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This website lets you look out of other people’s windows, and I’m hooked

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I didn’t expect to lose an hour staring out of strangers’ windows online, but here we are. One moment I was at my desk, drowning in the usual chaos of tabs, and the next I was gazing at a misty mountain framed by a Swiss balcony. A single click later, I found myself in São Paulo, where rain streaked the glass and cars splashed down narrow streets. I clicked again, and I was peeking out of a high-rise in New York, watching the skyline glow as the sun slipped behind the towers.

This, in a nutshell, is WindowSwap, a website that lets you “open a new window somewhere in the world.” Trust me, it’s every bit as captivating as I found Live TV Wall, which lets you stream live channels from around the globe.

WindowSwap is a pandemic project that refused to stay indoors

The world’s most peaceful rabbit hole

WindowSwap really lives up to its name: it invites you to peer through strangers’ windows around the globe from your own screen. The site was launched in mid-2020 by Singapore-based couple Sonali Ranjit and Vaishnav Balasubramaniam as a kind of pandemic antidote to cabin fever. Their idea was straightforward: if we couldn’t fly across oceans, maybe we could at least borrow each other’s views. It stood apart from the usual apps and websites people turned to for relief during those long lockdown months.

What began as a modest lockdown side project soon grew into a global community. According to a One Show case note, as of 2021, the site had accumulated more than 12,000 submissions from over 110 countries, over 5 million unique visitors, and 20+ million total views.

Opening the window

A simple interface with surprising depth

Getting started with WindowSwap is refreshingly simple. When you visit the website, you land on a page with one centered button that reads, “Open a new window somewhere in the world.” When you click it, the screen fades into a real video: a window frame fills the view, with plants on the sill, curtains slightly parted, maybe a quiet street or garden beyond. You hear ambient sounds (whether it be birds, passing cars, distant chatter, etc.), and for about ten minutes, you’re somewhere else entirely.

A small label in the top-right corner of the screen shows the location as well as the time the video was captured, often within the last few months. In the upper-left corner, you’ll see whose window you’re peering through (in the case of the first image in the gallery above, "Zubby’s Window"), adding a personal touch to each view. In the lower-right corner, you’ll find a handful of intuitive controls: a loop button to replay your current window endlessly, a fullscreen button to immerse yourself completely, and a volume control to adjust or mute the ambient audio. These let you customize your window-watching experience without cluttering the interface.

It’s important to note that these are pre-recorded videos, not live streams. The window views are randomly selected, so you might occasionally see a window you’ve already viewed. You can keep clicking "Open a window somewhere in the world" as much as you like to flip through streams randomly. Each click transports you to a new corner of the globe—from bustling Tokyo streets to tranquil Norwegian fjords—making it endlessly easy to lose yourself in the hypnotic rhythm of window-hopping across continents.

Everything about WindowSwap feels thoughtfully designed

You can unlock even more windows if you really fall in love with it

WindowSwap doesn’t do much, but everything it does feels intentional. The project’s founders chose not to make the clips live feeds. Every video is submitted by someone, reviewed manually for privacy and quality, and then curated into the platform’s growing library. That review process means you’ll never accidentally stumble into something invasive or inappropriate. You are sure to enjoy just the quiet rhythms of daily life across the globe.

You can also send in your own window. All that’s required is for you to sign up, then upload a horizontal ten-minute video that includes the window frame, recorded in good light with clear natural sound. You submit it with your name and location, and after moderation, it becomes part of the growing archive.

If you end up hooked (and you probably will), there’s an “All-Access” membership that costs $5 a month or $50 a year. This premium tier unlocks several enhanced features: a back button to revisit the previous window you just viewed, the ability to filter windows by type (such as snowy windows), search functionality to find windows by specific locations, unlimited bookmarks to save your favorite views, and access to every window ever uploaded to the platform.

Try WindowSwap for yourself

The next time you feel that familiar restlessness creeping in and want to dodge the endless scroll without relying on another “anti-scrolling” app, try opening WindowSwap instead. Click a window, pour yourself a coffee, and let the world roll in. Maybe you’ll find yourself in Tokyo watching the neon glow. Maybe you’ll end up on a farmhouse porch in the middle of nowhere. Or maybe you’ll just watch someone’s cat hogging the spotlight. And if you’re feeling generous, consider submitting your own view. You never know whose day might be brightened by it.

MakeUseOf

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A Camera Grip That Can Charge your iPhone

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Belkin’s PowerGrip is for those who shoot lots of video with their iPhone. It solves two problems at once: It provides all the juice you need for a long shoot, and it provides a comfortable camera-like grip.

It attaches magnetically, and can be used in either portrait or landscape orientations. There’s also a physical shutter button, which works via Bluetooth.

The 15W battery has enough capacity to charge your phone "up to 1.6x," the company says. It also features a retractable USB-C cable and a second USB-C port, if you want to use it to charge other devices. And the bottom is tapped with a 1/4" thread so you can attach it to any tripod.

It can also be used as a phone stand.

Runs $80.

Core77

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The New ‘Running Man’ Trailer Is Beyond Action Packed

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Anytime director Edgar Wright releases a new movie, it’s an event. Throw in Glen Powell playing the Arnold Schwarzenegger role in a high-octane Stephen King adaptation, and, well, all bets are off. That’s what graced the Empire Stage at New York Comic Con this weekend as Wright, Powell, and co-star Lee Pace showed up to talk all things The Running Man and debut a brand new trailer too—which has finally made its debut online now that the con has wrapped up.

Directed by Wright, from a script by Wright and Michael Bacall (the same duo who wrote Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), The Running Man hits theaters on November 14. Most fans know the title because of the 1987 Schwarzenegger movie, but that was based on a much more sprawling 1982 novel written under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman. This version is closer to the novel, with the titular game show not beholden to a single arena but taking place all over the world. You see lots of that in the new trailer, which you can watch below.

The best parts of this trailer, besides this movie actually existing and coming out in a month, are the Edgar Wright action touches. We’ve seen lots and lots of action movies, but you can just tell when it’s Wright behind the camera. The way it moves, the way it’s cut together—everything just has this kinetic feeling, which you can bet will permeate the entire movie.

It also helps that, in addition to Powell and Pace, Wright has assembled an incredible ensemble to bring The Running Man to life. He’s got William H. Macy, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin. Not too shabby.

The Running Man is running to theaters soon, on November 14, and we’ll have much more in the coming weeks. Are you as excited about this one as we are?

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Gizmodo

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Let Your AI DBA Assistant Write Your MySQL Queries

Having explored the innovative MySQL HeatWave technology that converts Natural Language into SQL (Ask Your Database Anything: Natural Language to SQL in MySQL HeatWave), our next article in this series, dives into a practical use case demonstrating how an AI DBA Assistant can significantly simplify your query generation workflow. In MySQL, there are 3 specialized […]

The post Let Your AI DBA Assistant Write Your MySQL Queries first appeared on dasini.net – Diary of a MySQL expert.Planet MySQL

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What Makes Buc-ee’s Special?

https://theawesomer.com/photos/2025/10/the_cult_of_buc_ees_t.jpgIf you’ve never been to a Buc-ee’s, you’re missing out on a uniquely American phenomenon – a gas station and convenience store that has become a major tourist attraction. Reporter Phil Edwards delves into what makes the Texas-based chain special, and why its success may be unstoppable as it launches its massive travel centers in […]The Awesomer

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The Left is Violent | Change My Mind Part 2

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Steven brings Change My Mind to the SMU campus to discuss political violence and where it comes from.

Studies claiming more political violence from the Right

  1. The Prosecution Project (as featured in the Economist)
    1. TPP Author info: Michael Loadenthal
      1. Described himself as ANTIFA. Source: X
      2. Admitted to being arrested while protesting Trump. Source: T&F
  2. The CATO Institute Sources: Study, Data

Political Violence Omitted From Studies

  • AARON DANIELSON: Shot dead POINT BLANK by ANTIFA member Michael Reinoehl BECAUSE he was a Trump supporter. He said so, on camera, WHILE HE KILLED HIM. Source: X
    • NOT registered as leftist political violence.
  • DARRELL BROOKS: Brooks noted Black Supremacist. (Waukesha) Source: NYPost
    • Killed 6 (All White)
    • Injured 70
    • Comments on Whites
  • DAYTON SHOOTER (2019): Connor Betts appears nowhere on TPP database or CATO research. Sources: TPP, CATO, CNN
  • SUMMER OF LOVE: Only 232 entries in Database from Summer of Love/George Floyd Protests Sources: TPP, TPP
    • 13,600 Total arrests
    • 60K Officers Assaulted
    • $2B in damages
    • At least 19 Deaths

DEFINITIONS

TRUTH: Nearly all white vs minority crimes are registered as “political violence” but not vice versa.

  • EXAMPLES:
    • BILLIE DAVIS: White woman stabbed an Asian woman on a bus in 2024. Sources: People, TPP
      • Right Wing
    • BRANDON ELLIOTT: Black man who brutally assaulted an Asian woman in 2021. Source: NBCNews
      • Not listed on TPP Database

TRUTH: When it comes to overall violence, rates are infinitely higher in Blue cities.

  • 19 of 20 cities with highest murder rates have Blue Mayors. Sources: Axios, CensusScope, Columbia, CHOP
    • Mostly located in Red States
    • 7 of the top 10 murder states also have the highest black population
    • 2% of US counties account for 56% of murders

TRUTH: The CATO, which ONLY focuses on deaths from terrorism, has glaring omissions putting the entire study into question.

  • Michael Reinoehl not included
  • Darrel Brooks (Waukesha), noted Black Supremacist. Source: NYPost
    • Killed 6 (All White)
    • Injured 70
    • Comments on Whites:
  • The Study’s Author Doesn’t Follow His Own Rules.
    • ATLANTA SPA SHOOTER: Robert Aaron Long Listed as “Right Wing (Killed 8). Sources: Fox5Atlanta, NBC
      • Included as right-wing largely due to his religious ties.
    • COMPARE SUTHERLAND SPRINGS: Study author Alex Nowrasteh omitted this shooter. Source: Nowrasteh
      • Says shooter was atheist and had argument with mom.
        • Baptist = Right Wing
        • Atheist = Nothing
    • EXAMPLE: Audrey Hale listed as “Aiden Hale.” SourceL CATO
    • EXAMPLE: Mauricio Garcia (Killed 8). Souce: ADL
      • ADL disputed that he was politically motivated.
    • EXAMPLE: Vance Boelter. Sources: NYPost, MinnesotaStarTribune
      • Explicitly told reporters it wasn’t because of “pro-life” or “Trump.”

SINCE TRUMP ELECTED NOV: Right NOW the Left is considerably more violent.

  • The left has killed 2X as many people. Source: CATO
  • Left-wing terrorism at worst in 30 years. Source: CSIS

TRUTH: Every meaningful POLL of individuals suggests Left more willing to commit violence than the Right

  • YouGov asked if its acceptable to be happy about death of public figure you oppose:
    • ALWAYS UNACCEPTABLE Source: YouGov
      • REPUBLICANS: 77%
      • DEMOCRATS: 38%
      • 44% of Dems Say sometimes acceptable
  • Rutgers 2024 (Bottom pg 4). Source: Study
    • 66% responded that the murder of Donald Trump would be somewhat to completely justified.

TRUTH: While the shooting of Rep Melissa Hortman and her husband was a horrible event, it is not comparable at all.

  • The murderer, Vance Boelter specifically said his actions were not inspired by “Trump or pro-life stuff.”
  • He left a letter claiming he was part of a Tim Walz directed government hit. Source: NYPost, MinnesotaStarTribune
  • And it was roundly condemned by those on the right as violence. No, Senator Mike Lee’s comments on X (NBC) are not comparable to what we saw with Charlie Kirk.
  • SEN MIKE LEE QUOTES:
    • “Nightmare on Waltz Street”
    • “This is what happens when Marxists don’t get their way.”
    • “These hateful attacks have no place in Utah, Minnesota, or anywhere in America.”

TRUTH: You’ve seen far worse examples than Jan 6 on the Left

  • KEY FACT 1: J20 PROTESTS Source: Independent
    • 217 Arrests
    • $100K+ in damages (minimum)
  • KEY FACT 2: “Summer of Love” George Floyd Riots Sources: ABC, Axios, Forbes
    • 60K Officers Assaulted
    • $2B in damages
    • At least 19 Deaths
  • KEY FACT 3: Church burning and attempted ransacking of the White House. Source: CNN, WaPo
  • FINAL POINT: Compared to Jan 6 which resulted in only
    • 1 Death of Ashley Babbitt.
    • 275 FBI Agents Present. Source: TheBlaze

TRUTH: Gun culture on the Right is not to blame. We don’t see this kind of political violence ANYWHERE outside of the political left.

  • 1. HIGHER GUN OWNERSHIP CORRELATES WITH LOWER GUN CRIME. Sources: CPRC, CHOP, CrimeResearch
    • 2% of US counties account for 56% of murders
      • And nearly all high-murder counties have a major city with a Democrat mayor.
      • SOURCE: Crime Prevention Research Center and a Columbia University Study,
  • 2. 94% OF ALL MASS SHOOTINGS SINCE 1950 HAVE OCCURRED IN GUN FREE ZONES.
    • SOURCE: Study from Crime Research, University of Chicago and John Lott:
  • 3. DEFENSIVE FIREARM USES FAR OUTWEIGH FIREARM HOMICIDES. Sources: National Academics, Georgetown
    • Almost all national surveys estimate annual defensive uses of firearms ranging from approximately 500,000 to more than 3 million, indicating defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals.
  • Also numbers that reflect we are in fact not the most violent nation on earth or even highest with gun deaths.
    • US ranks 57th in terms of murder rate worldwide.

Louder With Crowder