: $36

Save $9

If you have a young family, King of Tokyo is an excellent infection vector. You get to play as a giant Kaiju out to destroy Tokyo and you must fight each other for supremacy. It’s a simple dice-rolling game where you “spend dice” to buy cards and use those cards to power up your Kaiju. It’s fast and, more importantly, it’s engaging enough for young kids.

$36 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for King of Tokyo: New Edition: $36

Kids Against Maturity

Kids Against Maturity: $26

Save $4

You’ve probably heard about Cards Against Humanity, a party game that’s often too rude for young kids to play. Kids Against Maturity takes the same game premise — the person who makes the judge laugh the most wins the hand — but makes it just a little naughty instead. This is a great entry to family night and lets your kids feel like they’re getting away with something they shouldn’t be doing, but with your guidance and consent. It’s a lot of fun for everyone. You can also save a few extra dollars by activating the instant coupon on the product page. 

$26 at Amazon

Looney Labs

Looney Labs Fluxx (Special Edition): $13

Save $3

Now I know this isn’t the biggest savings in the world, but Fluxx is just so good that any discount is reason enough to pick it up. The game is a simple card game with just a few rules: draw one card, play one card. The complexity occurs when you play rules that counteract those first rules, or change the goal of the game, or change seats with the person to your left. It all gets very jumbled, which is what makes it so great.

$13 at WalmartYou’re receiving price alerts for Looney Labs Fluxx (Special Edition): $13

More games and entertainment recommendations

• Best Strategy Board Games for 2023
• Best Family Games for 2023: Must-Have Board Games
• Best Card Games for 2023
• Put Down the Gamepad, These Are the Best Tabletop Board Games for Video Gamers

The post Expand Your Board Game Collection With These Bargains first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Twitter has been in a state of flux ever since Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk paid out $44 billion to take over the social media site in October last year. Big changes are still happening, including a new overhaul of Twitter’s longtime verification system that once awarded blue check marks to notable accounts — including celebrities, companies, brands and journalists. 

Musk’s push to build subscription revenue led Twitter to replace its old verification system with a paid Twitter Blue service. The change makes it difficult to know the difference between a previously verified account and one that’s simply paying for the blue mark. So who can you trust on Twitter anymore? Understanding the different check mark colors and meanings can help guide you. Let’s sort it out.

Blue check mark

A blue check mark next to a username once conveyed a coveted “verified” status that meant the user was who they said they were. That’s how you’d know a tweet was coming from comedian Steve Martin and not someone pretending to be Steve Martin. 

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The blue mark now comes with this message: “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account.”

Let’s tackle the first part of that. Twitter Blue subscribers pay $8 per month on the web or $11 on iOS and Android to get a check mark along with access to additional features like the ability to edit tweets within a 30-minute window and share longer tweets up to 4,000 characters. The higher in-app price offsets the app store commissions, so you can save money by subscribing directly through the Twitter site. Anyone who pays the fee and meets the eligibility requirements (including a confirmed phone number and active status) can have a Twitter Blue check mark.

Many well-known Twitter users spoke up against the new system, including basketball star LeBron James, who declared last week, “I ain’t paying.”

But James still has his blue check mark. Turns out Twitter decided not to take the legacy check marks away from most accounts, even if they don’t pay. To add to the turmoil of introducing the new system, Twitter removed the verified check mark from the main New York Times account as Musk referred to the news outlet as “propaganda” and “unreadable.” 

Legacy verified users were once considered “active, notable, and authentic accounts of public interest.” Now it isn’t necessarily easy to determine if an account is a legacy or a Twitter Blue subscriber. That confusion may detract from the value of the blue check mark that was once a badge of authenticity. 

Twitter no longer has a media relations team that could help us sort through these issues.

Gold check mark

Yes, it looks yellow, but Twitter calls the color “gold.” These marks are reserved for official business accounts that are signed up with the Twitter Verified Organizations program. Think of this as Twitter Blue on steroids for businesses and nonprofits. 

Twitter Verified Organizations pay a $1,000-per-month subscription fee and are rewarded with a check mark, a square avatar, Twitter Blue features and the ability to add affiliate accounts, among other perks.

Gray check mark

It might look drab in comparison to the more colorful blue and gold marks, but the gray check mark is an important one to know. It primarily designates a government organization or official. US President Joe Biden’s account, for example, sports a gray check mark. The mark can also apply to multilateral organizations like the United Nations and the World Health Organization that encompass multiple countries. 

At least gold and gray are easy to understand. Will the blue confusion continue or clear up? For Twitter users, this calls for extra scrutiny of where the information is coming from. Is that tweet from a previously verified account or some random Twitter Blue subscriber? As with most things on the internet, it pays to stay on your toes and check your sources.

The post Twitter Check Marks: What All the Different Colors Mean first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Avocado has been leading the way in the organic mattress world, largely by making products in its own California-based facility and maintaining control over the entire supply chain. Unlike conventional mattresses, organic mattresses are made with natural materials like wool and latex, plus they’re free of any potentially toxic foams, chemical fire retardants or off-gassing materials. Avocado currently makes seven different mattresses, plus bedding, bed frames and furniture. 

When I tried out the original Avocado Green mattress for myself, I found that it either met or exceeded my expectations in almost all categories. Keep reading our in-depth Avocado mattress review to find out if the Green mattress is the best choice for you.

CNET’s Best mattress

See at Cnet

8.0

Avocado Green mattress

$999 at Avocado

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Score Breakdown
Performance

8
Support

9
Return Policy

8
Pressure Relief

4
Features

10

Like

• Organic materials
• Firm, but not too firm
• Comfortable in most sleeping positions
• Great edge support

Don’t Like

• Motion transfer isn’t great
• May be too firm for lighter people

Product details

• Type
  Latex Hybrid
• Firmness
  7 or medium-firm with the pillow top (9 or firm without)
• Trial
  365 nights
• Warranty
  25-year limited warranty

Video: Avocado Mattress Review

Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the Avocado Green mattress.

First impressions

The Avocado Green mattress decompressed pretty much instantly upon unboxing, and it let off zero off-gassing smell. When I laid down for the first time, I immediately felt comfortable and relaxed. It wasn’t too soft or too firm, and I felt well-supported. As I shifted into each of the different sleeping positions, they all felt nice, but my favorite position (stomach) felt best for me as usual. I noticed that the mattress wasn’t too firm to accommodate my softer body parts. 

Avocado mattress firmness and feel

How firm is the Avocado Green mattress?

With the optional pillow top component, I rate this mattress a seven out of 10 on the firmness scale, which means it has a medium-firm feel (called “gentle firm” on the Avocado site). This is great for anyone experiencing back pain, or heavier sleepers or if you’re a back or stomach sleeper. Without the pillow-top, the Avocado Green is around a nine out of 10.

The Avocado Green’s firmness profile also makes it perfect for a stomach sleeper or back sleeper, so it makes sense that I felt most comfy in that position. 

What does the Avocado Green mattress feel like?

The main comfort material in an Avocado Green mattress is organic latex. It’s an interesting material because it’s soft and supple, but also very supportive and durable. It gives the mattress a comforting, pressure relieving and doesn’t pull you into its layers like memory foam does. 

Instead, the Avocado Green is pretty bouncy. The pocketed coil layer found in the base of the mattress also gives the mattress some bounce. If you opt for the optional pillow top, it’ll be a little more cushy and plush. 

Avocado Green mattress construction

With any organic mattress, materials are an important factor to consider. The Avocado Green mattress consists of eco-friendly natural materials, including certified organic Dunlop latex, GOTS organic wool and organic cotton, as well as an innovative innerspring mattress unit with five strategic support zones. Due to the design of the innerspring unit and the support zones, the Avocado Green need never be flipped. Rather, it is recommended that you rotate it.

The breathable, organic cotton cover is the first part you’ll notice upon unboxing, and the rosettes on top of it are a lovely touch. (Watch your cat around them if you have a mischievous boy like mine — he managed to unravel one before I realized I needed to keep the mattress covered in his presence.) 

These wool rosettes are actually the end result of ribbons that have been pulled through more than 30 locations inside the mattress. This process holds the layers together without the need for toxic glues or adhesives. Both clever and attractive, the process is officially called “needle-tufting,” a technique that originated in the 17th century, per Avocado.

Inside the mattress are two layers of organic latex, two inches of which can be found on the upper comfort layer, plus a one-inch layer in the base. Between those layers are the covered pocketed coils and a few inches of cushy organic wool. 

There are two upholstered handles sewn onto both sides of the Avocado mattress, which make it much easier to move it around. You can’t see them underneath a fitted sheet either. Nice!

Avocado Green mattress performance

Temperature comfort 

I am a bona fide hot sleeper, and I found myself very comfortable lying on this mattress, staying cool throughout the night without a single thought about being too warm. I suspect it’s the combination of the latex and coil springs that promote optimal breathability in the Avocado mattress, allowing it to remain cool all night. 

Edge support

I tried sitting on and lying close to the edges of the Avocado Green to test the edge support, and felt nicely supported on each area of the mattress. I didn’t feel like I was going to roll off at any point while I slept on it, either. This didn’t really surprise me after reading about the Avocado Green mattress on the company website, where it notes that the supportive coils are arranged all the way to the edges of the mattress.

Motion transfer 

The mattress didn’t perform extremely well for my motion isolation testing, which clashed with my expectations from others’ reviews about it. As I slowly moved around or rose to stand up from the bed, I noticed the flat-bottomed glass of water I had placed beside me could not be trusted to remain upright. The Avocado Green had very little to brag about motion transfer-wise, at least in the twin size. This is fine with me as I sleep alone, but may not be a great attribute if your sleeping partner is restless on a larger mattress. 

Durability

The Avocado Green mattress uses strong steel coils and latex foam, making it one of the more durable mattresses you can buy. Latex foam is more durable than poly and memory foam, and steel coils add even more support and durability to a mattress.   

Eco-friendly features

Avocado works in too many eco-friendly ways to name all of them here, but here are just some of the ways it’s earned a reputation as one of the top eco-friendly mattress brands on the market.

• Its primary materials (organic cotton, wool and latex) are 100% certified organic. 
• Avocado makes all of its products in a California factory, which runs on renewable energy.
• Avocado’s mattresses have earned a slew of environmental certifications. All of the mattresses are Greenguard Gold certified — guaranteeing low emissions — and they’re Fair Trade Certified. 
• The company owns or co-owns its entire supply chain, including part of a farmer’s society in India where it makes its own natural latex, which is later processed in a co-owned facility. Wool is grown in its own Himalayan herding collective of over 200,000 sheep on over 40,000 hectares of organic pasture. 

Avocado Green mattress pricing

Starting at $999 for a twin size, this natural mattress is slightly pricier than some other bed-in-a-box brands. But the high-quality materials and eco-conscious perks make it worth the price, if you can afford it. Like organic fruits and vegetables are more expensive at the grocery store, so are organic and natural mattresses, considering the extra care it took to manufacture the beds. Every once in a while, you can catch an Avocado promo. Right now, Avocado is offering discounts in honor of Cyber Monday. You can also check out the other current promotions on our best mattress deals page. 

Trial, shipping and warranty

You can get free shipping or pay extra for in-home service if you’d like Avocado workers to assemble your new bed and remove your old mattress for you. 

When you purchase an Avocado mattress, you get a full one-year sleep trial. This means you can try sleeping on it for an entire year before you decide whether you really want to keep it or not — yep, that’s 365 days. If you don’t like it, get in touch with Avocado and it will make arrangements for your refund and mattress pickup. Be sure to keep the mattress in good condition, because it will most likely be donated to someone else. You also get a 25-year warranty, free shipping and returns. 

The Avocado Green mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king sizes. 

The final verdict

In conclusion, if the Avocado Green mattress is in your price range for a new organic mattress, I highly recommend it.

You might like the Avocado Green mattress if:

• You sleep on your back or stomach.
• You have a larger body (up to 350 pounds).
• Organic, eco-friendly or fair trade products are important to you.
• You have allergies or health concerns.
• You have back pain.
• You prefer a medium-firm feel to your mattress (it’s a latex hybrid mattress, so there is some “bounce” to it; if you like that feel, this is for you).

You might not like the Avocado Green mattress if:

• You sleep on your side.
• You share a bed with a partner who moves a lot.
• You’re on a strict budget.
• You weigh less than 130 pounds (you may find it too firm).
• You prefer a vegan mattress (Avocado does make a vegan version, though, which is made without wool).

How does the Avocado Green mattress compare to other beds?

Avocado vs. Casper

The Casper Original mattress is a popular foam bed from one of the best-known bed-in-a-box brands in the industry. The Casper uses poly foam rather than latex foam, giving it a lighter and airier feel. It also has a zoned layer that’s firmer under your back for added support and softer under your shoulders and hips for increased pressure relief. The Casper Original is also a bit softer than the Avocado Green, landing around a medium on the firmness scale. 

Avocado vs. Nectar 

In the story of the Avocado versus Nectar, you have two very different mattresses. The Nectar mattress is a thick, all-foam memory foam bed that’s pressure relieving and slow to respond to pressure. The Avocado Green, on the other hand, is ultra bouncy and responsive. The Nectar feels more like a Tempur-Pedic mattress and has a medium-firm profile. The Nectar mattress is more affordable, but the Avocado Green is going to sleep cooler because of its more breathable materials. 

More mattress recommendations

• Best memory foam mattress of 2021
• Best mattress topper for 2021
• Best firm mattress in 2021
• Best pillowtop mattress

8.0

Avocado Green mattress

$999 at Avocado

Get Price Alerts

You’re receiving price alerts for Avocado Green mattress

Score Breakdown
Performance

8
Support

9
Return Policy

8
Pressure Relief

4
Features

10

Like

• Organic materials
• Firm, but not too firm
• Comfortable in most sleeping positions
• Great edge support

Don’t Like

• Motion transfer isn’t great
• May be too firm for lighter people

Product details

• Type
  Latex Hybrid
• Firmness
  7 or medium-firm with the pillow top (9 or firm without)
• Trial
  365 nights
• Warranty
  25-year limited warranty

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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The post Avocado Mattress Review | Reasons to Buy/NOT Buy (2022) first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.