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What is Microsoft Edge?: Everything you need to know about Microsoft's internet browser for Windows

A smartphone resting on a laptop keyboard displays the Microsoft Edge logo.
Microsoft Edge is an internet browser built by Microsoft to replace Internet Explorer.

Jaque Silva/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • Microsoft Edge is an internet browser installed by default on all new Windows computers.
  • Edge was made to replace Internet Explorer, and runs faster and with more features.
  • Edge now works with Microsoft's new AI-powered features like Copilot.

There was once an old joke among Windows users: "Internet Explorer is the best browser to download a better browser with."

In other words, Internet Explorer — Microsoft's old flagship internet browser — was been around for years, and few people actually liked it. That's a big reason why in 2015 Microsoft released Edge, their new and improved browser.

Edge gradually replaced Internet Explorer and became increasingly popular over the years, until the latter browser finally shuttered in 2022.

Though Edge was created with the Windows user in mind, iOS users can download it on their Macs, iPhones, or iPads, too. Edge can even be used on Linux and on Xbox.

Microsoft has made a big effort with Edge to improve the browsing experience, and it's paid off. Microsoft Edge has enough features and benefits that it's actually a real alternative to more popular browsers like Chrome or Firefox.

This is especially true with the Edge's most recent update, which now features Copilot, Microsoft's AI tool that can assist users with research and summarize pages and content. Edge also features Microsoft's AI-powered search engine Bing right in the browser's sidebar for easy access.

Here's everything you need to know about Microsoft Edge, including what it offers, and how to download it on your PC, Mac, iPhone, or Android device.

Microsoft Edge, explained

The current version of Edge was built on what's called a "Chromium" browser. This means that it can run hundreds of extensions that were originally meant for Google Chrome users. This includes screen readers, in-browser games, productivity tools, and more.

This is in addition to the extensions already in the Microsoft Store, which you can also use. If you can think of a feature you'd like the browser to have, there's probably an extension for it.

A screenshot of the Microsoft Edge browser shows the "Extensions" button emphasized with red boxes and arrows.
You can find the Extensions menu by clicking the three dots at the top-right and clicking "Extensions."

Michelle Mark/Business Insider

If you sign up for a free Microsoft account, you can sync your bookmarks, history, passwords, and more. This means that if you use Edge on a different computer, you'll have all of your browsing data available in moments.

Reviews have also said that this new version of Edge runs faster than previous versions, putting it about on par with Chrome and Firefox.

If you'd like to give Microsoft Edge a try, you can download it from Microsoft's website.

A screenshot of the Microsoft Edge download page shows the "Download Edge" button emphasized with a red box and arrow.
Just hit the "Download Edge" button on Microsoft's website.

Michelle Mark/Business Insider

The page should automatically detect whether you're using a Mac, PC, iPhone, or Android device. If you think the page has gotten it wrong, click the arrow next to the "Download" button to see all the available versions.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Forget New York: Gen X is following boomers to retirement-friendly places like Florida

Cars driving toward a "Welcome to Florida" sign
Gen Xers are leaving behind big cities like New York.

Getty; Rebecca Zisser/BI

  • Gen Xers are moving to retirement hot spots in Florida and Texas.
  • Meanwhile, they're leaving behind big coastal cities in New York and California.
  • Lower interest rates, remote work, and a strong economy might be driving Gen X migration patterns.

Gen Xers are living like they're 20 years older — or at least moving to the favored locales of their retiree counterparts.

An exclusive analysis of Census data for BI from the University of Virginia demographer Hamilton Lombard reveals the areas in the US that Gen Xers have left behind and where they went.

Between 2020 and 2023, counties in Florida and Texas, many of which are retirement havens, experienced the largest increases in their Gen X populations — defined as those who were between 45 and 54 years old in 2023 — per the analysis.

The analysis also found that the population of that demographic in "retirement destination" counties rose by 5.1% between 2020 and 2023, over three times as fast as the country's 1.6% growth rate in the same period. The USDA defined those counties as having at least a 15% increase in their populations age 60 and up from net migration between 2000 and 2010.

Lombard said it's likely that many Gen Xers were lured to retirement destinations by a strong stock market amplifying retirement savings, remote work options, and a robust housing market. During the first two years of the pandemic, before the Fed began its interest-rate hikes to fight inflation, low mortgage rates could have been another incentive to move.

Gen Xers weren't necessarily retiring early — although some may have been — but instead potentially seizing the moment of a strong economy, Lombard said. It echoes a similar migration in the 2000s housing boom, per Lombard, which also came amid a long stretch of economic growth.

"People felt like they had more options where they could live," he said. "And with interest rates where they were, that was a lot easier to do."

Lombard said that the Gen Xers who moved into retirement areas might fall into three buckets: People who actually retired, flexible Gen X workers who wanted to move in early before fully retiring, and Gen Xers who moved to cater to the first two groups.

He gave the example of a hypothetical Gen X dentist who moved from New York to Florida after their clients relocated or retired.

Lee County, Florida, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, saw the largest change between 2020 and 2023, with a net increase of over 10,500 Gen Xers. Meanwhile, over 9,700 net residents moved to Polk County, in central Florida, to the east of Tampa. Another nearly 8,500 net residents relocated to Pasco County on Florida's western coast.

Three Texas counties were in the top six destinations for Gen X movers. Montgomery County, north of Houston, had a net gain of about 7,500 residents, while Collin County, north of Dallas, grew by nearly 7,400. Fort Bend County, southwest of Houston, attracted over 6,900 net residents.

Seventeen of the top 25 counties for Gen X movers were in Florida, while six were in Texas. South Carolina's Horry County, home to Myrtle Beach, and Arizona's Pinal County, home to Florence, rounded out the top 25.

Another popular destination for Gen Xers: The Villages in Florida, often thought of as the Disney World of retirement. Sumter County, Florida, which contains The Villages, gained nearly 2,000 members of that generation from 2020 to 2023, bringing the population to about 9,800.

Gen Xers may have been drawn to the ample amenities — and unique golf cart culture — that the area offers. The median age in Sumter County has fallen slightly from 68.9 in 2019 to 68.2 in 2023, per the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Gen X is leaving behind LA and NYC

Counties experiencing the largest net declines in this demographic included Los Angeles County, with nearly 66,000 members leaving; Cook County, the home of Chicago, with about 33,000; Kings County, or Brooklyn, at 29,800; and Queens County, with nearly 22,600. Other major urban counties in California, New York, and Texas lost thousands of net residents.

Many of the areas that Gen Xers are leaving behind have high costs of living. The generation has faced its own economic headwinds, and has already been struggling to pay bills and taking on additional jobs to cope financially. Lombard also said that some of that exodus could come from Gen Xers who were already considering moving and saw how willing people were to pay a premium for their homes.

The Gen Xers who opted to move might also be part of the group still clinging to remote work. From September to December, 12.4% of 40 to 49-year-olds were fully working from home, per the latest figures from the Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitude, slightly up from the same period a year prior.

A Gen X influx in retiree-heavy areas has meant more age diversity, and median ages coming down, Lombard said. It can also be an economic boon: The new population has wealth, and is ready to spend it.

"That's really invigorating some of these local economies and that's causing a lot of business growth," he said.

Are you a Gen Xer who moved in the 2020s? Contact these reporters at [email protected] and [email protected].

Read the original article on Business Insider

See inside a WWII-era U-boat, the only submarine that the US Navy captured intact and towed home

Workers maneuver the submarine on the beach using a crane.
The German submarine U-505, captured by the US Navy during World War II, is on permanent display at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

  • Over eight decades ago, the US Navy made the historic capture of a Nazi U-boat during World War II.
  • A treasure trove of vital German intelligence, the submarine's capture was top-secret.
  • See inside the U-boat, now a permanent exhibit at Chicago's Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.

Submarine warfare played a pivotal role in the Battle of the Atlantic as German U-boats targeted merchant ships and troop carriers from the US and other Allied nations.

The underwater predators sank Allied ships faster than they could be replaced, starving the British of crucial war material, but the Allies eventually turned the tide as they implemented improved radar and sonar detection, codebreaking measures, and warship convoys.

In 1944, a US Navy task group hunted a Nazi U-boat in a top-secret operation that was only made public after the war ended, marking the first time the service captured an enemy vessel since 1812.

The U-505
The submarine is held aloft near the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry as it is lowered into its future exhibit space.
The submarine is held aloft near the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry as it is lowered into its future exhibit space.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

Constructed at the docks of Hamburg, Germany, the U-505 was one of the German navy's Type IX-class submarines, a long-range attack boat developed with longer dive times and agility compared to its predecessors.

Given the Kriegsmarine's limited surface fleet, the U-boat was tasked with destroying shipping vessels in the Atlantic owned by the US and other Allied nations. After the U-505 entered the Battle of the Atlantic in 1942, it sank eight ships over a dozen war patrols and was credited with the loss of nearly 50,000 tons of Allied supplies and goods.

Tens of thousands died in the brutal war at sea. Allied mariners died in the torpedo explosions or drowned in the cold ocean waters afterward. In some incidents, U-boats also attacked passenger liners like the SS Athenia.

The string of sunken ships earned the U-505 a feared reputation as an underwater predator, but little did the crew know that its winning streak would someday come to an end.

Inside the U-boat
The engine room of the submarine.
The engine room of the submarine.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

The U-505 had a displacement of over 1,100 tons and measured about 250 feet long. Propelled by two saltwater-cooled diesel engines, the U-boat had a range of nearly 17,000 miles, allowing it to deploy on long-range patrols to target merchant vessels.

Its surface speed was 18 knots, but its underwater speed was eight knots, which left it vulnerable to faster enemy ships while it operated below the surface. It mostly sailed on the surface at night and dove when spotted or when sneaking up on ships to torpedo.

An underwater ship-killer
A display shows the antiaircraft naval gun that was equipped on the U-505.
A display shows the antiaircraft naval gun that was equipped on the U-505.

Lauren Frias/Business Insider

Serving as an attack submarine, the U-505 had six 21-inch torpedo tubes — four in the bow and two in the stern — with storage to carry up to 22 torpedos at a time.

The U-boat's surface armament included two antiaircraft guns and a 4.1-inch deck gun that could fire 15 rounds per minute.

Life aboard the German submarine
A torpedo sits nearby hanging cots in the submarine's torpedo room.
A torpedo sits nearby hanging cots in the submarine's torpedo room.

Lauren Frias/Business Insider

Built to endure longer voyages and dive times, the U-505 could operate on patrols for 100 days or more. Despite the larger design of the Type-IX subs, the pressure hull was no bigger than a subway car.

As many as 60 people would live and work on the U-boat, taking turns sharing the 35 bunks, some of which were installed in the sub's front and rear torpedo rooms.

Harsh living conditions
The submarine's galley.
The submarine's galley.

Lauren Frias/Business Insider

Space was hard to come by in the cramped hull. Only one sailor could stand in the tiny kitchen at a time. The fumes would waft from the engine room to the rest of the U-boat, leaving the crew's limited provisions tasting like diesel.

Personnel often just wore shoes and underwear while living in the submarine, where temperatures could exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the warmer months.

The U-505 only had two bathrooms aboard — one of which was used to store food — but the crew never bathed and had to clean themselves with alcohol throughout the two-month patrols.

Tracking down the elusive boat
A view up the periscope.
A view up the hatch.

Lauren Frias/Business Insider

On June 4, 1944, a US Navy hunter-killer group detected the U-505 operating off the coast of Rio de Oro in Africa's Western Sahara. Commanded by US Navy Capt. Daniel V. Gallery, Task Group 22.3 was comprised of the escort carrier USS Guadalcanal and five destroyers.

Depth charges launched by the Edsall-class destroyer escort USS Chatelain, which detected the German vessel with sonar, jammed the U-boat's rudder and flooded the aft compartment, forcing the vessel to surface.

Setting out on an anti-submarine sweep with the stated purpose of capturing and bringing back to the United States a German submarine, all units of the Task Group worked incessantly throughout the cruise to prepare themselves for the accomplishment of this exceedingly difficult purpose.

Salvaging the U-505
Water flooded in through a filter that was left open by fleeing German submariners, threatening to sink the vessel.
Water flooded in through a sea strainer that was left open by fleeing German submariners, threatening to sink the vessel.

Lauren Frias/Business Insider

German intelligence was vital during WWII, making recovery efforts for the sinking U-boat a top priority for the Navy task group.

German Capt. Harald Lange, who commanded the U-505, ordered the crew to abandon ship. To avoid capture, the Germans attempted to sink the U-boat with time bombs throughout the submarine and opened a sea strainer that caused water to rush inside the hull.

US Navy sailors who boarded the quickly flooding vessel disabled the scuttle charges and replaced the strainer cover.

In an operation wrought with numerous risks and dangers, the capture only resulted in one recorded casualty from the U-505's crew as a result of Allied gunfire.

Captured intact
US Navy sailors stand atop the German submarine to secure a tow line to the bow.
US Navy sailors stand atop the German submarine to secure a tow line to the bow.

US Naval History and Heritage Command

A boarding party from the Edsall-class destroyer escort USS Pillsbury took a whaleboat to rescue the surviving 58 German sailors and salvage the U-505.

"Undeterred by the apparent sinking condition of the U-boat, the danger of explosions of demolition and scuttling charges, and the probability of enemy gunfire, the small boarding party plunged through the conning tower hatch, did everything in its power to keep the submarine afloat and removed valuable papers and documents," Adm. Royal E. Ingersoll, then-Commander in Chief of the US Atlantic Fleet, said in the presidential unit citation awarded to the task group.

Towing it back to the US
US Navy fleet ocean tug USS Abnaki tows the captured submarine in the Atlantic Ocean.
US Navy fleet ocean tug USS Abnaki tows the captured submarine in the Atlantic Ocean.

US Naval History and Heritage Command

Following the harrowing capture came the task of towing it back home. Operating under utmost secrecy, the US Navy painted the U-boat black and renamed it USS Nemo to hide its capture from the Germans.

The partially submerged vessel was towed over 2,500 nautical miles to Bermuda to study the submarine's technology and intelligence on board.

The 58 sailors from the U-505 were transported and held at a prisoner-of-war camp in Louisiana, kept under special conditions like isolation and limited communication to keep the submarine's capture a secret.

They remained at the camp until the end of the war, with the last of the captives repatriating back to Germany in 1947.

Uncovering German secrets
Detection and radio equipment on board the German submarine U-505.
Detection and radio equipment on board the German submarine U-505.

US Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy recovered codebooks, thousands of communication documents, and two Enigma machines used by the German military to decode and encrypt messages to and from the U-505. Breaking Enigma codes allowed fleet commands to know where U-boats would attack. That, along with increasing Allied aircraft patrols for submarines, turned the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic.

American naval engineers uncovered that the Germans were developing an advanced acoustic-homing torpedo to target a ship's propellers.

The intelligence also allowed the US to get more precise locations for German U-boat operations, redirecting merchant vessels from those areas.

"The Task Group's brilliant achievement in disabling, capturing, and towing to a United States base a modern enemy man-of-war taken in combat on the high seas is a feat unprecedented in individual and group bravery, execution, and accomplishment in the Naval History of the United States," Ingersoll said in the presidential citation.

Preserving the U-boat
People enjoy a day at the beach near the captured German submarine.
People enjoy a day at the beach near the captured German submarine.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

Once the Navy learned what it could from the German submarine, the U-505 was destined to become gunnery and torpedo target practice, a typical fate for captured enemy vessels.

Two years after its capture, Chicago native John Gallery, the brother of Guadalcanal Capt. Gallery, contacted the president of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry to preserve the wartime relic as an exhibit.

The Navy donated the U-boat to the museum, but the city of Chicago was tasked with raising $250,000 to move, install, and restore the submarine for exhibition.

'Submarine crossing'
An aerial view of the U-505 on the beach as workers move the vessel toward the museum.
An aerial view of the U-505 on the beach as workers move the vessel toward the museum.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

In 1954, the U-505 was towed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where it was being stored, through 28 locks and four Great Lakes to Chicago.

After being towed 3,000 miles to 57th Street Beach in Chicago, the next hurdle was transporting the submarine from the waters of Lake Michigan to the museum — an 800-foot journey that included passing over an urban expressway.

Over the course of a week, engineers removed parts of the sub to make it easier to pull, then moved it across Lake Shore Drive using a network of rails and rollers to its permanent display outside the museum.

The U-505's lair
The U-505 takes up a majority of the large exhibit.
The U-505 takes up a majority of the large exhibit.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

The U-505 was initially berthed outdoors but was later moved into an indoor climate-controlled environment to better preserve it in the long term.

"The lives and the history that is embedded within the U-505, we don't want to lose any of that," Voula Saridakis, a curator at the Museum of Science and Industry, told Business Insider. "It's so important, historically, of what this war was all about, especially the Battle of the Atlantic, which often, I think, gets overlooked in many ways."

Due to its size, the exhibit's concrete housing was erected around the U-505, surrounded by external exhibits that relayed the history of the submarine and the Battle of the Atlantic, whose toll included over 100,000 sailors and mariners and 3,500 merchant ships; Germany alone lost 783 U-boats and an estimated 30,000 crewmen.

The interior of the submarine was meticulously restored to replicate the atmosphere and environment as it was before its capture more than eight decades ago, complete with simulated lighting and sound effects to add to the immersiveness.

"As our visitors come through, they can get an idea of what life was like for these submariners and the living conditions and the tech and the innovation that went into this Type IXC," Saridakis said.

In 1982, members from the US Navy's Task Group 22.3 reunited with members of the German submarine's crew in Chicago, marking the first time the German sailors saw the U-boat since the war.

"Part of what we want to do is preserve the history of the U-505, the battle, and the capture for future generations," Saridakis said, "and we do this through telling this story, helping our guests understand its history and keeping this up and preserved for as long as we can."

Read the original article on Business Insider

'Space coast' congressman sets bold goal for American moon missions

The Space Coast’s new congressman wants the U.S. to set bold goals for exploration beyond our Earth, believing the country’s potential will take Americans sky-high – literally.

"We need to do everything we can to make sure it's safe, but it's done in a way that removes some of the superfluous red tape so that we can get out there, compete and beat China and beat any other nation," Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital in an interview.

"Because the moon and beyond is not a cliché from a Disney movie. It is the future."

Haridopolos said he would "love" to see the U.S. return to the moon in the next four years of the Trump administration. The Florida Republican was careful not to speak in absolutes, noting, "We can’t guarantee anything," but credited billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos with revitalizing the science and space sector to make such conversations possible.

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"It's a stepping stone," he said. "For example, as we're starting to move towards [nuclear power], with the need for more and more energy here in the United States…There's particles that are on the moon that they would bring back because they're very scarce here in America [and] around the world."

Helium-3 is a highly coveted resource found on the moon known to be key in nuclear fusion processes.

"From that point, you settle the moon, and then you go on to Mars, which has been, of course, Elon Musk's vision," Haridopolos said. "When he thought of things like SpaceX, it was, how do I get to Mars? And then how do you pay to get to Mars? That was the inspiration behind a lot of the new technologies he helped create. And now he's got a fellow zillionaire in Jeff Bezos dreaming of the same type of things. It's really exciting"

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In Congress, the first-term lawmaker represents part of the country that’s famous for being home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The Space Coast broke its all-time annual record with 93 orbital launches last year, according to Florida Today.

Just this week it’s scheduled to host launches by both Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 and Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.

He lauded both President-elect Trump’s vision for space as well as new House Space Science and Technology Chairman Brian Babin, R-Texas.

NASA'S MARTIAN HELICOPTER PROMISES UNPRECEDENTED VIEWS OF THE RED PLANET

"Donald Trump has proven day-one and officially in 2019 that he loves space," he said, referring to Trump’s creation of the Space Force.

He suggested that the U.S. approach to the final frontier may not be dissimilar to the optimism and pride seen in 1969, when Americans landed a team of astronauts on the moon.

"It was an inspiration for my parents’ generation," Haridopolos said. "Now, of course, Elon Musk gave us this whole new vision of landing potentially, in our lifetime, on Mars. It's remarkable. And so the president said this is the future."

Schools nationwide brace for Trump, including measures compelling teachers not to cooperate with ICE

School districts, universities and state-level education leaders around the country are preparing their schools for the incoming Trump administration, including efforts to protect illegal immigrant children. 

Many school districts are focusing on efforts to bolster protections for migrant students and families. These include mandatory teacher training on what to do if immigration officials arrive at their schools and new rules that bar them from showing up in the first place. Other districts are readying measures to guarantee funding in case President-elect Trump cuts it.

"We will not allow any law enforcement entity to take any type of immigration action against our students or their families within our care," Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Monday at a press conference. 

Carvalho has committed to using all legal options available to protect illegal immigrants attending school in the district, according to local reports. 

BIDEN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPENT OVER $1 BILLION ON DEI GRANTS: REPORT

Shortly after Trump's election victory in November, the district's governing board passed a resolution prohibiting district employees from voluntarily complying with immigration authorities, including sharing information about a student's immigration status. Part of the resolution includes teacher training instructing educators on the proper ways to respond to law enforcement. 

"Get ready to deal with misinformation. Get ready to deal with any action from Washington, and be prepared," LAUSD board member Monica Garcia said.

Several districts are offering training for immigrant students and families as well. In Washington, the Edmonds School District planned a "Know Your Rights Session" led by officials from the local Mexican consulate for immigrant members of its community. 

The event was later canceled due to backlash, but an official flyer for the event said the Mexican consulate would be on hand to share with community members "how to prepare for immigration raids and your individual rights when approached, detained or incarcerated by police or immigration agents."

Oregon's largest school district, Portland Public Schools, passed a resolution earlier this month reaffirming its commitment to designate itself a sanctuary school for undocumented students. Under the updated resolution, employees are still not permitted to share a student's immigration status without parental consent. And the district said it would not allow immigration officials into school buildings beyond the front office.

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Nicole Neily, the president and founder of the nonprofit Parents Defending Education (PDE), said "without a doubt" the increase in illegal immigration has put a negative strain on schools, not helped them. She said the incoming administration will not put up with schools ignoring its policies. 

"Given the poor state of civics education in America, it's little wonder that administrators are laboring under the misimpression that they are above the law. But after Jan 20, they should be aware that the incoming administration will not look favorably on these transgressions," Neily said. 

In addition to measures aimed at flouting federal immigration authorities, some schools are preparing for possible funding cuts. Trump has signaled he is open to potentially dissolving the Department of Education and has said in the past he would strip federal funds from schools that do not follow the law.

Richmond Public Schools in Virginia is planning to fund student lunches locally over fears the Trump administration could get rid of the Community Eligibility Provision, a  program that helps pay for meals for students.

NEW JERSEY ENDS BASIC READING AND WRITING SKILLS TEST REQUIREMENT FOR TEACHERS

"We delivered millions of meals during the pandemic," Superintendent Jason Kamras said. "So, we’ll have to figure this one out, too, if necessary."

In California, state Superintendent Tony Thurmond said his school system is "prepared to introduce legislation that would guarantee funding for California schools and California education" in case Trump gets rid of it. 

Colleges and universities are also taking steps to shield their international students from potential deportations under Trump, several of which have encouraged their students from overseas to return to campus ahead of Trump's inauguration later this month. They have also offered resources for students who are not natural-born citizens.

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"A travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after inauguration," Cornell University's Office of Global Learning said in a message to students after Trump won.

NBA postpones Saturday's Lakers-Spurs, Clippers-Hornets games in Southern California due to wildfires

The NBA announced that Saturday's home games for both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers have been postponed amid the wildfires sweeping through Southern California.

The Lakers were scheduled to host the San Antonio Spurs while the Clippers were set to host the Charlotte Hornets.

The league has not yet announced makeup dates for the two games, and the league did not disclose if more games will be affected by the fires, as both teams have home games scheduled for Monday and Wednesday and the Lakers have another home game on Friday. The two teams are also supposed to play each other in Inglewood, California, on Jan. 19, when the Clippers will host.

CLIPPERS' KAWHI LEONARD LEAVES TEAM TO HELP FAMILY DEAL WITH RAGING WILDFIRES: REPORT

"The NBA and the Clippers and Lakers organizations have been in communication with local officials in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the ongoing situation in the Los Angeles area and the game postponements ensure no resources will be diverted from the wildfire response efforts," the league said in a statement.

Some members of both teams are directly dealing with the impacts of the wildfires, including Lakers coach JJ Redick, whose family's rental home in Pacific Palisades burned on Tuesday night, destroying many of their belongings.

"I was not prepared for what I saw," Redick told reporters. "It’s complete devastation and destruction. I had to go a different way to the house, but I went through most of the village, and it’s all gone. I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for something like that. Our home is gone."

'I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT I SAW': LAKERS COACH JJ REDDICK DETAILS DEVASTATION FROM PALISADES FIRE

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, which is the players' union, announced on Friday a $1 million donation for immediate relief to the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen and other organizations working to provide assistance to the victims and recovery efforts.

The donation was meant "to support those affected by this disaster," the league said, adding that it is "working with the Lakers and Clippers on ways to support longer term assistance and rebuilding efforts."

The Lakers also had a game previously scheduled for Thursday against the Hornets postponed as well, but it has not yet been rescheduled.

The Lakers are scheduled to host the Spurs again on Monday, when the Clippers are set to host the Miami Heat. On Wednesday, the Lakers are scheduled to host the Heat and the Clippers are scheduled to host the Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers are also slated to host the Nets on Friday.

The Clippers said they anticipate that the games starting Monday will be played as scheduled.

"The health and safety of our community and our fans remains our highest priority," the team said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

I've been wearing an Oura Ring to track my fitness for 4 years. Here are the pros and cons of the device loved by celebs and business execs.

A composite image of Rachel Hosie on a walk in sports kit, and with a glass of Champagne.
My Oura Ring tracks my movement and rest across the day, and it is subtle enough to wear on any occasion.

Rachel Hosie

  • The Oura Ring is a fitness tracker popular among athletes, business execs, and celebrities.
  • Fitness reporter Rachel Hosie has used one for four years and was originally attracted by its look.
  • Oura ``Rings provide sleep data, step counts, and menstrual cycle tracking.

When I first learned about a new fitness-tracking smart ring four years ago, it wasn't the promise of high-tech features that most piqued my interest, it was the look.

As someone who enjoys both fashion and fitness, I didn't think the wrist-worn devices I'd encountered as a health reporter, such as the Whoop strap, Apple Watch, and Fitbit, were attractive enough for me to wear all day every day, to everything from the gym to a wedding.

But the Oura Ring, which just looks like a chunky band (mine is gold but other colors are available), was different.

Four years later, the look is still important to me, but it's the increasingly clever features that mean I still wear an Oura Ring.

Launched in 2013, the Oura ring's popularity has soared in recent years and can be spotted on the hands of athletes, business execs, and celebrities. Last December, the Finnish company announced that its valuation had doubled to $5.2 billion since 2022, thanks to $200 million in new funding. Various brands have launched their own smart rings in recent years — but Oura still leads the pack.

At $349 to $399 for the latest Oura 4 model, plus a $5.99-a-month subscription, it's not cheap, but neither is an Apple Watch, which can cost as much as $799 for the top model.

A few years ago, people were always surprised when I told them my ring was an activity tracker. Now everyone from the saleswoman at a jewelry counter to my sports teammates ask me if I'm wearing an Oura Ring and what it's like.

Here are the pros and cons of the Oura Ring that I've found after four years of wearing one.

Oura ring
The Oura Ring shows all the data it collects on the app.

Oura

Con: You can't really wear an Oura Ring while weightlifting

While the look of an Oura Ring is a big selling point to me, a wrist strap would be better for strength training, which is the bread and butter of my exercise.

For movements like deadlifts and pull-ups, I take my ring off as it pinches my skin.

However, I'm only interested in tracking the weights I use and reps in workouts, which trackers can't do and so I log separately.

Pro: The Oura Ring tracks my daily movements

I love that my Oura Ring picks up all my movement throughout the day, including my steps (a metric the Whoop strap, for example, doesn't track). And it's perfectly comfortable to wear, say, on a run, which is when I like to know my heart rate.

The Oura Ring can track various activities, and it's remarkably good at knowing what you've done, from cycling to rowing. It even picks up housework as an activity, which I think is a fantastic way to remind people that all daily movement, not just formal exercise, is important.

It also picks up restful moments, including naps if I were much of a napper.

Although my ring's battery life has slightly worsened with time, I only have to charge it for about an hour every few days.

While some people like having a screen on their device, data collected by the Oura Ring is shown on an app. I like being able to check mine when it suits me.

Jennifer Aniston wearing an Oura Ring
Jennifer Aniston has been spotted wearing an Oura Ring.

James Devaney/GC Images

Pro: Oura Rings provide detailed sleep data

Oura Rings are generally considered to be among the most accurate wearables for tracking sleep, and it's really interesting to see not just how long I've slept in total but also the split between sleep phases, how long it took me to fall asleep, and the overall quality.

Research by the University of Oulu in Finland found that the Oura Ring measures resting heart rate at 99.9% reliability compared to a medical-grade electrocardiogram. Oura supported the study by providing equipment and software, and some of the authors were employed by Oura. However, the company was not involved in the study's design or collection and analysis of the results.

Shortly after waking up, I find myself reaching for the Oura app to see how I slept, rather than checking in with my body and seeing how I actually feel, which I don't think is a great thing.

The sleep data is clever and interesting, but arguably unnecessary for the average person. Wearing a smart ring won't improve your sleep, but it can help you change your habits.

Pro: The Oura Ring encourages you to rest

Rachel Hosie taking a mirror selfie wearing a pink floral dress.
Rachel Hosie likes being able to wear her Oura Ring with any outfit.

Rachel Hosie

Like the Whoop strap, the Oura Ring was one of the first smart devices not just to push people to move more but to help users balance recovery with activity. If you're not well rested, Oura will suggest taking it easy.

I like that it promotes balance, but most people can only exercise at certain times and don't necessarily have the luxury of waiting for the next day when their Oura Ring might say they're in a better place to train.

That said, it's no bad thing to factor in that perhaps you should do a slightly lighter session.

Pro: The temperature sensors can tell you if you're sick

Oura Rings are very sensitive to body temperature, and this is one of the methods they use to determine when you're feeling tired and where you are in your menstrual cycle.

These features are really smart — I've heard various Oura users say their rings know they're going to get ill before they do, and studies support this. Similarly, mine has alerted me when my period is going to be a few days late based on my temperature.

I take Oura Ring data with a pinch of salt

While I do believe the Oura Ring is one of the most accurate wearables available, I also know to take all the data with a pinch of salt, and I won't live or die by what it tells me.

This is what Livvy Probert, a personal trainer, sports scientist, and head of science at personal health assessment company Hawq Score, previously told me. Wearable tech like Oura Rings are great for monitoring your own sleep and activity trends and progress, but because accuracy can't be guaranteed, you shouldn't necessarily read too much into the numbers.

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