Tech
What Type of Mattress Should You Choose?
This is especially applicable for areas where body weight is centralized when you’re lying down, particularly around the hips and shoulders. Pocketed coils are also meant to outperform traditional ones in the motion isolation arena, meaning that when you move around, the individual coil takes the heat motion-wise and stops the bed from reenacting a small earthquake. With the interconnectivity of traditional coils, it doesn’t take much for the feeling of movement to travel along the entire surface of the bed.
Fun fact: You do not need a box spring with a hybrid mattress. This is a recurring question I see, and pocketed coils in hybrids eliminate the need for one. Box springs were designed to give more support and elevate performance to traditional coil beds, which would align certain sections of coils to yield more support. Nowadays, you may actually void your warranty if you use a box spring with a hybrid mattress—be sure to check that fine print.
The Nolah Evolution seamlessly puts together some superb memory foam and pocketed coils, both of which counteract tension buildup for pressure points. I love it as an option for side sleepers for this reason, but it also works for back and stomach sleepers too. The coils also make it easy to move around on, which is helpful for co-sleepers.
Another solid hybrid we’ve tested is the Helix Midnight Luxe, which happens to be our top overall pick in our best mattresses guide. It also utilizes pressure-relieving foams and pocketed coils to provide targeted lumbar support.
Memory Foam
We actually have NASA to thank for this one. If you google images of those early space missions, it’s no wonder that something was needed to keep astronauts from being jostled around inside rockets; hence, memory foam was born. It’s evolved quite a bit from those initial iterations, especially when Tempur-Pedic came onto the scene in the ’80s with a vision for it to become the basis of sleep products. Today, memory foam stands in a league of its own when it comes to the unique, compressive feel.
Memory foam is more of an umbrella term for all the iterations mattress brands have come up with today, but let’s refer to the mattress manufacturing expert for this one.
“Memory foam is produced by combining liquid polyurethane with various chemicals, like polyols and isocyanates, to enhance its viscosity and density,” says Merwin. Without whipping out the periodic table of elements and giving you a science lesson in the chemical components of this material, here’s the need-to-know: These compounds form a malleable foam that holds teeny-tiny bubbles within it. How it works is, as you lie on it, your body imparts heat onto the surface, flowing into these air pockets, which in turn allows it to become softer to contour around your body.
But for the science enthusiasts reading this, Merwin’s got you covered: “The key ingredient is a polymer that creates an open-cell structure, which allows the material to respond to heat and pressure. This is what gives memory foam its signature contouring or ‘hugging’ feel. During the manufacturing process, the liquid foam mixture is poured onto a moving line, where it expands and solidifies into large foam blocks, which we call ‘buns.’ At a high level, it’s a blend of chemistry and precision that transforms raw materials into a high-quality product.”
To say it’s a natural fit for those who need pressure relief from their mattress may be a bit too on the nose, but it’s arguably the most standout feature of this material. It also lessens the feeling of movement for the most restless of sleepers, which also makes it an attractive option for couples. Arguably, the biggest issue that plagues memory foam is heat retention, since once the heat has entered into these air chambers, it turns into something akin to microscopic saunas that can make the overall mattress into a nightmare for those who sleep warm. This is where the various iterations of foam come into play, as some brands infuse elements like graphite, copper, gel, or more advanced cooling technology like phase-change materials into the foams that they use.
Three layers of foam make up the Bear Original, but its certifications and cooling cover are here to help dispel any rumors that circulate about the downsides of memory foam. You won’t find any eyebrow-raising chemicals here thanks to CertiPur-US and GreenGuard Gold certifications. Plus, you can add on a Celliant cover for a cooled-down feel.
The Nectar Premier is another memory foam option we’ve tested and liked, especially for side sleepers. Its foam layers are stacked so that you feel more pressure relief on top, but get more than enough support via a firmer foam layer at the bottom.
Latex
The same stuff that goes into tires, balloons, and sports equipment can also be used for mattresses—and it’s the good stuff, too. Latex acts similarly to memory foam when it comes to pressure relief, but is far more reactive to you moving around. Think of a rubber band snapping back into shape when released; it’s pretty dang close to that. Many brands rely on organic rubber sap to create latex as we know it, and there are two categories of latex foam you’ll usually find with mattresses: Dunlop and Talalay. These names refer to the production process and resulting product, as liquid rubber is poured into molds, torched at high temperatures (called “vulcanization” and yes, I have to resist doing Spock’s “live long and prosper” hand signal every time), and flash-frozen to retain the feel. Dunlop is a firmer latex foam, and hence, firmer feel. Talalay yields a more plush feel. Latex is generally pretty even-keeled when it comes to temperature, too, keeping heat from accumulating within your mattress to maintain a nice, room-temperature feel.
WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson has applauded the organic latex construction of the Birch Luxe Natural, citing great support for the lower back region and good temperature regulation.
Smart Mattresses/Adjustable Beds
The mechanics behind smart or adjustable mattresses involve air chambers that can inflate or deflate on command, letting you adjust your firmness level via controller or remote control (depending on the model or brand).
Features can vary among brands, especially depending on whether you opt for the brand’s base as well. By itself, a smart mattress can go firmer or softer at the touch of a button, and some models may be composed exclusively of foam layers over an air-chamber core. In the case of the Sleep Number P6 mattress, which I happen to be testing at the moment, there are zoned mini air chambers beneath the cover that instantly respond to high-pressure areas and adjust support levels accordingly.
Tech
The Tech Elites in the Epstein Files
“I had very little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitations to go to his island or fly on his ‘Lolita Express,’ but was well aware that some email correspondence with him could be misinterpreted and used by detractors to smear my name,” Musk said in a post on X on Saturday. “I don’t care about that, but what I do care about is that we at least attempt to prosecute those who committed serious crimes with Epstein, especially regarding heinous exploitation of underage girls.” Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from WIRED.
Larry Page (314 Files), Sergey Brin (294 Files)
The Google cofounders appear in the Epstein files roughly the same number of times, and both have been linked to Epstein previously. Page and Brin were both issued subpoenas in 2023 related to a civil lawsuit by the US Virgin Islands against JP Morgan Chase tied to Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes. In court documents related to Virginia Giuffre’s defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, which were unsealed in 2024, Epstein victim Sarah Ransome alleged that she had met Brin and his fiancée, Anne Wojcicki, prior to their 2007 wedding, “when they visited the island for the day.”
The recently released DOJ files provide a much fuller picture of their relationships with Epstein, particularly for Brin. An email exchange in April 2003 with Ghislaine Maxwell suggests that Brin had dinner at Epstein’s New York townhouse that month. (“Dinners at Jeffrey’s are always happily casual and relaxed,” Maxwell wrote.) In it, Brin offered to invite “our CEO Eric,” referring to Google’s then CEO Eric Schmidt, though he says that Schmidt’s “schedule will probably be a bit more packed,” and there is no indication Schmidt attended.
Page also appears to have dined with Epstein. “David Gergen is asking who was at the lunch or dinner years ago when he came=to your house and the Google guys were there (Larry Page and Sergey Brin),” Groff wrote to Epstein in 2015. There are references in the files, too, to purported business dealings between Page and Epstein. “Larry Page’s chief pilot, Tony contacted Nicolas today and is interested ‘again’ using your Bell 407 for the St. Barts operation,” says an email to Epstein from a redacted address sent on December 23, 2010, followed by a breakdown of the potential associated fees. The Bell 407 is a type of helicopter; emails show that an entity called “Air Ghislaine Inc” purchased one on October 30, 2002. The “St. Barts operation” appears to be a visit; Epstein was notified in an email later that same day that “Larry Page has changed his mind and will use boat to st barts.”
On another occasion, Epstein emailed a link to a news story about Google testing “internet-broadcasting drones” in New Mexico to a redacted address. “You can tell larry page that they can use my runway =s most of this land is my ranch,” he wrote. There’s no indication that this happened. Alphabet did not immediately respond to a request for comment from WIRED. Anne Wojcicki did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mark Zuckerberg (282 Files), Jeff Bezos (196 Files), Eric Schmidt (193 Files)
While Epstein appeared to email primarily about Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg rather than with him, the files do indicate at least one occasion when the two met. They were both on an invite list emailed by Reid Hoffman’s assistant for a dinner on August 2, 2015, with neuroscientist Ed Boyden. Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Joi Ito were among the other invitees. Hoffman followed up a few days later with an email to Zuckerberg and Epstein with the subject line “intros.” “Jeffrey, Zuck,” the message reads, “email connections from the Ed Boyden dinner — so that convo can continue.”
There’s no indication that Zuckerberg ever responded. And otherwise, Epstein appears to have spent far more time emailing about Zuckerberg—his marriage to Priscilla Chan, whether he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize—than with him.
Tech
Our Favorite Soundbar for Most People Is $50 Off
Tired of the crackly, flat audio that’s constantly blaring from your television’s built-in speakers? A sound bar is a simple and effective way to massively improve your movie nights, and our favorite pick for most people, the Yamaha SR-C30A, is currently marked down at Amazon. You can grab the soundbar and included subwoofer for just $230, a $50 discount from the usual price.
You don’t need to be a surround sound expert to get a big boost from the SR-C30A. Thanks to HDMI eARC, all you need to get up and running is an HDMI connection to the television, and power for both the soundbar and the subwoofer. Everything else, including matching volume and turning off the TV’s speakers, is handled instantly and automatically. There are handy presets for other functions too, like a mode specifically for playing video games, and a 3D movie mode that helps improve the spatial audio performance. Having used a similar Yamaha soundbar for several years, I found the “Clear Voice” function particularly useful for helping adjust the levels to help dialogue cut through the mix.
Unlike some of the other more expensive picks from our list, the SR-C30A comes bundled with a surprisingly adept subwoofer. The big, dedicated speaker can slide under or behind your couch, giving a huge boost to the cinematic experience, and making those action movie explosions really come through. It’s even wireless, so you don’t need to find room for it directly under your screen, which is particularly nice if you’re wall-mounting your TV or have a smaller entertainment stand.
If you’re limited on space for speakers, you should know that the SR-C30A does double duty as a dedicated speaker for music and podcasts too. With built-in Bluetooth, as well as an aux input, you can easily send your favorite songs over for some quick listening while working around the house or having folks over.
While we think the Yamaha SR-C30A is an excellent pick for anyone who just wants their soundbar to work without thinking about it much, we have a full roundup of the best soundbars that includes more premium picks.
Tech
The Best Floodlight Security Cameras for Your Home
Consider These Floodlight Cameras
Photograph: Simon Hill
Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi (Wired) for $230: Similar to our Reolink pick above, the difference with the Elite Floodlight is that it’s a fixed dual-lens camera designed to give you a wide 180-degree view (59 degrees vertically), rather than a pan-and-tilt camera. If you want a fixed camera to cover the entire side of a property, this could be a solid pick. It records up to 4K video at up to 20 frames per second, has a 105-decibel alarm, and supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6. The rest of the specs, including the two-panel, 3,000-lumen, adjustable temperature floodlight, match the TrackFlex above.
Google Nest Cam With Floodlight (Wired) for $280: This aging floodlight security camera might still be your best bet if you prefer Google Home and have a Nest doorbell. The limited 1080p resolution is mitigated by the high frame rate (30 fps), HDR, and decent 6X digital zoom. The two-panel floodlight can put out up to 2,400 lumens of warm (4,000K) light, and brightness is adjustable. Google’s AI detection is perhaps the smartest in the business, and this is a very reliable camera, but you must subscribe to make it worthwhile, as there’s no local recording option. Google Home Premium starts at $10 per month or $100 per year, but that covers all your devices. It might be best to wait, as Google recently released 2K Nest cameras, and there’s a decent chance it will update its floodlight camera soon.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Philips Hue Secure Camera for $130 and Discover Floodlight (Wired) for $160: Strictly speaking, these are two separate devices, but I used this setup at my old house, and it worked very well. If you’re invested in Hue lighting, the Discover Floodlight is one of my favorite outdoor lights and a versatile way to light up your space. It can put out 2,300 lumens, and you can tweak the temperature, color, and brightness easily in the Hue app, which also allows scheduling and animated scenes. Add a Philips Hue Secure Wired Camera and you can have it trigger the floodlight and any other Hue lights you have. It is only 1080p, but the wired camera worked well for me, triggering reliably, and Philips Hue now offers 24 hours of video history for free. But if you want the AI detection, back-to-back recording, activity zones, and 30 days of video history, you must subscribe for $40 a year for a single camera.
Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera (Battery) for $250: An obvious pick for folks with an Arlo system, this battery-powered camera allows for a wireless install, though you will need to charge it. It offers up to 2K footage with HDR and Arlo’s excellent app and alert system, though you need an Arlo Secure plan ($10 per month or $96 a year for a single camera, $20 per month or $216 a year for unlimited cameras). The floodlight is a single panel that flanks the face of the camera and delivers up to 2,000 lumens. You can boost the brightness to 3,000 lumens and eliminate event recording delays with the Arlo Outdoor Charging Cable ($50), though you’ll need to run it to an outlet. Arlo has a newer, wired floodlight camera that I plan to test soon.
Eve Outdoor Cam (Wired) for $249: This stylish floodlight camera can replace an outdoor light to give you a motion-activated light (up to 1,500 lumens), 1080p video (157-degree field of view), and two-way audio. As a HomeKit camera, you will need an Apple HomeKit hub (Apple TV, HomePod, or iPad) and an iCloud+ storage plan. Sadly, the video and sound quality are only average. This camera also only works on 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi, and there’s no Android support.
Floodlight Cameras We Don’t Recommend
Toucan Security Floodlight Camera (Wired) for $80: You can plug this camera into an outlet, and it comes with an 8-meter waterproof cable. It has a motion-activated light (1,200 lumens), records 1080p video, and supports two-way audio. I found the footage quite detailed, but it struggled with direct sunlight. You can record locally on a microSD card (sold separately) and get 24 hours of free cloud storage, but it has limitations. Plans start from $3 per month. Even with motion detection set to the lowest sensitivity, this camera triggered too often during testing, and there’s no way to filter for people, so I got frequent false positives (blowing leaves, moths, and birds all triggered alerts).
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