With Alexa receiving a refresh on Wednesday (Feb. 26), it was interesting to revisit research published by PYMNTS in April 2023.
A PYMNTS Intelligence report, “How Consumers Want to Live in the Voice Economy,” published nearly two years ago, predicted the growing impact of voice technology on consumer behavior, highlighting its potential to transform daily tasks and emergencies. This foresight aligns closely with Amazon’s unveiling of Alexa+, a new version of its voice assistant enhanced with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). The update, designed to make Alexa smarter and more responsive, allows for more advanced capabilities such as ordering groceries, booking services and sending messages.
Alexa+ Brings AI to Voice Tech
Powered by Amazon’s Nova models and other AI technologies, Alexa+ promises to take the voice assistant experience to new heights, reflecting the research’s expectation that voice technology would evolve into a more integrated, efficient tool for consumers. As PYMNTS data indicated, consumers are seeking technology that can handle more complex tasks, and Alexa+ delivers on this vision, revolutionizing how consumers interact with voice assistants.
Prime members will have free access to Alexa+, while others will pay a $19.99 monthly fee.
One of the key features of Alexa+ is its ability to remember past interactions and use them to provide more personalized responses. It can also search video libraries, read documents, and complete various other tasks.
Though there have been some delays in its development, Alexa+ is expected to roll out soon, offering users more advanced AI features through their existing Alexa devices.
Aligning With PYMNTS Research
This upgrade from Amazon aligns closely with trends identified in our research from April 2023, based on a survey of 2,939 U.S. consumers. It revealed that while smart and mobile devices remain central to modern consumer technology, voice technology is emerging as the next step.
Despite the proliferation of touchscreen interfaces, voice-controlled devices offer unparalleled convenience, especially in hands-free situations, such as when driving or multitasking.
“The next frontier is approaching, however, and nearly two-thirds of Americans have already used this up-and-coming technology in the past year,” the report said. “This advancement, of course, is voice technology.
“Consumers want to make everyday routines smart, simple and more connected, and hands-free voice technologies can fit the bill. Consumers can already use voice technology to find information, identify themselves via voice assistant, or find and book airline tickets, among other possibilities.”
Growing Appeal of Voice Tech
According to the report, nearly two-thirds of Americans used voice technology in the past year. The main drivers of voice adoption are speed and convenience. Many consumers find it faster and easier to use voice commands than to type or tap on screens.
In fact, nearly half of users view voice technology especially useful in emergencies, where quick action is crucial. These findings suggest voice technology has broad potential to streamline and improve daily routines.
Additionally, the report showed60% of people believe voice assistants will eventually become as capable and reliable as humans within the next five years. While enthusiasm is growing, trust remains a major barrier. Only a small percentage of consumers believe voice assistants have the same capabilities as humans, and many are still hesitant to trust them with complex tasks.
Despite these challenges, the potential for voice technology is immense, the report says. Consumers are open to using voice assistants for a variety of tasks, but they remain wary of trusting them with sensitive information or more complicated activities. As voice technology improves and becomes more dependable, it’s expected more consumers will gradually increase their usage.
One of the key takeaways from the report was the willingness of certain demographics to pay for a more reliable, smart voice assistant. Younger individuals, particularly millennials, and higher-income consumers are more likely to invest in premium voice services, while older generations and lower-income groups tend to be more reluctant to make the leap.
As a cholera outbreak worsens in Sudan, UNICEF reports the heightened risk to thousands of children and works with other health agencies to protect those at risk in a country already devastated by ongoing violent conflict.
By Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
In response to a rapidly growing cholera outbreak threatening thousands of lives, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has teamed up with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Sudanese Ministry of Health to curb the spread of the disease and protect vulnerable children.
A UNICEF report highlights that “over 292,000 children are at risk of cholera in White Nile State, Sudan,” and more than 500 children are among the 2,700 cholera cases reported between 1 January and 24 February 2025.
Due to this concern, the UN agencies have ramped up interventions to curb the outbreak, and on 21 February, they “launched a six-day cholera vaccination campaign in the localities of Kosti and Rabak in White Nile.”
Additionally, UNICEF has provided cholera treatment kits and is supporting the deployment of frontline workers to Cholera Treatment Centers to strengthen care. They are also supporting the training of public health workers in infection prevention monitoring and community members to monitor the situation on the ground.
According to the report, the campaign aims to reach over one million people with oral cholera vaccines.
Why rapid rise in cholera cases
With cholera cases surging in affected regions of Sudan, the UN agencies together with the Federal Ministry of Health and humanitarian partners note that “a major power outage, following attacks on power plants on 16 February, cut off water supplies in the localities of Kosti and Rabak in White Nile State, forcing many families to collect untreated water from the White Nile River.”
They also disclosed that limited or no access to safe drinking water, coupled with a sharp drop in vaccination rates, is worsening the crisis and heightening the risk of cholera, particularly in displacement camps and overcrowded urban centers.
Generally, White Nile State hosts an estimated 650,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) as well as 400,000 refugees. In this case, population movements at the border with South Sudan add further challenges to controlling the outbreak.
Cholera is a life-threatening disease for children
According to UNICEF Representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yett, cholera poses a serious threat to children’s lives and can lead to death within hours if not treated quickly.
“The ongoing destruction of critical humanitarian infrastructure has left no child safe in this war,” he said. “If children are denied access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, and information to prevent the spread of cholera, the epidemic will sadly continue.”
Since Kosti region seems most affected, with an estimated 292,000 children who are potentially at risk, UNICEF “has provided fuel and water treatment chemicals to support the operation of the primary water treatment plant, providing access to safe water to approximately 150,000 people.”
Subsequently, “UNICEF and partners are also distributing life-saving water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies in affected locations to ensure access to safe water and strengthen good practices.”
At the same time, they are “engaging communities, through discussions and social media, to spread key messages on the causes, symptoms, and prevention of cholera.”
Mr. Yett warned that disease outbreaks, such as this cholera crisis, can overwhelm fragile health systems and strain already weakened sanitation infrastructure.
While addressing the immediate emergency is crucial, he continued, “we must invest in strengthening the systems that underpin the services children need.”
Salem-Keizer Public Schools: Take a look inside the district
Here are some basic facts to know about Salem-Keizer Public Schools.
The Willamette Health Council has awarded nearly $3 million in grants to 34 local organizations in Marion and Polk counties, including three school districts.
Silver Falls School District, Gervais School District and the Willamette Education Service District all received $100,000 grants.
Projects the districts will complete with the funds range from removing barriers and expanding social services, addressing student and community substance use and prevention and helping students access transportation and technology equipment.
Willamette Health Council awarded funding ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to organizations to support behavioral health, children and families and housing security.
Founded in 2019, Willamette Health Council is a governance body for PacificSource Community Solutions, a Medicaid-providing health insurance agency and coordinated care organization for Marion and Polk counties.
The council’s funding comes from PacificSource profits which are reinvested into the community.
“PacificSource is the only CCO entity that gets money out to the community in this way,” said Josie Silverman-Mendez, deputy director of the Willamette Health Council. “It’s very unique in terms of the amount of local oversight that happens here in our community to help really drive where those investments are going.”
Grant recipients are required to submit updates on project implementation and outcomes, and share experiences and insights. They also must provide visits to the Willamette Health Council staff and committee members.
Here’s what the school districts say they will use the funding for to help improve their communities.
Silver Falls School District aims to remove barriers and expand social services for students
The Silver Falls School District hopes to remove barriers and expand social service access to its more than 3,500 students and their families with the grant funding.
Common barriers people might face when trying to find or receive social services in Silverton include waitlists and transportation.
Silver Falls’ services will be based out of Sequoia Falls Academy, an alternative school in the district. They will offer support for unhoused students without a parent or guardian, behavioral health assessments, substance treatment and food security.
These services come in addition to what the academy already offers: mental and behavioral health support, General Educational Development, college preparation and student mentoring.
The barriers that prevent people from accessing resources can be more difficult in a rural community like Silverton, and housing and food insecurity can be more profound. Oregon’s 2018 state health assessment found that people living in rural communities are more likely to be economically disadvantaged, homeless and food insecure.
Last school year, the district had 126 students registered as unhoused and 26 of them were students without parents or guardians.
Although resources are available, students’ knowledge about them and their ability to access them is what the district’s project hopes to course-correct for students and their families, said Jennifer Hannan, director of therapeutic services at Sequoia Falls Academy.
“We seek to centralize social service coordination and be an access point for youth and families in our school district,” she said.
Gervais School District looks to address student and community substance use and prevention
The Gervais School District plans to hire an administrator to create an initiative addressing student substance use and prevention with the grant funding.
This includes hosting events and providing access to and education about resources. The district also wants to host night classes available to students and the community and motivational speakers.
The school district, Gervais’ largest employer, also wants to implement substance use outreach to the community.
“A rising tide lifts all boats,” said Creighton Helms, the school district’s director of student services and federal programs. “A healthy community supports a healthy school district, and vice versa.”
Helms said Gervais is a health care desert. Coupled with being socioeconomically disadvantaged, there’s a “high likelihood” of the town’s substance abuse issues going unreported or underreported, he said.
This is the school district’s third time receiving funding from the Willamette Health Council. The first came after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the second was implemented in 2024. Both projects focused on initiatives to raise attendance rates, especially in the most vulnerable demographics, such as homeless students.
Oregon’s At-A-Glance profile data shows that from the 2022-2023 school year to the 2023-2024 school year, the Gervais School District improved districtwide regular attendance rates by 6%, on track to graduate rates by 10% and five-year completion by 5%. Regular attendance rates for homeless students improved from 41% to 50%.
“As a rural district, we are a resource-poor district,” Helms said. “To be able to receive grant money that we can apply towards something like this, we stretch those dollars incredibly far.”
Willamette Education Service District will use money to help students at recovery high school
Willamette Education Service District will use the grant funding to help students access transportation and technology equipment for its new Discovery Academy.
The recovery high school is set to open in Salem on April 15 and is meant to support the educational journey and recovery of teens with substance use disorders.
The district wants to ensure students don’t have to worry about transportation to and from school, community activities or activities associated with recovery. They also plan to set up a lounge so students can feel comfortable, and have access to technology.
The Discovery Academy will be the third recovery high school to open in Oregon out of nine expected to operate by 2029.
“We (are) really excited about the opportunity to provide this kind of service for our region,” said Joe Morelock, superintendent of the Willamette Education Service District. “This was the kind of service that was really needed, and we felt that we were best positioned to do that.”
The district has received past funding from the Willamette Health Council for sexual health education and an outreach and awareness campaign for people with disabilities.
Massive reptiles bask on sunlit rocks as golden grass ripples gently in the breeze.
You might be a seasoned monster hunter, a master of slaying beasts with a gleaming blade, but a companion urges you to pause and observe the world around you. A button press allows you to focus on the radiant creatures before you, revealing a gathering of females encircling a spiked, dominant male. As the camera zooms in, small creatures scurry at your feet, heading toward a distant carcass for their next meal.
The grandeur and intricate ecological detail of Monster Hunter Wilds evoke the feeling of stepping into a fantastical David Attenborough documentary.
However, the name of this iconic Japanese series leaves little doubt about its core premise: these are primarily monster-hunting games, a franchise that has thrived on thrilling battles for over two decades. Yet, the tension between the awe of exploring vibrant ecosystems and the act of carving up defeated creatures for loot lingers as a poignant undercurrent.
“There’s an odd dissonance at the heart of Monster Hunter,” said Jacob Geller, a critic and YouTube essayist. “Unlike many other games, it’s clear that these creatures aren’t inherently malevolent, which makes hunting them undeniably unsettling.”
More than any of its predecessors, Monster Hunter Wilds, which launched Friday for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, explores the delicate interplay between the stunning beauty of its creatures, their interconnected ecosystems, and the player’s primary role as their hunter.
“Nature is abundant and breathtaking,” said Yuya Tokuda, the game’s director, through an interpreter. “But in an instant, it can become wild, unforgiving, and fiercely violent.”
Early in the journey, players might stumble upon the serpentine Balahara coiled tightly around the lion-like Doshaguma in a fierce battle. These unscripted encounters are pure gaming brilliance, showcasing lifelike A.I.-driven clashes that feel almost uncomfortably real.
As one beast succumbs to the other, the player will likely dive back into the action, blade sharpened and ready. Inflict enough damage on the Doshaguma, and it begins to limp away. Its expressive animations vividly convey its struggle as it retreats to its lair.
With each new installment — Wilds being the sixth core entry — the franchise has leaned further into believable life sciences. Energy flows naturally through its food chains, from tiny insects and plants to the colossal apex predators. Whether it’s a lush Mesozoic rainforest or a cavernous network where oil pools in silty depths, the game’s ecosystems feel authentic and alive.
On the Windward Plains, a sprawling region of dunes, grasslands, and weathered rock formations, the death of a small herbivore doesn’t result in its body simply vanishing. Instead, it decomposes into bones, attracting carrion birds and insects eager to feast. In time, its remains might seep into the soil, giving rise to peculiar mushrooms at the site of its demise.
This level of detail draws from real-world concepts like whale fall, where a whale’s carcass sustains an underwater ecosystem for years.
“The ecosystem unfolds around the player, whether they choose to interact with it or not,” Tokuda explained.
For decades, video game creators have dreamed of crafting virtual ecosystems as complex as nature itself. In 1992, SimLife allowed players to design habitats where creatures ate, evolved, and reproduced. Twenty-five years later, Rain World depicted a dynamic food chain of eerie creatures in a desolate 2D world.
Now, thanks to advanced hardware, the wildlife of Monster Hunter Wilds isn’t just visually stunning but behaviorally intricate. Players can seamlessly transition from human settlements to creature-filled biomes, encountering monsters like the electrifying Rey Dau, a fearsome lightning dragon.
Beyond its fearsome monsters, the game’s standout character is Nata, a young refugee separated from his community in the mysterious Forbidden Lands. Unlike his people, Nata does not hunt the colossal creatures. Instead, he represents a perspective rooted in contemporary concerns: a mix of awe and trepidation toward nature, rather than the overused trope of the nature-revering native.
Much like our changing world, the migratory patterns of creatures like the scaled simian Ajarakan have been thrown into chaos. Seasonal cycles, known in the game as the Plenty, Fallow, and Downpour, are out of sync. Yet the game’s rich and imaginative ecology, rivaling that of Studio Ghibli’s nature-inspired masterpieces, never ceases to amaze — even when it takes the form of a towering predator eyeing you as its next meal.
Tokuda aims to instill not joy in vanquishing these creatures nor sorrow, but a sense of responsibility. This is reinforced by a narrative twist: as a licensed monster hunter, you must receive authorization before engaging a target. Alma, your pragmatic handler, carefully assesses the situation: Is the creature an immediate threat to humans? Does it disrupt the balance of its ecosystem?
“Taking a life in this world carries a heavy burden,” Tokuda stated. “It’s not a decision to be made lightly.”
Tokuda’s fascination with the cycles of life, death, and renewal is evident — perhaps inspired by his own collection of a dozen pet reptiles.
“My home in Japan is like a miniature version of the Ancient Forest from Monster Hunter: World,” Tokuda joked, referencing the 2018 game. Keeping his pets thriving requires the same principles that make Monster Hunter Wilds so immersive. “You have to recreate an ecosystem on a smaller scale,” he explained.
This dedication to authenticity is why Monster Hunter Wilds feels so genuine. For Tokuda, nature’s interconnected systems are far more than decorative backdrops. “They form a believable ecosystem,” he said. “That has always been my ultimate goal.”
Gas power plants, in addition to emitting greenhouse gases, pollute the air with nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds
Jonathan Patz | Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Opponents of We Energies natural gas plants fear harm to environment
We Energies planned natural gas plants in the Town of Paris will create jobs but may have harmful health effects.
We Energies has proposed a new natural gas power plant in Paris, Wisconsin that would generate enough electricity to power 80,000 homes.
The plant would emit harmful pollutants, including fine particulate matter, which is a major environmental health concern.
We Energies argues the plant is needed to meet the energy demands of new businesses, such as a Microsoft data center, but critics point out this contradicts Microsoft’s commitment to being carbon negative by 2030.
Health experts warn the plant would have negative health consequences, particularly for children and seniors, and urge We Energies to consider renewable energy sources instead.
We Energies is proposing a new fossil gas plant in Paris, Wisconsin. If approved, the proposed project would bring seven new gas-fired Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines units generating up to 128 MW of electricity (which typically powers around 80,000 homes) to Kenosha County as early as late summer 2026.
Gas power plants, in addition to emitting greenhouse gases, pollute the air with nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. These pollutants are harmful to health and worsen conditions like heart disease and asthma while increasing the risk of premature death.
Fine particulate matter is one of the top environmental health concerns as it is estimated to contribute to as many as 8.9 million premature deaths per year globally. Researchers at PSE Healthy Energy found that health costs from the Paris gas plant would be $25.4 million to $46.7 million annually.
We Energies said the new gas plants are necessary to meet the energy demands of new intensive users, such as a Microsoft data center that is currently under construction. The irony of that rationale is Microsoft’s 2020 commitment to being carbon negative (even beyond carbon neutral) by 2030 and by 2050 to remove the equivalent amount of all carbon dioxide the company has emitted either directly or by electricity consumption since it was founded in 1975. We Energies expects the new gas plant would operate for at least 30 years, a timeline that exceeds Wisconsin’s clean energy and public health goals and imposes unnecessary costs for Wisconsin residents.
Power plant will harm health of Wisconsin’s most vulnerable
The public health threat is particularly critical for our state’s most vulnerable. The young, still-developing lungs of children in Wisconsin, especially those living in urban areas such as Southeast Wisconsin, are particularly susceptible to asthma and respiratory issues linked to poor air quality. Seniors, many of whom suffer from chronic health conditions, are at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other serious health problems exacerbated by air pollution. And those individuals living near this new facility will bear the brunt of the public health risks.
In 2024, the EPA unveiled a new package of standards for existing coal- and new gas-fired plants to help curb climate pollution and do more to protect public health and the environment. While coal-fired power plants are some of the dirtiest energy producers in the U.S., methane gas-fired plants are also major contributors to pollution.
New research on methane leaks finds that the emissions associated with extracting and transporting methane are a serious threat to the environment. Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, emit little to no greenhouse gases, are readily available and in most cases cheaper than coal, oil or gas.
We Energies continues to prioritize fossil fuels
We Energies energy mix to date shows that they continue to prioritize fossil fuels, with less than 3% clean energy (2023 data). While Wisconsin has been making progress transitioning away from fossil fuel-fired power plants to renewable energy sources, building new natural gas facilities that fail to meet the moment will have lasting public health consequences.
While it’s true there may be some challenges with clean energy sources to satisfy load demands of data centers or other businesses that require consistent power 24 hours a day without sufficient battery storage, the risks of adding new fossil-fuel burning plants to the energy mix in Wisconsin require seeking alternatives with less risk to the public. The stakes are high, but so are the rewards. A healthier Wisconsin is within our reach if we commit to reducing health-harming pollutants from our power sector and communities.
Let’s ask We Energies to consider renewable energy sources for the new power plants to energize southeastern Wisconsin. Doing so is not just an environmental imperative — it’s a public health necessity.
Jonathan Patz, is the Vilas Distinguished Professor & John P. Holton Chair of Health and the Environment at the Nelson Institute & Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and former Health Co-chair for the first U.S. National Climate Assessment. He also served as a Lead Author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
It seems all the preparations Katy Perry made to host the MTV Video Music Awards in 2017 are going to come in handy — this time on an actual trip to space.
“I’ve been training with @MTV in zero gravity, eating astronaut ice cream, and I’m on a group text with Buzz Aldrin and Neil deGrasse Tyson,” she said then on Instagram, before donning an iridescent spacesuit and swinging on wires over the stage.
Now she’ll be boarding Blue Origin‘s New Shepard rocket, along with a few other celebrity and high-profile crewmates: CBS Mornings’Gayle King and Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, who founded Black Ops Aviation, an aerial film and production company.
The so-called NS-31 mission — which doesn’t have a launch date but is expected to happen this spring — will be the 11th carrying passengers for the company. The spaceflight will travel more than 60 miles up in the sky to kiss the Kármán line, where Earth’s atmosphere and outer space meet.
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Scientists found huge beaches on Mars likely from a long gone ocean
Perry and the all-female crew will count themselves among the United States’ latest civilian astronauts. To date, Blue Origin has taken 52 people to the space boundary.
Rounding out the crew will be former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics scientist and social activist Amanda Nguyen, fashion-designer-turned-film-producer Kerianne Flynn, and Sánchez, who captured a lot of attention in January when she accompanied Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin, at President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“If someone would have told me that I would be able to go to space one day,” Sánchez said in an Instagram reel, “I would have definitely, well, I don’t know, laughed. I can’t believe it’s happening.”
Mashable Light Speed
Lauren Sánchez, between Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, captured a lot of attention at President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson – Pool / Getty Images
King, aka Oprah’s bestie, is equally gobsmacked. When CBS announced her upcoming crew assignment, the network released a video with a montage of the morning host, including a clip of her talking to correspondent Mark Strassman at a prior launch.
“Gayle, sooner or later, we’re going to get you up there,” he said.
“Mark’s got jokes this morning,” King said.
These are the six women going to space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard flight. Credit: Blue Origin
New Shepard rocket blasts off from Blue Origin’s West Texas launch pad. Credit: Blue Origin
It’s unclear how much training the women will receive before the launch from Van Horn, Texas, or how much their seats cost. Neither Blue Origin nor CBS spokespeople responded to questions from Mashable.
In 2021, the company auctioned off the first ticket for New Shepard and donated the earnings to its foundation, Club for the Future, for space-focused charities. The winner of the seat paid $28 million, according to Blue Origin. But some guests have been able to ride for free.
Katy Perry hosts the MTV VMAs in an iridescent spacesuit. Credit: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Since initiating its human spaceflights, Blue Origin has become known for its onboard celebrities and providing short flights for wealthy passengers. The company sent Good Morning America host Michael Strahan up in December 2021. Prior to that, it flew the space captain of America’s heart, Star Trek star William Shatner, who was among the oldest people to fly in space at the ripe age of 90. Ed Dwight, NASA’s first Black astronaut candidate, also took a Blue Origin flight last year at the age of 90.
Former Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson was readying for a space journey in March 2022 but missed the opportunity after the launch date had to be rescheduled.
Blue Origin says this will be the first crew composed only of women since the Soviet Union cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.
Big news! I am releasing a new book! It’s a massively updated version of my NYT bestselling travel guide, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day.
Except this new edition is called How to Travel the World on $75 a Day.
Why the new edition? Well, because of inflation…and the changed way we travel post-COVID.
The last edition of my book came out in 2017 and, since then, a lot has changed. COVID forever changed the travel industry. A lot of companies/hotels/hostels closed during the pandemic while old methods of saving money became obsolete and new methods came into being.
Destinations around the world have changed too. For example, when I wrote the book’s last edition, there was barely any train travel in Southeast Asia. Now Laos has a train line connecting all its major cities, Cambodia is reviving its train system, and Thailand is expanding theirs.
And, since 2017, prices have gone up a lot. Not only because of natural inflation but because of the post-COVID inflation boom. It’s not as cheap to travel as it was back in 2017!
Since travel has changed so much, I wanted my book to reflect the current conditions we travelers face when it comes to planning a trip, saving money, and navigating regions around the world. How to be a smart budget traveler is different than it was in 2017 and I want to arm you with all the tools needed to be one.
In fact, so much is different, that I ended up writing over 80% of this book! In my mind, it’s not a simple “update” — it’s essentially a new book! (So, if you bought this before, you can buy this new edition without worrying that it’s a lot of the same material!)
In this new version, you’ll find:
A new section on collecting and redeeming points and miles.
A completely updated resource section filled with companies and accommodations I love.
More information on overtourism and how to be a responsible traveler.
Completely revised and updated and expanded destination sections that include new prices, ways to save, and tips on where to eat, accommodation, transportation, and activities.
New trips and tricks on how to save money before you go.
New ways to save money on accommodation, including ways to get free accommodation.
New ways to save money on transportation (with new information on transportation passes).
And that’s just on top of the normal price and information updates that you would expect from new update! This book really puts everything you need to know about saving money and getting off the tourist travel in one place.
This book isn’t just for long-term travelers either. It’s for anyone who wants to save money, get off the beaten path, and travel smarter — no matter how long your trip is. Because how you save money on flights or what gear to get or how to save money in London doesn’t change based on how long your trip is!
The book comes out on March 25th, 2025 and is currently available for pre-sale at the following places:
And, as part of this announcement, I am offering limited-time pre-sale offers where, if you buy a copy of the book, you get a few added bonuses. If you purchase the book before the end of the month, you’ll get the following:
If you buy one copy of the book, you’ll get my forever gratitude and an ebook of your choice from my collection of online guides.
If you buy ten copies of the book, you get all the above PLUS a 30 minute trip planning call with me and a signed copy of my memoir, Ten Years a Nomad.
If you want to buy more than ten copies of the book, reach out to me and we’ll work out a bespoke package — anywhere from coming me to your city for lunch to speaking to your event to giving you a free flight!
To claim your bonus, all you need to do is email me a copy of your receipt to matt@nomadicmatt.com and I will send it to you.
So if you’re interested in the book, please, please please pre-order the book and don’t wait until publication day! Pre-orders determine the print run of the book and how many copies bookstores will pick up. The stronger the pre-sale orders, the more likely they are to stock the book so please order the book in advance! It would mean a lot!
The book is available in the U.S. and Canada or as a digital copy globally. (Or you could order from Amazon US and get it shipped to wherever you are in the world.) Here are the links to order the book again:
If you have any questions, email me!
– Matt
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
Gracing the top three on our list of the best films of 2024, Nickel Boys is truly transformative. An adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, it relies heavily on first-person POV shots to tell the story of a violent reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida from the perspective of its protagonists. Mashable’s reviewer called it “exquisite and powerful” and we’re unsurprised that it nabbed nominations for both Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at this year’s Oscars.
Already available to purchase on digital, Nickel Boys has now made its streaming debut on Feb. 28. Here’s everything you need to know in order to tune in.
What is Nickel Boys about?
Adapted from the 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead — which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction — Nickel Boys follows 16-year-old Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse) and his friend Turner (Brandon Wilson). A promising advanced high schooler, Elwood finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, leading to false charges and imprisonment at a juvenile reform home called the Nickel Academy.
“A young adherent of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Elwood’s idealism quickly clashes with Nickel’s harsh reality of segregation and corporal punishment. However, he also finds guidance and companionship in Turner, a fellow student hailing from Houston whose more upbeat demeanor and slick survival tips exist in close proximity to his own fears of the school’s ruthless staff,” Mashable’s reviewer summarizes.
Is Nickel Boys worth watching?
“Stunning” doesn’t even begin to cover it,” writes Mashable reviewer Siddhant Adlakha, “but RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys is one of those rare Hollywood productions that feels aesthetically transformative.” From the powerfully adapted story to the uniquely filmed first-person perspective shots, RaMell Ross’ film is one of our favorite movies of 2024. And we’re not alone in the sentiment — it’s also nominated for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars. It’s garnered a 90 percent critic rating and 76 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes as well, making it certified fresh.
“Few narrative feature debuts have felt so poignant and so richly formed that they practically speak their own language, as Nickel Boys does, while also managing to articulate its drama clearly and instinctively. The result is a dynamic work of resilience and self-actualization,” Adlkaha concludes.
How to watch Nickel Boys at home
Credit: Amazon MGM Studios
Two months after its theatrical debut, Nickel Boys officially made its video-on-demand debut on sites like Prime Video and Fandango at Home (Vudu). You can purchase it for your digital collection at any of the retailers below as of Feb. 11. You’ll also be able to rent it from the same retailers at a later date.
If you prefer to stream the film instead, keep reading to learn more.
As of Feb. 11, you can buy Nickel Boys at the following retailers:
Is Nickel Boys streaming?
Nickel Boys made its streaming debut on MGM+ on Feb. 28, 2025. MGM+ subscriptions start at $6.99 per month, but we’ve rounded up the best ways to save money on your subscription below.
If NickelBoys follows a similar streaming schedule as fellow Amazon MGM Studios films Challengers and Blink Twice, it will likely expand its streaming release to Prime Video in a couple of months. We’ll keep you updated if and when that happens.
Can I get MGM+ for free?
New to MGM+? You can enjoy a week of streaming for free with a trial through MGM+ directly or as an add-on via Prime Video. The add-on option is great for Prime members looking to condense their streaming services (and payments) into one central location. If you’d rather keep things separate, you’re better off signing up through MGM+ directly. Either way, if you align your seven-day trial to the release of Nickel Boys, you’ll be able to stream it for free. Just remember to cancel before the week is up.
The best MGM+ streaming deals
Save 30%: MGM+ annual subscription
As a smaller streamer compared to, say, Prime Video or Netflix, MGM+ isn’t brimming with great deal options. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. If you want to save some cash, your best option is to sign up for the annual subscription versus the monthly subscription. You’ll save 30% by paying for a year upfront, which is a pretty big savings compared to annual subscriptions from other streamers. At $58.99 per year, you’re paying less than $5 per month (reg. $6.99 per month).
Save $1.99/month: Sign up for MGM+ via Sling TV
If you’d rather just sign up for a single month and call it quits, subscribing to MGM+ through Sling TV can save you $1.99. No need to pay for the base plan of Sling. Just head over to the MGM landing page on Sling’s website and you’ll be able to sign up for only $5 per month. If you do want to sign up for a base package through Sling (Orange or Blue), you’ll unlock a free month of MGM+.
When I finally decided to visit Peru, I knew one thing: I wanted to hike with the company that Mark Adams, my friend and fellow travel writer, used for his book Turn Right at Machu Picchu. The stories he shared about his treks and what he learned on them convinced me that those were the people I wanted to show me around the Sacred Valley, so I might have my own pretend Indiana Jones moment: me, the wilderness, and my local guide.
So I emailed Amazonas Explorer, which focuses on private tours as well as off-the beaten path hikes in the Sacred Valley, to see if it would be possible to book something. While a private tour was more expensive than a regular group trip, I liked the idea of going at my own pace and having my own guide. Plus, when the owner, Paul, said a few people from the Amazonas office would be joining, it made me feel like I would be hiking with locals rather than just on some tourist-focused group outing.
I wasn’t going to do the full Inca Trail, as I didn’t have enough time, didn’t feel fit enough, and absolutely hate camping. Instead, I opted for the famed KM104 hike, which starts at the marker by that name (104km from Cusco, an exit point on the train line from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu) and takes you through the Sacred Valley and a few Incan sites before linking up with the main Inca Trail that leads into Machu Picchu.*
“We’ll be there to pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 4:30am, so we can catch the train,” wrote Paul over email.
A 4:30am pickup meant a 3:30am wake-up, and there was absolutely no way I wanted to do that.
“Can we go later?” I asked. “It’s just me after all.”
“Nope, we have to get the 6:45am train from Ollantaytambo, which is two hours from Cusco. And we can’t be late. We’ve got a strict timetable. Sorry!”
But there was an option B!
Rather than wake up in the middle of the night, I decided to head to Ollantaytambo the day before so I could sleep in until just before the train….because while Indiana Jones might be able to find artifacts on little sleep, I can’t.
Once a major Incan city, Ollantaytambo is located on the Urubamba River against high mountains, on which extensive ruins offer beautiful views of the valley. Seeing them seemed like a better option than waking up early. So I arrived in the midafternoon to explore the ruins, pack my day bags, and relax before the hike.
(Tip: Don’t go when I did! Arrive early to avoid the afternoon crowds coming from Cusco. And bring a lot of sunscreen as there is no shade! The ruins are really beautiful though and give you a taste of what is to come.)
That evening, I unwound at El Albergue, a boutique hotel located right next to the train station. There was no more convenient place to stay — you literally walk out the door onto the train! I loaded up on carbs from food that came straight from the garden, packed my bags, and went to bed early in the comfiest bed I had all trip.
After waking up at the more reasonable hour of 5:45am, I met my guide, Efrain, and we boarded the train toward Machu Picchu so we could get off at KM104 and link up with the two others from the Amazonas office who were joining us.**
As the train snaked through the valley, the staff served us coca tea to help with the altitude. It’s a traditional indigenous remedy for altitude sickness in the region (it’s also the plant from which cocaine is derived). Not only does it really work but it has a very earthy, herbal taste that I had grown to love.
As I sipped my tea, Efrain and I went over the logistics of the next two days together while we got to know each other. A native to the area, he’d been a guide for over twenty years. Funny and really knowledgeable about the region’s flora, fauna, and Incan history, he used to lead a lot of group tours but now mostly does private ones with Amazonas.
When we got off the train, we met up with Katy and Lourdes, our hiking companions. Katy had hiked this route many times, having been a guide before, but it was Lourdes’s first time, and she was as nervous about being physically able to do it as I was. We bonded about it in my broken Spanish.
After checking in with the ticket control, we started our 12km (7.5-mile) hike up to Machu Picchu. The first leg followed the Urubamba River, which snakes through the entirety of the Sacred Valley, eventually flowing around Machu Picchu and north before combining with a few other rivers. Decades ago, its powerful waters were diverted near the ancient city to create a hydroelectric power plant that provides most of the electricity to the region.
The sun beat down on us as we hiked up the exposed side of the mountain, the only sounds our conversation and the river below. The climb was a continual path upward, punctuated by even steeper ascents and stairs, with various Incan trails and ruins along the way. Between the sun and altitude, it was a lot harder than I thought. Though I work out and consider myself in shape, I found myself resting a lot, so I was glad we could hike at my pace. The route was also filled with tour groups with whom we would trade passing each other, as everyone stopped for breaks at various points.
“Anyone who wants to do the hike into Machu Picchu but doesn’t want to do the full trek has to hike this path,” Efrain explained.
“So these tour groups will be with us the entire way?” I asked as I watched one pass us on one of our breaks.
“Yup! And likely tomorrow if they are visiting the ruins too!”
As we got closer to the cloud forest (a moist rainforest with a constant layer of clouds or mist) and the ruins that would mark our halfway point, the trail began to narrow as it cut across the side of the mountain and the gentle earth to our side gave way to sheer drops.
“By the way,” I said as I noticed this, “I hate heights and sheer drops. Will the trail widen soon?”
“You’ll be fine,” he assured me.
“Hmmm, that’s a non-answer,” I replied.
As we made our way, I hugged the mountain, trying not to look to the side, grateful we were once again going at my own pace.
Slowly we made our way farther and farther up the narrow, winding trail. In the blink of an eye, the arid and exposed trail was instead shaded by trees as the air cooled, and the sound of waterfalls began to be heard. Efrain pointed out native orchids as we ascended higher (we were always going up, up, up!) to the Incan site of Wiñay Wayna.
Not much is known about it except that it was an experimental agricultural location. Soil samples have shown remnants of fruits and plants not native to the region and that don’t grow at this altitude, so it could be assumed that this was an area of agricultural experimentation (the Incas did a lot of that). The temples and houses in the upper part all had stunning balconies that provided great views of the valley that I am sure anyone would kill for today. I thought about how, centuries ago, some Inca, after a hard day of work, stared at the same view, and I wondered if he enjoyed it as much as I did. Likely, since love of nature transcends time and culture.
From there, it was a quick lunch before we continued on to Machu Picchu. As the clouds rolled in, I picked up the pace, wondering if the weather might clear. Along the way, Efrain pointed out all the orchid species, but my focus was on getting to the infamous Sun Gate before the clouds obscured my view.
The Sun Gate is the main entrance that overlooks Machu Picchu. It was believed that the steps were a control gate for those who entered and exited the city, likely protected by the Incan military. And because of its location on a ridge on the southeast, the rising sun passes through the gate each year on the summer solstice (hence the name).
“We might need to sacrifice to the gods,” joked Katy as she noticed my nervousness. “Maybe that will help!”
Efrain, turning to Lourdes, said, “It might need to be you, since we can’t sacrifice Matt!” causing us to all laugh.
“Okay, well, I’m gonna run, as I can’t miss this. You’ve all seen it before,” I shouted to him as I ran the final part of the trail to the Sun Gate.
I got there just in time to behold Machu Picchu before the clouds rolled in. It was a magical view. There it was, the goal of a lifetime, a sight I had dreamed about for so long! It was as wondrous as I thought it would be. And even though the clouds hid the mountains and some of the structures, there was still an ethereal feeling.
Efrain and the others eventually arrived as well. We made friends with a family from California as we all waited for glimpses of Machu Picchu through the clouds, setting up our cameras for those fleeting seconds before the mist hid it again.
Though I could have stayed longer, Efrain told us it was time to keep going, so we continued down the trail to the ruins, where I got a close-up view of Machu Picchu through the clouds from a viewpoint overlooking the city.
“Tomorrow, we’ll explore those areas,” Efrain said, pointing to areas around the historic site. “But right now it’s time to check into the hotel.”
Early the next day, Efrain and I headed back to the ancient site itself, Katy and Lourdes having returned to Cusco. (These days, in order to control the crowds, there are now three routes to choose from, but each requires a separate ticket. We took the one that included the most buildings.)
Machu Picchu, known as “the Lost City of the Incas,” is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It was constructed around 1450 CE during the reign of Emperor Pachacuti as his royal estate and served multiple purposes, including religious, agricultural, and administrative functions. It was built here because the Incas could mine the stone locally, so they didn’t have to move any building materials across the mountains.
It was inhabited for 50 years and still under construction when it was finally abandoned due to the Spanish conquest of the area. Machu Picchu remained largely unknown until its rediscovery in 1911 by American historian Hiram Bingham III, who was searching for the famed “Lost City of the Incas,” supposedly their last hideout and filled with gold (though that is actually believed to be Vilcabamba).
Efrain gave me such a detailed history that it felt like I had a professor with me. He pointed out how the Incas used various building techniques to ensure there was sufficient drainage from all the rain, and expounded on theories about which buildings were used for what. He also gave me the lowdown on modern politics, revealing that there’s still a lot of the historic area that has not been excavated or restored yet, due to funding issues and corruption. I was lost in his descriptions and awed about just how innovative Inca engineering was. They had mastered the mountains and did it with style and beauty too. I would love to have seen Machu Picchu at its peak. What a sight it must have been!
After a half-day exploring (and wishing I had more time to do the other routes), it was time to take the train back to Ollantaytambo and Cusco. I had finally seen one of the most iconic sites in the history of humanity. It really felt surreal to have been there. And the hike, though hard, was also incredible. As I closed my eyes to rest on the way back, I was thrilled I finally got to see something I’ve been wanting to see ever since I was a kid.
About the Tour Company
Amazonas Explorer mostly runs private tours, but it does have some larger group offerings. So whether you’re with a group or just want to go alone, check out the company. (It is featured in the book Turn Right at Machu Picchu, which is why I chose it.) It also runs trips to other ruins in the region and will take you places most tourists don’t go.
* Note 1: Really, everything is an Inca trail. The Incas made over 40,000 km of roads, so you can consider any of those an “Inca trail.” However, for the purposes of this post, when I refer to the Inca Trail, it’s the popular multiday hike that leads into Machu Picchu that everyone talks about.
** Note 2: Efrain was Mark’s guide in the book too.
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The NHL scored big by going global to fight midseason doldrums, leaving North America’s other major pro sports leagues to ponder what they could do to re-energize their dreary all-star breaks.
Canada won the tournament with a thrilling overtime victory over the United States in a championship matchup that was watched by 16.1 million viewers in North America — 9.3 million in the United States and 6.3 million in Canada.
That made for the second-most watched hockey game in the past decade, trailing only Game 7 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
“It was just the best example of pent-up demand for some great international play on the big stage with the big guns,” said Lauren Anderson, director of the Warsaw Sports Business Center at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business.
So can other leagues stage their versions of hockey’s 4 Nations? Anderson is skeptical.
“I worry that everybody’s going to see the success of 4 Nations and everybody’s going to try and run to do something, and it’s not going to be special,” she said. “It’s not going to be high-quality.”
Fans and players alike criticized last week’s NBA All-Star weekend, and it showed in the ratings. The game drew only 4.7 million viewers, according to Front Office Sports, down 13% year over year. It was the second-lowest All-Star Game in the last 25 years.
ESPN NHL analyst P.K. Subban said much of that is based on the effort NBA players put into it.
4 Nations “was the most viewed game that we’ve had in years,” Subban said. “It’s because it’s not just based on the skill and talent. It’s based on the pride, honor, playing for the guy next to you. I got a question for the NBA players — what the hell are you playing for? What are you playing for?”
Fordham University professor Mark Conrad said he hopes other leagues can someday reformat their all-star games to something more compelling than their current products.
“Those [the NBA and pre-4 Nations NHL all-star games] are jokes, and the Pro Bowl is idiotic,” said Conrad, who teaches sports law at Fordham’s business school.
MLB already has World Baseball Classic
Baseball officials would suggest they don’t need to stage a midseason international tournament since they already have the World Baseball Classic, which brought the planet’s best to springtime competition in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2023.
Organizers of 4 Nations benefited from having nearly all of the world’s best hockey players already here, punching the clock for North American employers, so a high-level midseason competition wasn’t hard to organize.
A baseball form of 4 Nations probably wouldn’t be able to include three-time WBC champion Japan or Korea, third- and second-place finishers in 2006 and 2009, with those players competing in domestic leagues in July.
The best U.S., Dominican and Venezuelan baseball players are under contract for MLB teams, so a 4 Nations-like competition could be held during the All-Star break, but only with Western Hemisphere teams.
Conrad and Anderson questioned whether games involving teams other than the 2017 champion Americans or the 2023 winning Japanese would be competitive enough to hold viewer interest.
“I don’t know about the competitive balance there’d be between the U.S., Canada, Dominican Republic and Venezuela,” Conrad said. “I think there’s a risk that you may get, like, 15-0 games.”
That would be in contrast to the 4 Nations tournament of close hockey games. Just one of the seven contests was a blowout — the rest were either one-goal games or two-goal games that included empty net scores.
4 Nations’ success “really has to do with how the league is built and the structure of the players,” Anderson said. “No league is built for this the way the NHL is, where you can have four teams that are equally strong and competitive.”
“Of all of the all-star games out there, the baseball All-Star Game is considered the best,” Conrad said. “You still get reasonably good ratings and it’s not the joke that the NHL and NBA all-star games are. Those are jokes.”
The United States won its fifth consecutive basketball gold medal in Paris last summer, but it was no cakewalk.
The Americans had to rally from a 17-point deficit against Serbia in the semifinals before Steph Curry continued his heroics in a title-game victory over France.
While many of the best international players suit up for NBA clubs, most non-American elites are employed in Europe.
Of the 10 players who took part in Serbia’s bronze-medal-winning game over Germany, six are plying their trade in Europe this season. Of the 12 players who got minutes for France in the gold medal game against the United States, seven are playing this season in Europe.
Conrad, the Fordham professor, said there would be more upside to a midseason international basketball competition than a baseball version of it.
“Basketball is such an international game now, and baseball is not nearly as much,” he said.
Despite a logistical headache of bringing players from Greece, Turkey, Italy, Serbia and other corners of Europe for a potential midseason NBA-led international competition, Conrad said, it’s doable.
“That’d be hard. You’d have to find the time to do it,” he said. “But you know what, if the World Cup can change its schedule in the midst of the soccer schedule, which it did in Qatar, then it can be done. I think there’s a will to do it. It can be done for a very short, intense series. I think it’s very possible.”
Success of the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off was in stark contrast to the NBA All-Star Game, which some panned for its confusing format and unserious play.
Anderson argued that the weekend of non-game events plays a key role in pop culture that’s every bit as valuable as any on-the-floor action.
“The NBA All-Star Game, that event is about the influencers,” Anderson said. “It’s about entertainment. It’s about sponsors. It’s really about everything that’s going on around the weekend.”
The Pro Bowl is dead and gone
Football, of course, is a uniquely American sport, so international play isn’t a real option.
And given the brutal physical nature of football, adding an extra game that doesn’t lead to the Super Bowl is probably a nonstarter.
Conrad said he doesn’t believe there’d be much fan outcry if the NFL and the NBA just did away with their all-star game events all together.
“The Pro Bowl is idiotic, and they’re trying to come up with new ways and gimmicks,” Conrad said. “So it’d be easier to chuck them. I don’t think the world would be unhappy if you chucked them.”
Any football fan under the age of 60 would struggle to recall that the NFL once staged a third-place game, the Playoff Bowl, featuring the semifinal losers playing the weekend before the Super Bowl.
The Playoff Bowl “wasn’t meaningless, but it was almost meaningless,” said former Green Packers split end Boyd Dowler, a two-time Super Bowl champion who also played in two of those third-place games.
Legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi hated the Playoff Bowl, once calling it “a hinky-dink football game, held in a hinky-dink town, played by hinky-dink players.”
The Playoff Bowl had no real hope for staying power if a man like Lombardi, who put winning over everything, didn’t put full commitment toward it.
“At the time, [Lombardi] probably cared [about winning the Playoff Bowl]. I’m sure he cared — but not very much,” Dowler, 87, recalled.
