At times this week, wildfires made San Francisco's air the worst in the world, and the city's stores have largely sold out of the N95 filter masks that make the air barely breathable, leading to at least one enterprising Uber driver selling the masks out of his car (at a substantial markup: $5 each, compared with $1.30 each on Amazon in ten-packs); other drivers are giving the masks away for free. (via /.)
San Francisco Uber driver distributing filter masks to passengers
Big stores considering whether you should just keep the stuff you want to return, for free
Target, Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, and other large retailers are reporting that they have a glut of inventory and it's costing them too much to store the stuff. Then there's the pile of inflowing returns. According to retail consultancy Strategic Resource Group, many big name stores—which the firm doesn't name—are considering whether to tell customers… READ THE REST
Why e-sports careers are shorter than those of athletes
E-sports stars have short careers—shorter than sports stars. The general assumption is that the coordination and focus required selects for youth even more than athletic performance does, but medical experts say that's not at all true. Instead, the Washington Post's Jonathan Lee traces more complex causes: success leads to an entrepreneurial track promoting gamer bric-a-brac;… READ THE REST
Amazon to close 68 stores, including all bookstores
Amazon is to close all its "physical" bookstores among dozens of others, reports Publishers Weekly, ending a six-year experiment even as other brick-and-mortar efforts thrive. Many industry observers believed Amazon's goal in opening the stores was to experiment with new shopping technologies, showroom its book and book-related offerings, and examine consumer behavior. Indeed, after the… READ THE REST
Get the most out of your internet with an award-winning VPN and a year of PlayStation Plus
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. In the modern world, we're practically dependent on the internet. Everything from working to socializing and general entertainment can be found on the web. So if we can't seem to get our… READ THE REST
Juice up your iPhone or iPad with this rugged-yet-colorful Lightning cable
Remember the last time you juiced up your iPhone using that short little charging cable it came with? The phone probably rang mid-charge, and it was a call you absolutely had to take. Of course, if you were at full charge, you could've taken the call from the comfort of your armchair. But if that… READ THE REST
Become a one-year Sam's Club member with this $15 deal
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Let's face it. Getting what you need from a store shouldn't be insanely inconvenient. But, often, that can be precisely the case, and sometimes prices can make the experience even worse. So, with no… READ THE REST
