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The latest leaf vacuum, mulcher, and blower three-in-one from electric tool brand EGO promises fully 210 mph of blowing power and enough mulching mayhem to turn 16 bags of autumn leaves into just one for easy fall cleanup. First shown earlier this year, the EGO POWER+ LV5005 Leaf Vacuum and Mulcher with 500 CFM Blower arrives just in time for 2026 fall cleanup, tackling three of the most tedious jobs in home landscaping with a single battery-powered tool that promises to slash tidying-up time and help save your lower back in the process. Powered by the same 6.0 Ah EGO…

Middle schoolers, likely blocked from other apps and social networks, apparently turned the Spotify comment section under an episode of NPR’s Wild Card into an impromptu group chat. In a new episode of This American Life, host Ira Glass digs into how the kids landed there and why. But it mostly boils down to kids getting creative to work around the restrictions placed on them.When Glass asked one of the kids why they picked this particular podcast, they said, “We just, like, looked for podcasts that didn’t have many comments.” Which, obviously, hurt Glass’s feelings a bit.Initially, showrunner Dave Blanchard…

The Ford Crown Victoria may be the most iconic cop car ever produced. In fact, it’s so iconic that some younger folks might assume that the Blue Oval never sold them to civilians in the first place, at least not outside of fleet sales. When you see a civilian model, you might assume it’s a decommissioned cruiser or former taxi, but Ford actually sold these big sedans to the public for years. It wasn’t until 2008 that the car became fleet-exclusive. Not only was the car for sale to the public, but the cop car was also essentially sold to…

Apple’s nano-texture screen might not hide the crease forever. Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images Apple’s first foldable phone is coming soon, and it caused quite a stir upon its announcement earlier this month. That’s no surprise, since everyone was waiting to see how the iPhone Duo would address the competition’s shortcomings. It’s still early to tell, given that it won’t hit stores until next month and all we’ve had so far are a few brief hands-on experiences.  But one of the most anticipated features is the new nano-texture display, which promises to make the crease on the screen…

While the United States is widely known for its affinity for muscle cars, Australia has always had a soft spot for them, too. In the late 1970s, Ford Australia found itself with an issue with its muscle-bound Falcon CX hardtops. Some body shells were left over, and the XC was due for a generational refresh. Instead of scrapping the surplus units, Ford created 400 limited-edition Falcon XC Cobras. Edsel Ford II championed the project, and those 400 got a Shelby-inspired makeover with white paint and, of course, blue stripes. These 400 examples weren’t just glitzed-up appearance-wise because every single one…

The Drive 🤝 your inbox. Every weekday The Daily Brief wraps up the biggest stories and our exclusive reporting on the auto industry and car culture. The first example of a popular enthusiast model is a surefire investment, with future collectibility pretty much guaranteed. But that also means having the patience for said investment to mature, something the buyer of the first-ever Ford Bronco Raptor apparently did not have. And that means somebody else just got a great deal. Like so many other hype-worthy new cars and trucks, the first customer 2022 Bronco Raptor was auctioned off for charity. It…

Former reality TV contestant Sean Duffy. Photo by Gage Skidmore The Department of Transportation says it’s ready to announce fuel economy standards that will raise gas prices by 76 cents a gallon and fuel use by 45%, right as the world struggles with the effects of a war of choice that has spiked energy prices globally. Update: This article was originally published on September 2, with the change expected to be announced “soon.” On Saturday, it was announced that the change will be finalized on Monday. Since the 1970s, the US government has had various rules that guide auto manufacturers…

Money can’t buy happiness, but according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, it buys surprising disappointment in the driveway. Despite cutting-edge tech and price tags starting well above $20,000, new cars rank lower in owner satisfaction than everyday essentials like smartphones, TVs, appliances, athletic shoes, and even soft drinks. Buyers expect a dream purchase, but the numbers prove that humbler products consistently deliver far bigger smiles per dollar. Cars Can’t Beat Cell Phones, TVs, Or Fast Food 2026 Hyundai Venue interior steering wheelHyundai In its 2026 automobile study, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) put the auto industry at 78…

Haptics tech company Taction sued Apple in 2021, alleging it infringed two of its patents. Now a federal jury in San Diego has awarded Taction over $5.7 billion in damages. According to CNBC, “The lawsuit centered around U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, which both involve vibration-based, tactile transducer technology that helps users feel a device responding to their input.”Taction argued that Apple’s Taptic Engine in its Apple Watches and iPhones used technology that it had developed without a proper license, and the jury agreed. It found that Apple had infringed on two claims in one patent and one in…

The Drive 🤝 your inbox. Every weekday The Daily Brief wraps up the biggest stories and our exclusive reporting on the auto industry and car culture. Nothing delivers fun out of proportion to its size like a go-kart. Whether on a track or a trail, they can do the things full-size cars and trucks can do, but at a more approachable scale. What could be more fun than that? Well, how about a go-kart-sized ride that looks like a mini pickup truck? Massimo, which already sells a miniature Jeep, now has a version styled to look like a shrunken truck…