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Republican and Democratic lawmakers show no signs of budging as the House takes up a bill Friday to avert a partial government shutdown in less than two weeks.The bill would generally continue existing funding levels through Nov. 21. Democratic leaders are adamantly opposed and are threatening a government shutdown if Republicans don’t let them have a say on the measure, as some Democratic support will be needed to get a bill to the president’s desk for his signature.House Speaker Mike Johnson has few votes to spare as he seeks to persuade Republicans to vote for the funding patch, something many in his conference have routinely opposed in past budget fights. But this time, GOP members see a chance to portray the Democrats as responsible for a shutdown, which would begin Oct. 1, unless Congress acts.In a sign the vote could be close, President Donald Trump weighed in Thursday, urging House Republicans to pass the bill and put the burden on Democrats to oppose it. GOP leaders often need Trump’s help to win over holdouts on legislation.“Every House Republican should UNIFY, and VOTE YES!” Trump said on his social media site.Republicans can pass the bill in the House if they stay united, and the speaker expressed confidence Thursday he had the votes.“We’re going to get this government funded,” Johnson said.Across the Capitol, though, Senate Democrats are hoping the public will support their proposal to head off a big increase next year in health insurance premiums for millions of Americans who purchase coverage through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. They unveiled their own funding plan to extend the enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, plus reverse Medicaid cuts that were included in Republicans’ “big beautiful bill” enacted earlier this year.“The American people will look at what Republicans are doing, look at what Democrats are doing, and it will be clear that public sentiment will be on our side,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who has repeatedly threatened a shutdown if health care isn’t addressed.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the Senate will vote on the House bill Friday, if it passes, along with the dueling Democratic proposal. But neither is expected to win the 60 votes necessary for passage.Senators could then potentially leave town until Sept. 29 one day before the shutdown deadline. The Senate has a scheduled recess next week because of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.Democrats on both sides of the Capitol are watching Schumer closely after his last-minute decision in March to vote with Republicans to keep the government open. Schumer argued then that a shutdown would be damaging and would give Trump and his White House freedom to make more government cuts. Many on the left revolted, with some advocates calling for his resignation.The vote in the spring also caused a temporary schism with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who opposed the GOP spending bill and said he would not be “complicit” with Schumer’s vote.The two Democratic leaders now say they are united, and Schumer says things have changed since March. The public is more wary of Trump and Republicans, Schumer says, after the passage of Medicaid cuts.Most Democrats appear to be backing Schumer’s demand that there be negotiations on the bill and support his threats of a shutdown, even as it is unclear how they would get out of it.Republicans say the blame would be clearly on the other side if they can’t pass a bill and are using Schumer’s previous arguments against shutdowns against him.“Democrats would love nothing more to put in our lap a shutdown. It’s not going to happen. If it does, it’s on them,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the House Freedom Caucus, whose members have frequently opposed short-term funding bills, known as continuing resolutions.Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said: “Senator Schumer himself said that passing a clean CR will avert a harmful and unnecessary shutdown. Now he wants to cause a harmful and unnecessary shutdown.” Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. Kevin Freking, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
For years, tech companies have been chasing an elusive dream: glasses with built-in displays that help us communicate, understand the world, and break free from our reliance on phone screens. This week, Meta unveiled its latest attempt at its Connect developer conference: Meta Ray-Ban Display, a pair of smart glasses with an integrated screen that can show directions and texts, query Metas AI assistant, stream music, take photos, and even provide live captions to make conversations easier to follow. The device is notable for two reasons: Unlike earlier prototypes, Metas glasses look like actual glasses. And while competitors have built intriguing developer kits without mass-production plans, Meta is actually ready to ship. Consumers will be able to buy Ray-Ban Display glasses for $800 later this month. For an industry that has been working on a future that always seemed just out of reach, thats a big dealso much so that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg seemed compelled to assure the audience of his Connect keynote speech that this was actually happening. This isnt a prototype, Zuckerberg said. This is here, its ready to go. [Photo: Meta] The first display-equipped glasses that look like glasses Ray-Ban Display features a monocular display, capable of projecting information in only one lens. That rules out AR games or 3D graphics but dramatically cuts power consumption. That efficiency enabled Meta to use a smaller battery, keeping the design close to standard eyewear. The frame retains Ray-Bans iconic look. The temples are only slightly thicker than the companys camera-equipped glasses, and the whole device weighs just 69 grams. Upon close inspection, you can see that the right lens features a waveguidediagonal lines that refract the light of a tiny projector integrated into the right temple to show information when the display is on. To outside observers, though, its not obvious whether the display is on or offa big difference from earlier AR devices that leaked light. Its really optimized for private viewing, says Meta AR devices VP Ming Hua. All of this means that there is a lot less stigma attached to the usage of the device, which can be a huge factor when it comes to the success or failure of such a device. Case in point: Google Glass, a pioneering smart glasses product first introduced over a decade ago, looked a lot more like something from a science fiction movie than a regular pair of glasses. People are making Google Glass comparisons to the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, says Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth. It has a display, its monocular. But theyre so different because [ours] look good. [Google Glass] didnt look good, and that matters a ton. They nailed the form factor, agrees Moor Insights & Strategy analyst Anshel Sag. It’s really a well integrated product. What it is like to wear Metas new Display glasses At Connect, I used the glasses to get directions, exchange WhatsApp messages, and query Metas AI assistant. Indoors or under California sun, the display was legible. Text fades after a few seconds and can be recalled when needed. [Photo: Meta] Meta positioned the display slightly below the typical line of sight, which makes it especially useful for certain applications. The glasses can transcribe speech in real time, helping with conversations in noisy environments or assisting people who are hard of hearing. They can also translate speech instantly, and Meta is developing a teleprompter app aimed at supporting public speakers. The glasses also support video calls, a digital viewfinder for photos, and other apps. But perhaps the most striking feature isnt on the lenses at all: Metas Ray-Ban Display glasses come with a wristband that resembles a screenless fitness tracker. Inside are sensors that detect neural signals from tiny hand movements, allowing the glasses to be controlled with subtle gestures. Opening an app or summoning Metas AI assistant can be as simple as tapping your thumb and index finger together, while dismissing notifications takes just a quick swipe of the thumb. The Neural Band, as its officially called, can also handle more complex gestures. To raise the volume of a Spotify stream, for instance, you rotate your thumb and index finger clockwise, like twisting the knob on an old radio. The device can even be trained to recognize handwriting, letting you reply to text messages by scribbling letters with your fingers. None of this requires line of sightyou can keep your hand behind your back or tucked in a pocket, and it still works. The effect feels remarkably close to magic. [Photo: Meta] Part of a multi-pronged approach Meta isnt the only company betting on glasses as the next major computing platform. Google has shown off prototypes for its own display glasses, and Amazon is reportedly working on a device like this as well. However, Meta has a key advantage over its would-be competitors: A yearslong partnership with glasses maker EssilorLuxottica. The two companies introduced their first pair of camera-equipped smart glasses in 2021. Even without a display, the glasses became an unexpected hit: Consumers have purchased more than two million Ray-Banbranded Meta glasses to date, according to EssilorLuxottica. Meta has continued refining the line and unveiled several new models at Connect this week. In 2024, Meta previewed a bulkier but far more capable prototype for AR glasses, code-named Orion. Those glasses featured displays in both lenses, allowing 3D objects to be overlaid on the real world. It may take years to shrink Orions technology into a consumer-friendly form factor, but Meta has already folded some of that research into its current products. The neural wristband shipping with the Ray-Ban Display glasses, for instance, is essentially the same one developed for the Orion prototype. The new Ray-Ban Display glasses also feature a custom-designed battery. Meta advertises up to six hours of mixed use battery life, which includes activities like listening to music when the display is off. Used continuously for internet access, however, the battery would likely last only about an hour, according to company representatives. The same battery technology is also being integrated into lower-cost Ray-Ban smart glasses that dont include displays. Catching up with Meta wont be easy One potential achilles heel for Meta could be its relationship with third-party developers. So far, Meta has only partnered with a few high-profile companies like Spotify to integrate their services into its wearables. At Connect, it announced plans for a developer program, but it may tightly control the apps it is willing to publish onto these devices. There are good reasons for caution. Last year, two Harvard students used Metas camera glasses to power a facial recognition engine capable of identifying strangers on the street. While the glasses themselves dont support that feature, Meta may choose to block such applicationsthough others likely wont. The students have since dropped out and launched their own smart glasses startup. A more permissive approach towards third-party apps could be one way for others to compete with Meta and its Ray-Ban partnership. Catching up is not going to be easy, says Sag, the analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy. The biggest way someone could compete with them is by third-party developer access and making those classes more useful, even if theyre not more fashionable.
Category:
E-Commerce
Today, Apples iPhone 17 series goes on sale worldwide. The newest iPhone family includes the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the all-new iPhone Air. All the devices originally went on sale via pre-order last Friday, and many who bought them are finding that they wont actually receive their new iPhone until October. But there is a way you can still get your shiny new iPhone 17 today. Heres what you need to know. iPhone 17 shipping times slip into October Apple began taking pre-orders for the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 family of phones last Friday, and delivery times for when pre-order customers can actually expect to receive their new phones have steadily lengthened. A quick check of Apples online store as of the time of this writing shows that, if you order an iPhone Air or any iPhone 17 from Apple today, this is when you can expect to receive it: iPhone 17: between October 6-13 iPhone 17 Pro: between October 6-13 iPhone 17 Pro Max: between October 13-20 iPhone Air: September 23 As you can see, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has a wait time of up to four weeks. For the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17, the wait time is up to three weeks. Only the iPhone Air, if you order today, currently has a wait time of less than a week. That the iPhone 17 Pro Max has the longest wait time isnt a surprise, as the Pro Max is one of the companys most popular models, and it appeals heavily to early adopters. But the three-week wait time for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 also shows that this year, there is strong demand for the iPhone 17 family. But thats bad news for fans who didnt get their pre-order in before the devices officially went on sale todaybecause if they order online from Apple now, theyll need to wait well into October to get their new iPhone. However, there is one way that you may still be able to get your iPhone 17 today. Visit a brick-and-mortar store for your best chance to get an iPhone 17 on launch day We all love the convenience of shopping online, but if you havent ordered your iPhone 17 yet and still would like to get one in your hands on launch day, your best bet is to eschew the convenience of online shopping and go directly to a physical retail store. Apple retail stores are set to have a healthy supply of the various iPhone models when they open today. However, there are sure to be crowds going to those stores in hopes of getting their preferred models on launch day. That means if you want the best chance of getting your preferred iPhone 17 model in its preferred configuration (256GB, 512GB, 1TB, etc), you should get to a physical retail store ASAP. Apple retail stores generally should have the most stockbut theyll likely also have the most customers. Thats why you should also check out third-party retail stores, like Best Buy. If you know you are going to buy an iPhone on your carriers locked plan, its also worth going to your local AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or other carrier store to see if they have stock of the units. When all else fails, track iPhone 17 availability online If you go to retail stores today and still cant get your preferred iPhone 17 model right now, then there is one last option that may help you get the new iPhone sooner than expected. Plenty of websites allow you to track iPhone availability online and in stores. These tracker websites generally let you sign up for email notifications and will alert you the moment your preferred iPhone model in its preferred color and storage capacity becomes available. Once you get the notification, if you act quickly, you may be able to score an iPhone well ahead of Apples prolonged delivery times. There is no shortage of stock-checking websites that track the inventory levels of popular products, and you can find them by doing a simple Google search. They include AppleInventoryChecker.com, Stock-checker.com, and Trackalacker.com.
Category:
E-Commerce
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