Desks fill up fast. A nice monitor and laptop sit on a surface that slowly accumulates cables, notebooks, charging docks, and random accessories. The usual fixes are cheap monitor risers, plastic drawer units, and cable trays that solve one problem but add visual noise. The Oakywood Desk Shelf Pro tries to handle ergonomics and organization without making the desk look busier, treating the riser as solid-wood furniture instead of an accessory.
Desk Shelf Pro is an all-in-one desk shelf that lifts your monitor, hides clutter, and adds a second functional level to the workspace. It combines a long, rounded wooden platform with powder-coated steel legs, integrated drawers, and a felt-lined open shelf. It is built from solid oak or walnut, not MDF with a plastic skin, so it feels like part of the desk rather than something perched on top.
The shelf spans the width of the desk, raising a monitor to a more natural eye level while leaving space underneath for a keyboard or laptop. Steel legs sit at each end, creating a floating effect and a central bay that becomes a home for devices. The shelf holds up to 100 kg, so it can handle large displays, desktop machines, and accessories without flexing, even when you lean on it.
Storage splits between one or two solid-wood drawers built into the leg modules and an open shelf running between them. The drawers swallow stationery, notebooks, and small tech, keeping the desktop clear. The open shelf is lined with merino wool felt, which protects tablets, trackpads, or a closed laptop from scratches and adds a soft, tactile layer that contrasts with the wood and steel.
Oakywood contrasts solid wood against plastic laminate, highlighting warm, unique grain versus uniform texture, durability that improves with age versus chipping and peeling, and the ability to refresh the surface with natural oils instead of replacing it. The felt is OEKO-TEX-certified merino wool, and the legs are powder-coated steel, so every major component is designed to last and age gracefully instead of ending up replaced after a few years.
The shelf comes in oak for a lighter Scandinavian look, walnut for a richer studio vibe, or black-stained oak for a more dramatic setup. You can choose single or dual drawers depending on how much you like to hide, and black or white legs to match your hardware. It works equally well on a sit-stand desk or a fixed one, anchoring everything from a minimalist Mac setup to a more eclectic creative workstation.
Desk Shelf Pro changes the feeling of sitting down to work. Instead of a scatter of objects, you get a clear plane of wood with a monitor, a few intentional items, and everything else tucked away but within reach. For people who spend all day at a desk, the combination of solid materials, hidden storage, and quiet ergonomics makes a case for treating a monitor riser as real furniture, something worth keeping for years instead of replacing when the next cheap organizer trend arrives.
This time of year is not only a good time to save on gifts, but also to save on tech you may need (or want) for yourself. If you've been thinking about upgrading your computer, you can save right now on Apple's Mac mini M4. The desktop is down to $479, which is 20 percent off its usual price and the same low price we saw during Black Friday.
Apple released the Mac mini M4 in late 2024 and we were impressed with how something so small could be so powerful. We gave it a 90 in our review, thanks to features like its speed and standard 16GB of RAM. The — currently — $479 base model also comes with 256GB of SSD. We were also happy to see it had front-facing USB-C and headphone ports.
If you really want to go all out for someone's gift (or for yourself) then you can buy one of the Mac mini M4's higher memory or storage options. You can pick up the Mac Mini M4 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD for $690, down from $799 — a 14 percent discount. Meanwhile, the 24GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD model is 11 percent off, dropping to $890 from $999.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-mac-mini-m4-is-on-sale-for-479-right-now-150041630.html?src=rss
Samsung appears to be preparing for a significant evolution in its Galaxy Z Fold series, as suggested by leaked images from a recent consumer survey. These potential changes could redefine the foldable smartphone landscape, addressing usability challenges while aligning with emerging industry trends. If implemented, the redesign could offer a more practical and versatile experience, […]
PayPal is the latest company looking to become a bank in the US. On Monday, the company announced it had submitted applications for PayPal Bank to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Utah Department of Financial Institutions (UDFI). PayPal is already a bank in Europe, based in Luxembourg.
According to PayPal, it has provided "over $30 billion in loans and working capital" for more than 420,000 business accounts globally. PayPal puts its focus on small businesses in pitching the need for a US bank. "Securing capital remains a significant hurdle for small businesses striving to grow and scale," Alex Chriss, president and CEO of PayPal, said in a release. "Establishing PayPal Bank will strengthen our business and improve our efficiency, enabling us to better support small business growth and economic opportunities across the US."
PayPal also plans to provide "interest-bearing saving accounts" as a bank. If approved, it would be chartered in Utah.
Applications to become a bank have popped up left and right this year, with approval odds increasing under the Trump administration. On Friday, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced that five cryptocurrency companies, including BitGo, Circle and Ripple, received conditional approval to become federally charted trust banks.
"New entrants into the federal banking sector are good for consumers, the banking industry and the economy," the OCC's comptroller Jonathan V. Gould stated in the announcement. "They provide access to new products, services and sources of credit to consumers, and ensure a dynamic, competitive and diverse banking system."
Other companies such as Nissan and Sony have also submitted applications to form a bank.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/paypal-applies-to-become-a-bank-under-trumps-looser-financial-rules-143025772.html?src=rss
You know what’s annoying about camping? You’re out there trying to enjoy nature, breathe in the fresh air, and cook a decent meal, but then you realize your cutting board is wedged under the cooler, your knife is somewhere in the depths of your trunk, and everything you need for meal prep is scattered across three different bags. It’s chaos, and not the fun kind.
Enter the Gerber ComplEAT Cutting Board Set, which is basically what happens when someone finally asks the right question: what if your entire camp kitchen could pack itself into something the size of a shoebox? This six-piece set is like the Russian nesting doll of outdoor cooking gear, and honestly, it’s kind of brilliant.
The whole thing starts with two cutting boards. One is bamboo, measuring about 9.6 by 15.6 inches, and the other is polypropylene, slightly smaller at 8.9 by 14.3 inches. Both are dual-sided with juice grooves, which means you can flip them depending on what you’re prepping. The bamboo board gives you that nice, knife-friendly surface for vegetables and bread, while the polypropylene one handles the messier stuff like raw meat without absorbing odors or staining. It’s the kind of thoughtful detail that shows someone actually tested this thing in the real world.
Tucked inside are two fixed-blade knives: a 3.25-inch paring knife and a 6-inch chef knife. These aren’t flimsy camping afterthoughts, either. They’re made with 4116 German stainless steel, which is corrosion-resistant and holds an edge really well. The handles are glass-filled polypropylene with a rubber overmold for grip, and there’s even a lanyard hole if you want to tether them. According to reviews, these knives are legitimately sharp, the kind you’d be happy to use in your home kitchen.
What makes this set stand out is how everything nests together. The knives fit into an inner tray, and that tray sits inside the base tray between the two cutting boards. Heavy-duty locks keep everything secure, so you’re not worried about sharp blades sliding around in your gear. When closed, the whole setup measures approximately 15.6 by 10 by 2.5 inches and weighs just over four pounds. That’s compact enough to slide into a car trunk, RV cabinet, or even a large backpack without monopolizing space.
The design is smart in those small, annoying-problem-solving ways. The cutting boards have rubber feet to keep them stable while you’re chopping on uneven surfaces, which is pretty much every surface when you’re camping. Everything is dishwasher safe, so cleanup isn’t a nightmare after a long day outdoors. And the inner tray doubles as storage for utensils or other small kitchen items, giving you a little extra organizational real estate.
Is it perfect? Well, at around $117, it’s definitely an investment. This isn’t something you casually toss in your cart unless you’re serious about outdoor cooking or you’ve had one too many experiences with bad camp knives. But if you’re the kind of person who actually enjoys making real meals while camping (or tailgating, van life-ing, or boat dwelling), the quality justifies the price. Reviews consistently mention that the knives alone make it worth it, and the fact that everything stores so neatly is a game changer.
Gerber designed the ComplEAT as part of a larger collection aimed at people who don’t want to sacrifice quality when they’re away from home. It’s for the folks who would rather grill fresh vegetables and sear a good steak over the fire than eat sad sandwiches out of a cooler. There’s something satisfying about gear that works hard and looks good doing it, and this set checks both boxes.
At its core, the ComplEAT Cutting Board Set is about solving a very specific problem: how do you bring a functional kitchen into the woods without it becoming a logistical nightmare? Gerber’s answer is elegantly simple. Pack smart, nest everything, and don’t compromise on the tools. It’s design meeting utility in the best possible way, wrapped up in a package that actually makes outdoor cooking feel less like roughing it and more like, well, eating well.
What if the future of coding wasn’t just about human ingenuity but also about how well AI could collaborate with us? In the race to redefine software development, two titans, OpenAI’s GPT-5.2 and Anthropic’s Opus 4.5—have emerged as frontrunners. Both models promise to transform the way we build applications, but their approaches couldn’t be more […]
The iOS 26.2 update brings a host of new features and improvements aimed at enhancing your device’s performance, security, and overall usability. However, to fully use these advancements, it’s important to review and adjust specific settings. The video below from iReviews outlines 12 essential settings you should modify immediately to optimize your device, extend battery […]
No matter what you think of James Cameron's Avatar movies, their technical ambitions are undeniable. Cameron developed his own camera system to shoot the first Avatar in 3D, but since most of the actors were digitally captured, he also had the freedom to construct scenes with a virtual camera after they were physically shot. For Avatar: The Way of Water, which arrived a whopping 13 years after the first film, Cameron also leaned into high frame rate footage and new ways of modeling natural fluid dynamics.
Even though the third entry, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is coming just a few years after the last sequel, I still expected Cameron to deliver some sort of new feat to wow audiences. He could have found a smoother way to employ high frame rate footage, so the film wasn't jarringly shifting between traditional 24 fps scenes and smoother 48 fps action shots. Maybe we'd see more natural interactions between live actors and virtual characters and environments (it sure is hard to beat Edie Falco suited up in a wicked exoskeleton in the last film, though).
Instead, Avatar: Fire and Ash is just another Avatar film — it doesn't push any boundaries, narratively or technically. And without any technical achievements to lean on, the narrative issues inherent with Avatar become all the more glaring.
It's still basically a story that places a clueless white dude in the middle of a fight between indigenous and colonialist powers. (Improbably, he's crowned one of the Na'vi's best warriors!). The script from Cameron and his co-writers (Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, continuing their work from The Way of Water) often hits identical beats to a low-rent CW show. And perhaps worst of all, the stakes of the story haven't really changed much. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family are still fighting off the militarized Resource Development Association (RDA), Col. Quaritch still holds a grudge from being killed (twice now!) and from the Sullies raising his Tarzan-like son, Spider (Jack Champion).
There’s an attempt to cast the Na’vi in a new light with the villainous Ash People, who spend their days attacking and stealing from other tribes. While most Na’vi people work cooperatively with other clans and share their reverence for Eywa, the collective consciousness of Pandora, the Ash People resent it for not saving their villages from natural disasters. Despite a deliciously evil performance by Oona Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin's grandaughter!) as Varang, the Ash People don't amount to much more than "evil Na'vi." When they inevitably work together with humans to attack other Na’vi, it doesn’t feel surprising in the least. Honestly, it’s a tad insulting.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
20th. Century Studios
Perhaps we've been spoiled by Cameron's last few films, but Avatar: Fire and Ash ultimately feels like more of the same. Even its massive final battle feels like a retread, since it’s set in the same ocean environment as The Way of Water and is once again focused on protecting psychic alien whales from humans. Cameron does let his action chops shine throughout the film, but after a certain point, trying to enjoy those sequences is like trying to eat a family-sized carton of ice cream by yourself. You’ll enjoy it for a little while, but eventually you’re left with a massive headache and sugar hangover.
It’s clear that James Cameron has built the Avatar franchise to explore everything he loves: Stories about protecting the environment, fighting against capitalist excess and kicking tons of ass. Parts of Avatar 4 have already been shot, and that film is expected to arrive in 2029. But I’m hoping the 71-year-old filmmaker eventually finds his way out of Pandora. He’s co-directing the Billie Eilish concert film, Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, so that’s a start. But I’m eager to see what other new worlds he can dream up.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/avatar-fire-and-ash-review-maybe-its-time-to-sunset-pandora-140000997.html?src=rss
This one's been a long time coming. Mercedes-Benz has been researching, refining and even reshaping the car that would ultimately be the CLA for years now, teasing us with technical briefings and even showing off a sultry crimson concept car a full two years ago.
That was the Concept CLA, and while the production CLA you see here doesn't look quite that good, it is a fine-looking little electric sedan. More importantly, it goes as far as you'd think its slippery, 0.21-coefficient-of-drag body would carry it: up to 374 miles on a charge.
With a $47,250 starting price, is this electric CLA the complete package? After spending a day behind the wheel of one, I think it might just be.
Higher density
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ EQ
Tim Stevens for Engadget
The CLA has long been Mercedes-Benz's most attainable sedan, a machine for those wanting something fun and stylish that offers a taste of the M-B lifestyle without breaking the bank.Attainability is still a big focus of this newly rebooted CLA, which serves as the debut venue for the company's latest generation of electrification. While most luxury auto makers would have you swing for their top-tier models to get the newest tech, Mercedes is actually bringing it to the lower end first.
The new CLA is built around a new battery pack that offers 20 percent more energy density than the company's previous EVs. There's a big boost in efficiency, too. Where the EQS, the company's current range meister, does up to 390 miles on a charge from roughly 110 kilowatt-hours, the CLA manages 374 miles from just 85. It's a much smaller car, sure, and lighter too at about 4,500 pounds versus 5,500 and up for the EQS, but there are bigger efficiencies at play here thanks to advanced motors and the aforementioned aerodynamics.
The CLA’s 0.21 coefficient of drag slots it right in between the 0.20 rating for the EQS sedan and 0.22 for the EQE. Crucially, though, despite being just as slippery as those cars, Mercedes-Benz's designers also managed to make the CLS stylish, a big step up from the efficient but amorphous profiles of its previous EVs.
That aerodynamic efficiency is a big part of what delivers the 374-mile range for the single-motor CLA 250+ with EQ Technology model, the formal and long-winded designation for what I drove. It delivers 268 horsepower through the rear wheels. Those wanting a bit more oomph can step up to the 349-hp, dual-motor, all-wheel-drive 350 4MATIC model. That extra power and low-grip surety costs an extra $2,550, but the bigger penalty is range: the dual-motor model maxes out at 312 miles on a charge. (There is a hybrid version of the new CLA coming as well, but we'll cover that on its own later.)
When it comes to charging, the new CLA impresses there, too. Charging at up to 320 kilowatts via the company's first NACS plug, the CLA adds a whopping 200 miles of range in 10 minutes. Weirdly, the car also has a separate, older-style J1772 plug for slower, level-two charging.
Accessible, not basic
The interior displays of the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ EQ
Tim Stevens for Engadget
As a more attainable machine, you wouldn't necessarily expect the CLA to be completely loaded with features. Still, tick enough boxes and you can definitely get it there. While it doesn't have the luscious, curving Hyperscreen display as the EQS, it does offer a similar experience called Superscreen. You can get up to three displays spread across the dashboard: a 10.25-inch gauge cluster on the left, a 14-inch touchscreen in the center and an optional third display (also 14 inches) on the right for the passenger to play Angry Birds or stream videos. If, for some reason, they wouldn't rather just look at their phone.
All those displays run the latest version of the MBUX user interface, similar to what we've seen in the company's other EVs, but it’s a bit simpler and easier to use here. That's backed by a wholly new system-level operating system called MB.OS running on NVIDIA silicon, also making its debut on the CLA. Mercedes says this not only has far more capability but can also be more comprehensively updated via the car's 5G connection.
One of the features in the latest Mercedes software is baked-in AI. Say "Hey, Mercedes," and you can not only change just about any setting in the car, but also engage in any number of inane conversations. I asked for a weather update for my next trip to Chicago, the latest releases from a few of my forgotten bands and even got an explanation of why the lyrics in the song "Water's Edge" by Seven Mary Three are so very creepy. (Don't go down there, friends.)
It's all reasonably snappy and quite useful, but not perfect. When I said "I'm hungry," I got a quick listing of restaurants and offers for quick routing. When I said, "I need a hospital," the system, flummoxed, just stopped talking to me. Thankfully, I did not need a hospital. I was actually feeling pretty okay.
That extensive software upgradability is also opening the door to a new era of car upgrades. Yes, the automotive DLC era is here, and you can pay extra to unlock additional active features like automated parking, navigation, a dashcam function and whatever else Mercedes-Benz's product planners can dream up in the future. Hopefully, there's no horse armor involved.
We'll see how that shakes out, but my only real complaint about the interior was that it felt a bit cramped. It's a sedan on the small side, sure, but the layout feels a bit claustrophobic. That dashboard with all the displays is situated nearly vertically, as are the sides of the center console. Sitting in the passenger seat felt like being tucked in a box.
Mind you, it was a very comfortable box, well-upholstered and featuring a lovely interior trim made of recycled paper, grooved to give the effect of a Zen garden. Headroom up front is generous and actually isn't too bad in the rear, but ducking under that sweeping roofline to get into the back seats requires a bit of flexibility.
Drive time
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ EQ
Tim Stevens for Engadget
Despite being the slowest electric CLA, this little sedan gets off the line quickly. A 6.6-second 0-to-60 time under-sells the feeling of instant acceleration and throttle response that make EVs so very compelling. You only start to feel the CLA's relative lack of horsepower at higher speeds, but even there, it's hardly lacking.
That made it a blast to scoot from light to light as I was escaping from San Francisco, but it was much more fun in the foothills of Mt. Tamalpais. The CLA's steering is light yet has good feedback. I could really feel the road beneath the front tires, making for a more engaging machine than I was expecting.
That battery pack in the floor keeps body roll in check, but a positively pliant suspension makes for a relaxed affair. The CLA did a great job of soaking up the countless imperfections in and around San Francisco, making for an extremely comfortable commuter, if one that felt a bit floaty at times.
It'll be a safe commuter, too. The car is festooned with sensors, including 10 cameras of various resolutions and focal lengths, five radar sensors firing in every direction and 12 ultrasonic sensors. You'll need to pay extra for the digital keys to unlock their full functionality, though, like advanced lane-keeping and automated lane changes. There's even an advanced, point-to-point driver assistance system coming called MB.DRIVE Assist Pro that'll let the car handle most of the steering — even on secondary roads. More details on that to come.
For now, the car did great at managing itself on the highway, changing lanes with enough initiative to get through commuter traffic without issue, and not only bringing itself to a complete stop in traffic, but resuming again as soon as the cars ahead moved.
It even delivered good efficiency. I saw 3.9 miles per kWh, which would equate to a theoretical 331 miles from the 85 kWh battery pack. That's despite my driving with a good amount of enthusiasm and a heavy right foot. Edmunds, driving more conservatively, got 434 miles from a single charge,
Wrap-up
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ EQ
Tim Stevens for Engadget
So the CLA looks great, drives well, has plenty of range and again, starting at $47,250, feels well-priced. Yes, you'll need to pay extra if you want to get all the toys, like the epic Dolby Atmos-capable Burmester sound system or the lovely Natural Fiber Zen interior trim. But when I ticked all the boxes I wanted, I still came out under $60,000. That put me about $5,000 below the base price of the company's next-bigger EV, the EQE.
The CLA really is a big step forward on the EV front, and it’s a car that's hard to fault. The new CLA is hitting dealerships presently, and I have a feeling you'll be seeing plenty of them on the road soon.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/mercedes-benz-cla-first-drive-head-of-the-ev-class-140000562.html?src=rss
The follow-up to a successful debut is often harder to make than the first, and that goes double when the inspiration for a show comes from the most beloved installment of the underlying franchise. That's precisely the challenge Fallout season 2 is facing as the TV series shifts its stage to the irradiated lights of New Vegas when the series returns on December 16 at 9PM ET/6PM PT on Prime Video. However, while other video game adaptations like The Last of Us suffered from a bit of a sophomore slump, Fallout continues to get more crass, vulgar and abrasive in the most entertaining ways.
Editor's note: We were provided the first six of eight episodes of Fallout season 2 for this review, so if the ending of this season misses its landing, blame The Enclave.
Season two picks up directly after the first as Lucy (played by Ella Purnelle) and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) make their way across the wasteland in pursuit of Lucy's father. And right away, we're instantly reminded of the magnetic chemistry between our leading lady vault dweller and her endearing naivete and our post-apocalyptic cowboy afflicted with dark pragmatism from having simply lived through too much. This simple combo not only often provides the setup for Lucy's signature catchphrase — which is both quaint and refreshing — it also sets the stage for some interesting plot points. Just hearing The Ghoul say things like "Do more drugs" with Goggin's classic drawl and without a hint of irony is a real treat.
There's never a dull moment when Lucy and The Ghoul are traveling together.
Prime Video
One of the potential pitfalls of a second season though, is an expanded storyline. That's because unlike the Fallout games where you get to steer the action, we're just here for the ride as we flip between Lucy's search for her father, the existential crises facing multiple vaults and an expanded role for Maximus (Aaron Moten) as he suddenly finds himself near the top of the Brotherhood of Steel's org chart.
But somehow, the showrunners have managed to make each branching path just as engaging as the others. There were hints of his range in the first season, but Moises Arias shines as Lucy's brother Norm as the leader of a new crew (I'm trying to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible) while Annabel O'Hagan as Overseer Harper does a fantastic job of switching between being out of her depth and completely unhinged at a moment's notice.
In season two, it feels like Aaron Moten's Maximus is so close to figuring out what kind of soldier he wants to be.
Prime Video
The one path that still feels like it hasn't fully hit its stride is Maximus', due in large part to the fact that the character's actions often feel like they are influenced more by circumstance than personal agency. In some ways, it's the continuation of someone defining their own morality, which rarely feels as convincing or driven as someone with a plan. But there's still intrigue there too.
Meanwhile, for fans of the games, the number of easter eggs and callbacks is downright delightful. The set design and cinematography make the wasteland a character in its own right, even if the last thing I want to see is someone eat flea soup. We're also treated to an ever-growing zoography of nuclear critters such as rad scorpions, all sorts of mutants and more, along with appearances from iconic characters like everyone's favorite cowboy-coded security robot. And I appreciate how the show spends a little extra time to go over the myriad of factions (like The Legion and the NCR), which pays homage to the core series while functioning as an interesting side quest at the same time.
With Overseer Harper at the helm, there's no telling what will happen to Vault 32.
Prime Video
With this much going on, it would be easy for a series to become overburdened. But the pacing isn't labored, because while the show doesn't actually get to New Vegas until episode four, the journey there was so entertaining that I didn't mind. Perhaps most importantly, even though it would be impossible to completely recreate New Vegas on TV (since you can’t choose your own adventure here like you can in the game), it really feels like Fallout's showrunners have nailed the balance between respecting the source material and tweaking the story to fit a different medium.
That's a big credit to the franchise, especially coming from a genre that often gets maligned for a lack of depth or nuance. But it's also a tribute to this series, which continues to be a prime example of how to make the jump from pixels to TV screens look gook. And after seeing The Last of Us stumble a bit during its second cour, I might even go so far as to say that Fallout is the best live-action video game crossover to date.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/fallout-season-2-review-viva-new-vegas-140000678.html?src=rss
