Latest news with #Instant
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Demand for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers WNBA cards continues to grow
The WNBA season is underway, and fans and card collectors are excited for what's to come. With the likes of Caitlin Clark, A'Ja Wilson and newcomer Paige Bueckers, collectors are waiting for the first cards of the season to drop. The good news is with Panini Instant, fans can grab cards of big moments as they happen. Panini's on-demand offering features highlights and big moments from throughout the season, which started with the WNBA Draft. Panini America saw big success with Instant last season, Clark's first year in the league. Not only was it a popular card release, but a Draft Night Clark 1-of-1 autographed parallel sold for $84,000 in September. The Panini Instant cards are important for WNBA — maybe even more so than in other sports. In women's basketball, the players go from college into the WNBA without much of a break in between. This doesn't give Panini a lot of time to get new products on the shelves because of the time needed to create a new card release. 'Panini Instant was so important because for us, it gave us the ability to get consumers into collecting 'W' products and getting excited for the W product,' said Jason Howarth, Panini's senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations. 'When we finally released that first product in August last year, people were ready to go for it.' Top of their class ☝️2025 #PaniniInstant WNBA Draft Night Trading Cards, including Autographs and Numbered Parallels, will be available for a limited time beginning tomorrow, Thursday April 17 at 2pm CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 17, 2025 This season, collectors won't have to wait as long for the first WNBA card product. There are five WNBA sets scheduled for this season — an all-time high for the league. The newest entry will be Donruss WNBA, which is scheduled for July. Donruss has made a name for itself in the modern collecting space, especially in football, where the popular Downtown inserts can be found. Downtown inserts will soon feature WNBA stars with this summer's release. 'Donruss will be awesome from a Downtown point of view,' Howarth said. Panini has built WNBA collecting since it took over the card license in 2019. Before that, there may have been one product a year and it often came as a complete factory set with a chance of autographs. That product made about $50,000 in sales a year, according to Howarth. Panini has revamped the WNBA card collecting space by making more traditional pack products, giving collectors a chase with parallels, rare inserts and autographs. As the WNBA has grown in popularity, so has the demand for cards, especially over the last year with Clark becoming the face of the league. 'I think you think there was a point in time where WNBA Prizm costs more on the secondary market than NBA Prizm,' Howarth said. 'I think that probably tells you the story about demand more than anything else. I think it always had a place in the category, but I think you saw a lot more migration and transition from other collectors of other core sports into the 'W,' and it is now viewed in that group of core sports. You've got the NFL, NBA, MLB, and now you've got the WNBA.' This year's offerings will look different again. There are five WNBA products scheduled, up from three last season, which was also up from two the year before. WNBA stars shine brightest in #PaniniPrizm WNBA White Sparkle ⚪ ✨ Available Monday April 7 at 11am CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 7, 2025 Last year saw the release of Panini Prizm (and the Monopoly version), Origins and Select. Previously, Panini also put out Revolutions. The release calendar is always a work in progress as the brand team finds the right pieces for the season. One thing they knew they needed for Clark's rookie season was Prizm to make its way to the WNBA. Prizm has become a staple for Panini and one of the most highly sought-after rookie cards. 'To have the class that we had last year and not have Prizm would have been a complete miss for us and collectors,' Howarth said. 'It would be one of those things that you look back on and wonder why Caitlin [Clark] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card or Angel [Reese] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card.' As the WNBA continues to grow, creating household names and superstars, the league continues to leave its mark. From the NCAA tournament, right into the WNBA Draft and then the start of the WNBA season. While big names like Clark and Reese created a buzz last season, there is no slowing down. 'This class is equally as exciting,' Howarth said. 'We've seen that both from a collectible point of view just off of the Draft Night cards that we released here a few weeks ago. Lots of excitement around the product and lots of excitement and anticipation for more 'W' products.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Demand for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers WNBA cards continues to grow
The WNBA season is underway, and fans and card collectors are excited for what's to come. With the likes of Caitlin Clark, A'Ja Wilson and newcomer Paige Bueckers, collectors are waiting for the first cards of the season to drop. The good news is with Panini Instant, fans can grab cards of big moments as they happen. Panini's on-demand offering features highlights and big moments from throughout the season, which started with the WNBA Draft. Panini America saw big success with Instant last season, Clark's first year in the league. Not only was it a popular card release, but a Draft Night Clark 1-of-1 autographed parallel sold for $84,000 in September. The Panini Instant cards are important for WNBA — maybe even more so than in other sports. In women's basketball, the players go from college into the WNBA without much of a break in between. This doesn't give Panini a lot of time to get new products on the shelves because of the time needed to create a new card release. 'Panini Instant was so important because for us, it gave us the ability to get consumers into collecting 'W' products and getting excited for the W product,' said Jason Howarth, Panini's senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations. 'When we finally released that first product in August last year, people were ready to go for it.' Top of their class ☝️2025 #PaniniInstant WNBA Draft Night Trading Cards, including Autographs and Numbered Parallels, will be available for a limited time beginning tomorrow, Thursday April 17 at 2pm CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 17, 2025 This season, collectors won't have to wait as long for the first WNBA card product. There are five WNBA sets scheduled for this season — an all-time high for the league. The newest entry will be Donruss WNBA, which is scheduled for July. Donruss has made a name for itself in the modern collecting space, especially in football, where the popular Downtown inserts can be found. Downtown inserts will soon feature WNBA stars with this summer's release. 'Donruss will be awesome from a Downtown point of view,' Howarth said. Panini has built WNBA collecting since it took over the card license in 2019. Before that, there may have been one product a year and it often came as a complete factory set with a chance of autographs. That product made about $50,000 in sales a year, according to Howarth. Panini has revamped the WNBA card collecting space by making more traditional pack products, giving collectors a chase with parallels, rare inserts and autographs. As the WNBA has grown in popularity, so has the demand for cards, especially over the last year with Clark becoming the face of the league. 'I think you think there was a point in time where WNBA Prizm costs more on the secondary market than NBA Prizm,' Howarth said. 'I think that probably tells you the story about demand more than anything else. I think it always had a place in the category, but I think you saw a lot more migration and transition from other collectors of other core sports into the 'W,' and it is now viewed in that group of core sports. You've got the NFL, NBA, MLB, and now you've got the WNBA.' This year's offerings will look different again. There are five WNBA products scheduled, up from three last season, which was also up from two the year before. WNBA stars shine brightest in #PaniniPrizm WNBA White Sparkle ⚪ ✨ Available Monday April 7 at 11am CT here: — Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) April 7, 2025 Last year saw the release of Panini Prizm (and the Monopoly version), Origins and Select. Previously, Panini also put out Revolutions. The release calendar is always a work in progress as the brand team finds the right pieces for the season. One thing they knew they needed for Clark's rookie season was Prizm to make its way to the WNBA. Prizm has become a staple for Panini and one of the most highly sought-after rookie cards. 'To have the class that we had last year and not have Prizm would have been a complete miss for us and collectors,' Howarth said. 'It would be one of those things that you look back on and wonder why Caitlin [Clark] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card or Angel [Reese] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card.' As the WNBA continues to grow, creating household names and superstars, the league continues to leave its mark. From the NCAA tournament, right into the WNBA Draft and then the start of the WNBA season. While big names like Clark and Reese created a buzz last season, there is no slowing down. 'This class is equally as exciting,' Howarth said. 'We've seen that both from a collectible point of view just off of the Draft Night cards that we released here a few weeks ago. Lots of excitement around the product and lots of excitement and anticipation for more 'W' products.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Demand for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'Ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers WNBA cards continues to grow
The WNBA season is underway, and fans and card collectors are excited for what's to come. With the likes of Caitlin Clark, A'Ja Wilson and newcomer Paige Bueckers, collectors are waiting for the first cards of the season to drop. The good news is with Panini Instant, fans can grab cards of big moments as they happen. Panini's on-demand offering features highlights and big moments from throughout the season, which started with the WNBA Draft. Advertisement Panini America saw big success with Instant last season, Clark's first year in the league. Not only was it a popular card release, but a Draft Night Clark 1-of-1 autographed parallel sold for $84,000 in September. The Panini Instant cards are important for WNBA — maybe even more so than in other sports. In women's basketball, the players go from college into the WNBA without much of a break in between. This doesn't give Panini a lot of time to get new products on the shelves because of the time needed to create a new card release. 'Panini Instant was so important because for us, it gave us the ability to get consumers into collecting 'W' products and getting excited for the W product,' said Jason Howarth, Panini's senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations. 'When we finally released that first product in August last year, people were ready to go for it.' This season, collectors won't have to wait as long for the first WNBA card product. Advertisement There are five WNBA sets scheduled for this season — an all-time high for the league. The newest entry will be Donruss WNBA, which is scheduled for July. Donruss has made a name for itself in the modern collecting space, especially in football, where the popular Downtown inserts can be found. Downtown inserts will soon feature WNBA stars with this summer's release. 'Donruss will be awesome from a Downtown point of view,' Howarth said. Panini has built WNBA collecting since it took over the card license in 2019. Before that, there may have been one product a year andit often came as a complete factory set with a chance of autographs. That product made about $50,000 in sales a year, according to Howarth. Advertisement Panini has revamped the WNBA card collecting space by making more traditional pack products, giving collectors a chase with parallels, rare inserts and autographs. As the WNBA has grown in popularity, so has the demand for cards, especially over the last year with Clark becoming the face of the league. 'I think you think there was a point in time where WNBA Prizm costs more on the secondary market than NBA Prizm,' Howarth said. 'I think that probably tells you the story about demand more than anything else. I think it always had a place in the category, but I think you saw a lot more migration and transition from other collectors of other core sports into the 'W,' and it is now viewed in that group of core sports. You've got the NFL, NBA, MLB, and now you've got the WNBA.' This year's offerings will look different again. There are five WNBA products scheduled, up from three last season, which was also up from two the year before. Last year saw the release of Panini Prizm (and the Monopoly version), Origins and Select. Previously, Panini also put out Revolutions. Advertisement The release calendar is always a work in progress as the brand team finds the right pieces for the season. One thing they knew they needed for Clark's rookie season was Prizm to make its way to the WNBA. Prizm has become a staple for Panini and one of the most highly sought-after rookie cards. 'To have the class that we had last year and not have Prizm would have been a complete miss for us and collectors,' Howarth said. 'It would be one of those things that you look back on and wonder why Caitlin [Clark] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card or Angel [Reese] doesn't have a rookie Prizm card.' As the WNBA continues to grow, creating household names and superstars, the league continues to leave its mark. From the women's college tournament, right into the WNBA Draft and then the start of the WNBA season. Advertisement While big names like Clark and Reese created a buzz last season, there is no slowing down. 'This class is equally as exciting,' Howarth said. 'We've seen that both from a collectible point of view just off of the Draft Night cards that we released here a few weeks ago. Lots of excitement around the product and lots of excitement and anticipation for more 'W' products.'
Tom's Guide
16-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I tested the latest Instant Pot Pro — this Wi-Fi-enabled multi cooker is perfect for lazy home chefs like me
If I could choose just one kitchen appliance to keep for the rest of my life, it'd be my Instant Pot. So when I found out that Instant was releasing a brand new and improved model of my beloved multi-cooker, I couldn't wait to test it. The Instant Pot Pro is the successor to the soon-to-be-discontinued (in the U.K., not the U.S.) Instant Pot Pro Plus. While both these models have Wi-Fi connectivity, 10 cooking modes, and a huge 5.7 litre capacity, the Pro sets itself apart with a faster pre-heating time and a WhisperQuiet steam release. Is that enough to make it the best Instant Pot in 2025? Well, you'll have to keep reading to find out the answer. I'll go through everything in this Instant Pot Pro review. Price £249 Weight 6.8 kilograms Dimensions 35.5 x 35.5 x 32.5 centimetres Colors Blue-black Material BPA-free plastic, stainless steel Capacity 5.7 litres Smart home Yes Dishwasher safe Yes - lid and inner pot Warranty 1 year The Instant Pot Pro is £249 from Amazon U.K.. It will not be released in the U.S., so if you're a U.S. reader looking for the newest smart Instant Pot, that would be the fantastic Instant Pot Pro Plus (the model I personally use). Instant Pot has a huge range of multi-cookers: the Pro Plus (mentioned above) will be discontinued in the U.K., so the Pro (this model) and the Plus (the cheaper model) will replace it. If you only need a super basic Instant Pot and don't care about Wi-Fi connectivity, the £99 Instant Pot Multi-Cooker is a great option: it does everything the pricier models do but without the bells and whistles. I think £249 is quite expensive for an Instant Pot, but it could be worth it. The Pro has a huge 10 cooking settings (the same as the previous model Pro Plus, but 3 more than the entry-level Instant Pot Duo), which I'll get into fully below. While some people don't care about smart home connectivity, I actually do use my Instant Connect app — I can cook dinner from bed, or even while still at the office. The new Instant Pot Pro has a few design changes from the previous iteration, the Instant Pot Pro Plus. Whereas the Pro Plus is black with a wide touchscreen, the Pro is a blueish design with a narrower screen. I don't think the smaller touchscreen impacts usability at all; the screen is still easy to navigate. I will mention that I think the screen could be brighter, but, again, this doesn't negatively impact usability in the slightest. One of the major changes from the Pro Plus to the Pro is the absence of written modes. Instead of 'Pressure cook', the Pro has graphic icons instead. While most of these icons are quite self-explanatory (saute, for example, is represented by a spatula, and pressure cook is represented by shooting steam), I can imagine that some users might have a bit of trouble memorizing the graphics. Another major change is the inclusion of a 'WhisperQuiet' steam release cover. This cover sits on the steam release nozzle on the Pro's lid and basically quietens steam release. It's removable for easy cleaning, as is the condensation catch chamber. I must say: do not forget to clean these two. Like its predecessor the Pro Plus, the Pro also has Wi-Fi connectivity. This is all done through the Instant Connect app, which is a smart home app I actually really like. Other smart home products often have me rolling my eyes at their superfluous apps, but Instant Connect is chock full of recipes, tips, and more. A word of warning: you'll need to connect the Instant Pot Pro to the app option 'Instant Pot Pro Max (Wi-Fi)', not the product's actual name 'Instant Pot Pro'. You'll also need to ensure you have the newest version of the app, as this is a new product. As you can see, you can find recipes on the Instant Connect app and save them on your phone. The recipes then walk you through step-by-step and send relevant cooking presets to your Instant Pot. While I don't find myself gravitating towards these (more of an 'I don't follow recipes because I'm too stubborn' issue than anything Instant Pot has done), it's a good option for those who do follow recipes. Using the app, I was able to switch my Instant Pot on while out of the house, which is a great feature that benefits me monumentally on office days. As mentioned above, Instant claims that the Pro's pre-heating time is decreased from previous models. When pre-heating from cold, the Pro (2025) took 7 minutes and 9 seconds whereas the Pro Plus (2024) took 10 minutes and 1 second. Steam release took 10 seconds for the Pro and 50 seconds for the Pro Plus, which meant my whole meal was ready much faster when using the Pro. One of the main changes from the Instant Pot Pro Plus is the WhisperQuiet steam release. I used DecibelX to monitor sound levels. My Instant Pot Pro Plus peaked at 82dB during steam release, but the Pro peaked at 74dB. As Instant Pots are known primarily for their pressure cooking capabilities, I thought I'd discuss this first. To be honest, 99% of the time, I'm using the 'Pressure cook' function anyway. What I love about pressure cooking is that you can go from ingredients to a hot, fully-cooked meal in 10 minutes — give or take. For this review, I cooked a Thai red curry with tofu, potatoes, carrots, curry paste, coconut milk, and stock. One of the most important hacks I've learnt while using my Instant Pot Pro Plus is that if you're going from sauté to pressure cook, do not stir. Sauté the ingredients as normal, then deglaze with stock or water to ensure the entire bottom of the pot is clean. Then add your liquids first and your solids next. Do not stir — let the liquid line the bottom of the pot. This is to prevent the dreaded 'Burn' notice. I followed this rule when making my curry, as I first sauteed the onions and curry paste, deglazed with coconut water, then added everything else (liquids first). I put the Instant Pot Pro on for 10 minutes and went to do something else. As the pot was already hot from sautéing, it skipped the laborious 'Pre-heating' stage that irks me when I use my Pro Plus. I'm glad that Instant Pot seems to have rectified this annoyance. After 10 minutes, the Pro started steam releasing. I'd set it on 'Quick' (as the flavor differences between 'Quick' and 'Natural' steam release are, in my opinion, minimal) it took only around ten minutes. Next, I cooked chickpeas. Usually dried beans take around 8 hours to cook on the stove, but I've cooked chickpeas from dried to fluffy in under an hour using an Instant Pot before. I put 3 cups of chickpeas in the inner pot with a 1:3 ratio of water, then set it to pressure cook for 45 minutes. Preheating took 16 minutes and steam release on 'Natural' took 27 minutes. However, on 'pressure cook', the Pro doesn't beep when it moves onto cooking, unlike the Instant Pot Pro Plus. It does, however, beep on other modes, like 'Sous vide'. After 45 minutes I had deliciously fluffy chickpeas, cooked to perfection. I probably could get away with cooking them for around 35 minutes and still get a similar result. I stand by my opinion that Instant Pots cook chickpeas better than any other method. To test the 'Rice' mode, I followed Instant's basmati rice recipe on its website. As directed, I measured 250g of basmati rice and 250ml water. Then I put the Pro on for 6 minutes on 'Rice' (high pressure), let it vent naturally for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release. The rice was fluffy, but a little underdone. I would recommend a little extra water than listed in Instant's recipe. It was also quite annoying to wash up the inner pot as the rice was very stuck to the bottom. For the 'Slow cook' test, I cooked another Thai red curry for direct comparison with pressure cook. I put it on for 6 hours with all the same ingredients; at hour 2, the top inch or so was still cold. However, after 6 hours the curry was hot all the way through. Taste-wise, I didn't notice enough of a difference from the pressure-cooked version to warrant slow-cooking. I think Instant Pot's line really excels with pressure cooking, and while the slow cooker still works, I wouldn't recommend it for saving time (obviously). I use my Instant Pot for pressure cooking 99% of the time. To put the 'Sous vide' setting to the test, I made some custards. I followed Instant's custard recipe (but made plain ones instead of coffee). Pre-heating the water to 83°C (as specified) took ages — over half an hour. I will also note that only 4 of my ramekins fit into the trivet and the inner pot, despite the recipe making 6 servings. Instant recommended checking on the custards after 30 minutes, and they were done at 57 minutes. While a bit of a hassle to set up, I really appreciate the inclusion of a sous vide function and I think this mode levels up the Pro. Instead of just being a pressure cooker or slow cooker, the Pro can also transform into a different cooker for specialty recipes. I've made yogurt in an Instant Pot before and let me tell you, it's a labor of love. Wait — I don't even think I love it, just tolerate it. However, that's not the Instant Pot's fault. The Instant Pot actually tries to take the pain out of yogurt making. By nature, it's a frustrating and tedious process. Even so, the 'Yogurt' setting on the Pro really does try. After scalding all equipment, I poured 3 litres of milk into the inner pot and started the 30 minute heating process, all automated by the Instant Pot. After the 30 minutes, the milk is supposed to be 83°C. I checked with my food thermometer, and it was 82.9°C. Then, the Instant Pot goes through a 30 minute cooling process, after which you put in the yogurt culture and let it ferment for a minimum of 8 hours. I set the fermentation time for 10 hours. After 10 hours, I had a lot of delicious, thick, perfectly tangy yogurt. For what it's worth, the Instant Pot really does make it easier than preparing yogurt in a pot. While it's not hugely easier than, say, a yogurt maker, this is a multi-purpose product that doesn't just do that one thing. I will say that washing the pot afterwards is very annoying — the scorched milk (gross) on the bottom of the pot is very tricky to get off, and this remains my biggest annoyance with Instant Pots. 'Sauté' mode is one of the most underrated functions on the Instant Pot. If I'm making soup, stew, sauce, or anything in the Instant Pot, I don't have to use another pan to fry onions. I can just make the entire dish in one pot. My favorite aspect of the Pro's 'Sauté' setting is that you can now choose the temperature. It ranges from 95°C to 195°C, which is more than enough variation. This wasn't an option on previous models I personally tested. I sautéd onions and curry paste for my Thai red curry, deglazed (very important) with the water from a tin of coconut milk, and then layered everything else in the pot for the slow cook and pressure cook. Sautéing works a treat, and I especially love that it's temperature controlled now. As with all Instant Pots I've tested, the Pro is quite large. I keep mine out of the kitchen between uses as there's not enough space on my counters. The Pro is a massive 35 centimetres tall and 32 centimetres wide, so unless you've got a massive kitchen (unlike me), I would recommend (like me) keeping it in storage between uses. Cleaning the inner pot of Instant Pots is always a nightmare — scorched food sticks to the bottom like hair on polystyrene — but you'll be pleased to know that the inner pot is completely dishwasher safe. Even the lid is dishwasher safe, so all you have to do is clean the outer cooker and make sure the condensation catcher and steam release cover are clean. Instant offers a standard 1-year warranty with all of its products. On top of the warranty, after-purchase care includes loads of downloadable recipe e-books on Instant's website. I think the Instant Pot Pro is a fantastic upgrade from the Pro Plus. Is it worth trashing your existing Pro Plus to purchase the newer model? No, obviously not. But if you don't have an Instant Pot and are looking to get the best model, the Pro is the only option. However, if you want a completely basic, beginner Instant Pot, I'd recommend the £99 Multi-Cooker (called Rio in the U.S.). This multi-cooker does basically everything the Pro does without the smart home connection. If you're in the U.S., the Pro isn't available and won't be available, however the Instant Pot Pro Plus is basically the same product, so I'll point you in that direction. For U.K. customers, though, the Pro is the best Instant Pot money can buy right now.
Digital Trends
15-05-2025
- Digital Trends
Google's iconic ‘feeling lucky' button is under threat from you-know-what
Google's 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button has been a familiar part of its homepage since the launch of the search engine 27 years ago, but the company could be about to ditch it. The web giant is currently testing with select users how to integrate its AI chatbot into its homepage. One option is to replace the 'lucky' button with one that reads 'AI Mode.' Selecting AI Mode leads to a more conversational interaction regarding your search, eliminating the need to sift through a long list of search results. Google announced the feature earlier this month. Recommended Videos Let's just remind ourselves about what the I'm Feeling Lucky button does, as there's a chance that you rarely, if ever, use it. In a nutshell, it bypasses the results on desktop search, taking you directly to the webpage that most closely matches your query. There's not much data on how many people ever hit the 'lucky' button, though back in 2007, former Google executive Marissa Mayer estimated that 1% of all Google searches went through it. But with more people searching on mobile (where the button is absent) or performing searches via the address box on desktop, it's likely that even fewer people select the button these days. Google is also considering putting the AI Mode tab at the right end of the search box, which, if fully implemented, would allow the lucky button to live another day. It's not the first time that the lucky button has come under threat. In 2010, the company launched Google Instant, a feature that displayed search results in real time as users typed their queries, with the aim of making searches faster and more intuitive. While the button remained in place, it was covered by the results that cascaded over it as the user typed. Google ditched Instant in 2017, with the 'lucky' button once again clearly visible for everyone. This time, however, the threat seems more serious. Can Google's I'm Feeling Lucky button survive the ever-expanding tentacles of AI? Watch this space.
