iPad Pro is capable of managing photo editing, video editing, and the creation of digital art. More basic models can facilitate note-taking and even professional productivity tasks. However, the appropriate accessories can enhance how an iPad is utilized, with many aimed at fostering a user’s creative capabilities, and many others crafted to improve comfort and convenience during iPad usage. Costco offers a variety of tablet accessories to choose from, and we have leveraged our technology knowledge to identify those that can elevate your iPad experience.
US Air Force Designates Land for Distinctive $38 Million Installation
The U.S. military is initiating a range of domestic land initiatives, such as fresh drone testing sites and data hubs, to adapt to the changing defense environment. A key advancement is the STEM Talent Development Complex located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Spanning 16 acres, this project seeks to nurture future leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by delivering top-tier education to local elementary students. The facility, covering 90,750 square feet, will include research laboratories, classrooms, community gathering spaces, dormitories, and venues for events. Vince Russo, President of Air Camp, perceives the complex as a national landmark for STEM talent cultivation. Joe Sciabica, chair of the construction committee, asserts that it will equip students for various industries, strengthening the local economy by producing a skilled labor force. The Air Force is dedicated to this initiative, which is slated for completion by 2031 and will operate under a 50-year, no-cost lease.
Lawmakers, educators, and the business sector in Dayton are optimistic that the complex will weave STEM training into students’ experiences from an early age. The initiative is propelled by six local action groups, including organizations like Dayton Ohio STEM (DO STEM) and the Educational Outreach Office of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The center will offer practical experience in advanced fields such as engineering, science, mathematics, technology, and aerospace endeavors. Jessica Short, CEO of DO STEM, underscores the necessity of introducing STEM education early to nurture a STEM identity in youngsters.
The complex represents a pivotal advancement for local educators, lawmakers, and employers working to improve the region’s STEM-oriented workforce. Joe Sciabica remarked that the initiative could establish a “STEM pipeline” for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, drawing additional missions. Jeff Hoagland, President of the Dayton Development Coalition, pointed out the significance of developing a STEM workforce to entice private investments. The project encounters obstacles, particularly in fundraising, with intentions to amalgamate federal, state, and philanthropic financial sources. The Dayton Foundation will oversee contributions, targeting to raise between $38 and $40 million. Vincent Russo highlighted the necessity of community backing through extensive donor engagement.
New Battery Innovation Exceeds Voltage Restrictions
the revolutionary EV solid state battery that can store nearly double the energy of select Tesla EVs), along with potential methods to completely transition away from conventional lithium-ion batteries. In fact, just lately, we have observed researchers making significant progress towards achieving sodium-ion batteries at a scalable level. These so-called lithium-free batteries hold considerable promise for powering future devices, albeit they face some substantial challenges that need to be addressed.
One specific design that researchers have been striving to scale up are sodium-sulfur batteries. They claim these are significantly more sustainable and cost-effective compared to lithium-ion batteries. However, they have encountered a major challenge in making them functional, as they typically necessitate high operating temperatures. This results in any efforts to modify them for lower temperature use suffering from reduced voltages and requiring substantial amounts of metallic sodium—rendering the batteries highly flammable.
Nevertheless, a team of researchers believes they may have discovered a way to surmount these obstacles. The key, according to findings detailed in a 2026 study, is to employ a novel chemical composition for sulfur that can function at voltages comparable to lithium-ion batteries. This leads to an entirely new variant of sulfur battery that does not depend on any form of anode. Perhaps with this investigation, we may not have to wait for an innovative new vehicle to revolutionize the future of EV batteries, as the replacement of lithium-ion batteries in EVs could now be more feasible than ever.
Reimagining our perspective on batteries
Amazon Fire TV Stick in 2026 Continues to Employ Micro-USB Technology from 2016
strange USB devices that you can connect to your smartphone.
Interestingly, even Apple, which is one of the most notable companies, abandoned its exclusive Lightning port in favor of USB-C with the iPhone 15 lineup in 2023. On the other hand, Amazon continues to rely on a micro-USB port, as if it possesses unique attributes that you’d miss by not switching to the updated USB-C standard. It’s not 2016 anymore, and the company certainly needs to transition to USB-C since persisting with micro-USB comes with its drawbacks.
Micro-USB on the Fire TV Stick is frustrating in 2026
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Cost-Effective Ways to Improve Your Television’s Sound Quality
several television configurations that can entirely transform your audio.
To achieve this, access your TV’s settings and navigate to the Sound/Audio section. Typically, lowering the “Bass” and raising the “Treble” enhances clarity, but there isn’t a universal setting that fits all. Therefore, you will need to experiment with various combinations until the audio quality enhances and dialogue becomes more distinct. Additionally, if there are pre-set sound modes such as Movie, Standard, or Speech Boost, give them a try. It’s quite likely that switching to Movie or Speech Boost may prove beneficial.
Some contemporary televisions are equipped with automatic sound calibration features, like Panasonic’s Space Tune, which automatically fine-tune the output according to the room’s arrangement. The TV will transmit a sequence of test signals to assess its distance from walls, objects, and the viewer, then adjust elements like frequency, treble, and bass for optimal performance. If your TV possesses a similar feature,
Top 4 Essential Costco Home Audio Products and 2 to Avoid
Sonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar delivers 3D surround sound experiences for any space utilizing Dolby Atmos technology. It features a built-in voice assistant, and is also compatible with popular smart home assistants — like Alexa and Google Assistant — for instant commands. Furthermore, the soundbar’s compact design allows for convenient placement in your area. Currently, this soundbar is priced at $499.99 at Costco and boasts an impressive average rating of 4.5 stars.
This speaker includes a single center tweeter and four elliptical midwoofers to ensure a well-rounded audio experience. Additionally, you can integrate separate subwoofers for an even richer, deeper sound. The speakers are designed to support top-tier music formats, such as Dolby Atmos Music, enabled by a chip that operates 40% faster than its last version.
The BGR team has identified the Sonos Beam Gen 2 as one of the finest TV soundbars for sound enthusiasts. It delivers a robust bass response capable of producing remarkably clear low-frequency sounds, including kicks and explosions. CNET mentions that this speaker is “worth the investment,” considering its enhanced sound performance. RTINGS.com also highlighted its suitability for smaller living spaces due to its portable design, specifically praising the clarity of its mid-range audio.
Acquire: Sonos Era 100 Wireless Smart Speaker Set
The Sonos Era 100, offered at Costco for $409.99, comes with several new features not present in its predecessor, the Sonos One, including Bluetooth compatibility, stereo playback, and a USB-C line-in option. Although the Era 100 does not directly support Google Assistant, Sonos’ exclusive system — Sonos Voice Control — provides effortless management of music playback and access to
Amazon Shoppers Commend Smart Water Bottle as ‘The Ultimate Invention Ever’
Water constitutes approximately 50% to 65% of an individual’s body weight and plays a key role in regulating temperature, facilitating digestion and nutrient absorption, as well as aiding in waste elimination. However, numerous individuals may fall short of the advised daily water intake, which is roughly eight glasses. If you ever realize you’re not hydrating enough, you might want to explore the WaterH Boost Smart Water Bottle. It pairs with your smartphone to assist in tracking your hydration habits.
Boasting an average rating of 4.3 stars on Amazon from more than 1,800 reviews, the Boost Smart Water Bottle enjoys popularity among users. One customer described the WaterH bottle as “incredible,” claiming it’s the “best invention ever.” Another reviewer mentioned that “the drinking reminders are incredibly helpful, I’m consuming significantly more and actually reaching my target.” Like all great gadgets and tech worth trying, this smart water bottle includes practical features such as sending hourly reminders to hydrate and illuminating a visual signal if notifications are ignored.
Advanced features of the WaterH water bottle
Typically priced at $54.99 for the 32-ounce variant, the Boost water bottle is currently available at a 15% discount. Constructed from stainless steel, it is BPA-free, and the water bottle is dishwasher safe. It comes in various colors, and its triple-walled vacuum insulation ensures drinks remain hot or cold. One 5-star reviewer pointed out that, despite the insulation, the WaterH bottle fits perfectly in their vehicle’s cup holder.
This innovative water bottle is equipped with a USB-C charging port and has a battery life rated for up to two weeks. The Boost Smart Water Bottle is among the many devices that link to your smartphone via Bluetooth, but you’ll need to download the app that tracks your statistics and provides insights. According to WaterH, an AI algorithm assesses your water consumption by measuring the flow rate and the bottle’s angle. The bottle lid folds back 180 degrees, and users can set a daily hydration target that can be shared with friends, making it an ideal tech gift for individuals who seem to have it all.
Cost-Effective Beauty Devices That Are Worth the Splurge
the most adorable tech accessories available on Amazon to complement your possible new appearance. Shoppers on Amazon rate each of these items highly, and many of them also provide a variety of color choices for those who enjoy coordinating hues.
AquaSonic Black Series Ultra Whitening Toothbrush
Maintaining proper oral care is beneficial for steering clear of dental visits or even machines executing autonomous procedures on a live subject for the first occasion. With an average price of $49.95, the AquaSonic Black Series Ultra Whitening Toothbrush
US Customs Obliterates Unique Gaming Relic
The internet transformed the shopping landscape. While you can buy a myriad of practical gadgets through platforms like Amazon, several retailers offer the chance to acquire distinctive and unique items that aren’t typically available on that site — or in the U.S., for that matter. Nevertheless, this ease comes with the downside of your product potentially being damaged during shipping, and the disappointment is even greater when the item is exceptionally rare. Especially when you can identify a specific party responsible.
On February 26, Philip Peng (commonly recognized by his Twitter/X username “Keripo”) shared some distressing news: A game he had ordered some time ago, “Tsukihime Trial Edition,” arrived in ruins. The protective bubble wrap had been taken off and the floppy disk was shredded, as if someone had torn it apart with their bare hands. He was understandably upset (as any person in his situation would be), but he also uncovered a possible clue: The package bore a tape that read “Opened and resealed by customs.”
The prevailing theory suggests that someone at U.S. Customs opened the package and intentionally damaged the floppy disk, as Peng noted that the seller took significant measures to safeguard the product and provided photos as evidence. Additionally, in another post, Peng mentioned that the package was at one point “stuck in Customs for additional inspection.” Peng indicated that he intends to file a report regarding the incident. If his allegations are accurate, this could potentially deter many individuals from ordering products from overseas (Peng sourced his copy from a collector in Portugal), particularly rare video games.
What renders Tsukihime Trial Edition so precious?
Although many gamers lean towards playing the latest releases, or modify older consoles for new uses, some are devoted to the discipline of preserving the oldest video games for future generations. Yet “Tsukihime Trial Edition” is not just any old game; it’s a rare title that offers a glimpse into the history of a developer prior to its rise to fame.
The game “Tsukihime” is an adult visual novel (essentially a choose your own adventure story in video game format) created by Type-Moon. “Tsukihime” represents the studio’s debut title, and nearly all of their future games are derivatives of “Tsukihime.” However, you might ask what makes the “Trial Version” edition so notable, especially since you can play a remake of the original game (or at least parts of it) on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. To begin with, “Tsukihime Trial Edition” is an early preview from before the finalization of the game. Game historians relish dissecting beta builds to see what modifications studios made during development. It provides insights into and aids in a deeper appreciation of the game development journey.
The obliteration of this specific floppy disk is particularly newsworthy because “Tsukihime Trial Edition” ranks among the rarest games extant. This demo version was sold at the 1999 Comiket convention for 100 yen per copy, and the developers produced only 50 copies. The rarer a video game is, even a demo disc, the higher the price that game preservationists are willing to pay — just observe how much the Nintendo PlayStation prototype fetched at an auction. Thanks to U.S. Customs (presumably), there are now at most 49 copies of “Tsukihime Trial Version” remaining, so it’s uncertain if another will emerge.
Aging Hard Drives Gaining Worth Amid Rising Security Issues
price increase across numerous PC components such as memory, GPUs, and SSDs. Nonetheless, hard drives (or HDDs) remained mostly unaffected as they are viewed as outdated technology since contemporary SSDs offer significantly enhanced performance. However, HDDs have a distinct advantage: providing large amounts of data storage at a low cost. This has led to their rising applications, particularly as the price difference between HDDs and SSDs continues to grow.
Firms within the AI and cloud sectors are purchasing storage drives in massive volumes. This impacts both availability and pricing. Consequently, your old hard drives have unexpectedly gained value, serving not just as backup solutions but also as primary storage options at home, as it will take considerable time before the demand for hardware normalizes.
Western Digital is out of stock until 2026
