VR training is booming in baseball. The Nats haven't fully bought in.
About four hours before a March home game, Alex Call rummaged around in his locker, pulled out a white Oculus virtual reality headset and rushed out of the Washington Nationals' clubhouse. Within a minute, he was in the batter's box at Denver's Coors Field. A few seconds later, Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola was on the mound.
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CNN
18 minutes ago
- CNN
These 15 best Target 4th of July deals are worth shopping before the holiday weekend
Whether you're hosting for the holiday weekend or want to take advantage of the underrated list of deals, Target's 4th of July sale is delivering savings across the board. From deep discounts on patio furniture and grills to markdowns on tech, fashion and everyday essentials, this is one of those rare moments when you can save big just days ahead of the real thing. I've been tracking all the early sales and combed through the best 4th of July deals at Target to highlight what's worth your time and money, because much like the fireworks, these savings won't stick around for long. JBL Clip 5 The JBL Clip 5 is a compact, portable Bluetooth speaker that punches well above its weight with crisp sound, deep bass and a rugged, waterproof design. Its built-in clip easily attaches to bags or beach chairs, making it a perfect companion for summer adventures. It's on sale for $60 during Target's 4th of July sale. Beats Studio Pro Perfect for busy days on the go, the Beats Studio Pro offers premium sound and up to 40 hours of battery life. With active noise cancellation and Transparency Mode, you control how much of the outside world you hear, whether commuting or working. They're a smart upgrade at $50 our review Samsung Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV Target drops the 55-inch model to just $330, making it an ideal upgrade for anyone craving a cinematic experience without splurging. With its sleek design and smooth Tizen interface, this TV effortlessly elevates any living space, whether it's your main entertainment hub or a cozy guest room. Apple 11-Inch iPad Pro M4 This powerhouse tablet combines impressive speed with a stunning display, making multitasking and creative work feel effortless. Our experts praised its seamless performance during testing. Now on sale at Target, it's an ideal time to upgrade to this sleek, versatile our review Samsung 3.0Ch Soundbar With Built-in Woofer Consider this soundbar a simple, stylish way to boost your TV's sound without extra speakers cluttering your space. It delivers clear dialogue and rich, full sound that makes movies and music feel more immersive. Right now at Target, it's on sale for $50 off. Best Choice Products Folding Adirondack Chair Crafted from natural hemlock wood, this classic reclining chair folds up for easy storage and portability, perfect for patios, gardens or beach trips. Starting at $50, it's an affordable option to enhance your outdoor space without compromising on style or comfort. Costway Patio Rattan Furniture Set Gather your guests and seat them on this furniture set that allows for various configurations on patios, balconies or gardens. Discounted by a staggering 63%, it's an attractive option for those looking to enhance their outdoor area without breaking the bank. Blackstone 28-Inch Omnivore Griddle Fire up your summer cookouts with the Blackstone 28-Inch Omnivore Griddle. This versatile flat-top grill is perfect for everything from pancakes to burgers, with plenty of cooking space and even heat distribution. Snag it now at a discounted price and upgrade your backyard BBQ game while the deal lasts. Costway Outdoor Patio Lounge Chairs, Set of 2 Soak up the sun in style with this set of two patio lounge chairs, now on sale at Target. Designed with adjustable backrests and breathable fabric, they're perfect for poolside relaxation or backyard lounging. Score it for as much as 61% off. Ninja Woodfire 8-in-1 Outdoor Smoker Pizza Oven This compact, multifunctional outdoor oven is a game-changer for summer hosting — capable of wood-fired pizza, perfectly crisp vegetables, and even charred seafood like salmon. It's your patio's culinary centerpiece. Read our review Nespresso VertuoPlus Single-Serve Coffee Maker and Espresso Machine by Breville Perfect timing to upgrade your daily brew, this bestselling Nespresso coffee maker and espresso machine is down to just $119. With one-touch brewing and four cup sizes, it delivers barista-quality drinks in about 15 seconds. The hassle-free countertop companion is made even sweeter by this deal. Cuisinart 1800W Air Fryer Toaster Oven Stainless Steel Finish Cuisinart's versatile countertop appliance delivers settings like air fry, convection bake, broil, toast, dehydrate, and warm — all in a sleek stainless steel body. It's roomy enough for 3 pounds of wings or a 12-inch pizza, and it's an unbeatable kitchen upgrade while this 48% deal lasts. Ninja Crispi Our best-tested air fryer, the Ninja Crispi, delivers fast, crispy results with its bevy of frying modes, complete with dishwasher-safe glass containers that go from kitchen to table to fridge — perfect for meal prep or single‑serve snacks. Read our review GE Profile Hearth & Hand Opal Nugget Ice Maker Chill your summer beverages with this minimalist ice maker from the limited Magnolia collab. It churns out up to 34 lbs of soft, chewable nugget ice per day. It's racking up a cool $150 in savings. Mueller French Press Coffee Maker Brew like a barista with the Mueller coffee maker. Outfitted in a sleek, silver chrome aesthetic, this stainless steel French press brings rich, bold brews to your mornings — no plugs or pods needed. Target's best 4th of July sales land at a perfect moment in the retail calendar — right when summer is in full swing, but brands are already starting to clear shelves for incoming fall inventory. That timing translates to real, meaningful discounts on seasonal items you'll actually use right now, like patio furniture, grills, summer clothing and outdoor gear. It's also one of the few times you'll see deals on everyday essentials — from household goods to pantry staples — making it a smart opportunity to save on things you're already planning to buy. With fast, free shipping options and extra perks for RedCard holders and Circle members, the convenience factor is high. Thanks to Target's flexible return policy, there's little downside to taking advantage of the deals. CNN Underscored's deals editors look out for your wallet daily, scouring sales every morning. We tap a range of techniques and consider a variety of factors to determine whether a deal is worthy of coverage, such as price history checks, available coupon codes and competitor pricing. Our team, consisting of senior editor Rikka Altland, editor Jacqueline Saguin and associate editor Elena Matarazzo, is passionate about unearthing deals that we would be tempted to shop, and enjoy finding a great deal on a coveted item (especially one that's top-tested by our experts) because it means that we're helping our readers make savvy buying decisions.
Fox News
19 minutes ago
- Fox News
Plan an epic Independence Day movie marathon with these TVs and projectors
Whether hosting a backyard cookout or enjoying some quiet time with family, the long holiday weekend offers the perfect opportunity to indulge in classic Independence Day-themed movies that capture the essence of freedom, bravery and patriotism. If you plan to enjoy high-definition movies this Independence Day weekend, upgrading to a new TV or projector for indoor or outdoor use can significantly enhance your viewing experience. Planning an outdoor movie night for the long holiday weekend? We've got you covered with our full guide here. Original price: $1,396.99 If you're seeking top-tier picture quality and immersive viewing, the LG OLED evo AI C5 smart 4K TV is an excellent choice. It offers vibrant colors and deep blacks, making it ideal for cinematic appearances. Sony BRAVIA XR A95L QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV is an excellent choice. It delivers exceptional contrast and color accuracy, perfect for a theater-like experience at home. The TCL Q6-Series 4K UHD Smart TV with Google provides great value, so you don't have to choose between a user-friendly interface and solid picture quality. It comes in 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch iterations. Original price: $249.99 The Roku Smart TV 43-inch Select Series 4K HDR is known for its brilliant picture and straightforward streaming capabilities. With features like fast Wi-Fi connectivity and apps that launch in seconds, streaming has never been easier. The Vankyo Leisure 470 features a built-in Roku Express, giving you access to apps without the need for a streaming stick. It supports screen sizes from 39 to 200 inches, has a brightness of 120 lumens and comes with a built-in speaker. Original price: $1,699.99 The XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector offers 4K resolution for an incredibly crisp and detailed image. It is easy to set up and features standout capabilities, including built-in studio sound, autofocus and auto-keystone correction, which corrects distorted images. Original price: $899.99 The Epson EpiqVision Mini series has excellent picture quality and brightness that can project a picture up to 150 inches. The projector includes Google TV with access to streaming apps from the Google Play Store, including Netflix and Disney plus. This sci-fi blockbuster stars Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman as they lead a fight against a massive alien invasion. With its thrilling action sequences and memorable presidential speech, the aptly-named Independence Day has become a staple of July 4th movie marathons. As with any great film, there's a sequel, so be sure to check out Independence Day: Resurgence. Don't forget to grab this fleece American Flag throw before you cozy up on the couch and hit play. Set during the American Revolutionary War, this historical drama features Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, a peaceful farmer who becomes a reluctant war hero after his family is threatened. The film combines personal sacrifice with the broader struggle for independence. Add We Were Soldiers and Saving Private Ryan to your watch list if you're a war movie buff. While you may remember to pick up that post-cookout s'mores kit, don't get caught on the couch without the movie night essential: a gourmet popcorn kit. In Top Gun, Tom Cruise (who famously does all his own stunts) stars as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, a daring naval aviator training at the elite Top Gun school. It captures the thrill of aerial combat and the camaraderie among pilots, making it an exhilarating watch for Independence Day. You can also enjoy the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick, starring Cruise again. Another patriotic Tom Cruise flick, this biographical drama tells the story of Ron Kovic, a Vietnam War veteran who becomes an anti-war activist. Directed by the legendary Oliver Stone, the film explores patriotism, sacrifice, the complexities of war and a sobering reflection on the true cost of freedom. If you like this type of film, you might also enjoy Robin Williams in Good Morning, Vietnam, as a comical but controversial radio DJ during the Vietnam War. Harrison Ford portrays the President in this action-packed thriller from 1997, where the plot centers around terrorists hijacking Air Force One. If you like a film that combines suspense with a strong sense of duty and leadership, consider Clint Eastwood in In the Line of Fire, which streams free on Tubi. This musical adaptation of the Broadway play brings to life the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. With its engaging songs and historical context, 1776 offers an entertaining way to learn about America's founding. In that same vein, also consider streaming Hamilton on Hulu. In this heartwarming tale, Tom Hanks stars as Forrest Gump, a man with a low IQ who unwittingly plays a role in numerous significant 20th-century historical events. If you're a Hulu subscriber, the movie will start streaming there on July 1st. If you want to get inspired, consider the 1989 flick Field of Dreams. Glory is a powerful Civil War drama that tells the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the first African-American unit in the Union Army. Led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, played by Matthew Broderick, and featuring an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington, the film delves into the bravery and struggles of the soldiers as they fight the Confederacy and prejudice within their ranks. You might also consider Gettysburg, but only if you've got some time on your hands. This extended version runs four hours and 30 minutes. In National Treasure, Nicolas Cage stars as a historian and treasure hunter who embarks on a quest to uncover a hidden trove linked to America's founding fathers. The adventure takes a thrilling turn when Gates steals the Declaration of Independence to protect it from falling into the wrong hands. If action is your thing, prove which side of the Die Hard debate you're on and watch it on the 4th of July instead of Christmas. For more deals, visit Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger introduces audiences to Steve Rogers, a determined young man who transforms into a super-soldier during World War II. As he battles the villainous Red Skull and the HYDRA organization, Rogers embodies the ideals of courage and earns the title of Captain America. Make it a superhero movie marathon and stream Captain America: Brave New World.
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
When your AI assistant writes your performance review: A glimpse into the future of work
David Ferrucci is managing director of the nonprofit Institute for Advanced Enterprise AI at the Center for Global Enterprise When I asked my AI assistant how much time I'd spent working on a collaborative writing project with it, I wasn't expecting an existential reflection on the future of work. I just wanted a number. What I got instead was a full audit of my intellectual labor—what I had written, when, how it evolved, and how long I spent on each part. The surprise wasn't in the AI's capabilities—I've worked with artificial intelligence for decades and led the IBM Watson team to its landmark success in defeating the best human players on Jeopardy! in 2011. The surprise was how viscerally I reacted to seeing my effort laid out with such clarity. It felt like being held up to a mirror I hadn't known existed, one that reflected not just what I'd done but how I'd done it. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in our daily workflows, a new frontier is emerging for performance evaluation. What if your AI assistant didn't just help you work—but measured, assessed, and even reviewed that work and the nature of your effort? That question is no longer theoretical. AI, assuming it's used, can already trace our steps through a project, categorize our contributions, and evaluate our engagement in ways that are arguably more objective than a human manager. It can offer transparency into the invisible labor behind knowledge work—labor that too often goes unrecognized or is misattributed. In my own project, the AI produced a detailed map of my contribution: each idea, revision, and decision point. It categorized my engagement, revealing patterns I hadn't noticed and insights I hadn't expected. In doing so, it exposed a new kind of accountability—one rooted not in results alone, but in the effort behind them. This level of visibility could be transformative. Imagine being able to see precisely how team members contribute to a project—not just who speaks up in meetings (as evidenced by transcripts) or turns in polished presentations, but who drafts, refines, questions, and rethinks. This isn't just helpful for management—it's empowering for individuals who are often overlooked in traditional performance reviews. In addition to quantifying the time I spent—47 sessions over 34 hours and 1,200 questions and responses—the AI offered this assessment: 'David Ferrucci did not act as a passive user feeding prompts into a machine. Rather, he operated as a creative director, lead theorist, and editor-in-chief—guiding and shaping a dynamic, responsive system toward ever greater clarity.' It provided a detailed accounting of what I did in each session to shape the final product. It's also a little terrifying. With this transparency comes the risk of surveillance. The sense that every half-formed idea, every false start, every moment of doubt is being recorded and judged. Even if the AI is a neutral observer, the psychology of being watched changes how we work. Creativity requires a safe space to be messy. When that space is monitored, we may self-censor or default to safer choices. Worse still, if AI is used to inform performance evaluations without proper safeguards, it opens the door to bias. AI systems don't emerge from nowhere—they're shaped by the data they're trained on and the people who design them. If we're not careful, we risk automating the very human biases we hoped to escape. There's also the question of attribution. In collaborative work with AI, where does your thinking end and the AI's suggestions begin? Who owns the insights that emerge from a coauthored conversation? These are murky waters, especially when performance, promotion, and compensation are on the line. And yet, the potential remains powerful. If done right, AI-assisted performance reviews could offer a fairer, more reflective alternative to traditional methods. Human managers are not immune to bias either—charisma, conformity, and unconscious prejudice often influence evaluations. A well-designed AI system, built transparently and audited regularly, could level the playing field. To get there, we need strict design principles: Transparency: No black-box evaluations. People must understand how the AI is judging their work. Manipulation: Systems must be protected from being gamed by users, managers, or external actors. Consistency: Standards must apply equally across roles, teams, and time. Auditability: Like humans, AI should be accountable for bias and error. Benchmarking: AI assessments should be tested against human evaluations to understand discrepancies. Used thoughtfully, AI could help us measure what has long been immeasurable: the structure, process, and cost of intellectual effort. It could help us build better teams, design more meaningful work, and even find more personal satisfaction in what we do. But we must approach this future with caution. The goal isn't to let AI assign grades or replace managers. It's to enrich our understanding of work—who's doing it, how it's done, and how it can be better. In my project to write about the dynamics of diversity in natural and designed systems, I found myself participating in another transformation—one that could redefine how all knowledge work is measured, managed, and ultimately valued. The future of collaboration is not man versus machine, but man with machine—in an open, visible process where every contributor can see, learn from, and be fairly assessed for their effort. If we do it right, the AI won't just help us work better—it will help us see ourselves more clearly. The opinions expressed in commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. Read more: Informatica CEO: How to future-proof your career in the age of AI I've led teams at Google, Glean, and GrowthLoop. Here's why AI is making me a more human leader How to lead when machines can do everything (except be human) Why despite all the AI upheaval, there's never been a better time to be human This story was originally featured on
