Venture funding to proptech startups is nowhere near its peak and still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic levels, as higher interest rates make real estate a tougher place to invest, leading to fewer deals and raising the bar for startups seeking capital. But startup investors haven't abandoned the sector, either, Crunchbase data shows. Instead, they're being more selective about their bets and putting more money into companies using AI and other technology to make construction, property operations and real estate transactions faster and less expensive. The broad trend: Even before the pandemic-fueled funding peaks, proptech startups received more than double the venture funding in 2019 than in more recent years. While investors haven't given up on proptech, funding to startups in the space remains down as interest rates hover in the 6% to 7% range. In case you forgot, during the COVID-19 pandemic, home buyers and owners had access to 15-year mortgage interest rates as low as 2.5%. Those historically low interest rates fueled investor interest in the space, especially in the U.S....

About what, you ask' That's a necessary question! There's so much worth fretting about, including the 57-or-so reckless and unwise things the Trump administration and the president himself are doing at any given moment. But this latest bout of anxiety isn't directly tied to what's going on in the Trump White House, though that is making an important contribution to what has me so concerned. What really has me worried is that Joe Biden's presidency hit the rocks, making it very difficult for Kamala Harris to win in 2024, in large part because of the inflation (and interest rate) surge of 2022. Donald Trump followed his political instincts in putting concerns about the cost of living near the center of his pitch for another term as president, and it worked. But over the past year and a half, his administration has pursued policies (from massive and chaotically imposed tariffs, to the Iran War and a resulting spike in energy costs, to AI accelerationism, to runaway spending and tax cuts adding rapidly to the already enormous national debt) that have produced ' elevated inflation and interest rates....

Thirty dollars doesn't get you as much as it used to. In times like these, as the economy worsens, 'Buy Now, Pay Later' services boom, daily bills skyrocket, and inflation continues to surge, it's more important than ever to make that dollar stretch. We've been scouring to find the best Prime Day deals under $30 on WIRED-tested and -approved gear. We've hand-tested and vetted all the deals on this list, so you can be assured this is the best price you'll find. Crazy for deals' For the best of the best of the best deals this Prime Day, check out WIRED's Absolute Best Prime Day Deals and Best Prime Day Deals Under $100. For lightning deals of the moment, see our Amazon Prime Day live blog for updates in real-time. This is one of WIRED editor Kat Merck's top handheld fan picks. It's small (and cheap) but mighty, with two blades that produce a strong breeze at 472 feet per minute and a quiet noise level (44 dB on low), and it's lightweight at only 4 ounces. Plus, it's basically a camping or outdoor adventure Swiss Army knife, doubling as a flashlight and portable power bank. At only $12, you'll be happy you carried this during your next summer adventure....

For one night, in the heart of deep-blue Washington, D.C., a fenced-off section of the National Mall became an oasis for members of the MAGA base. They had believed in President Trump from the beginning and carried him triumphantly back to power in 2024, and now they came to the grand opening of America's 250th-birthday celebration in red-white-and-blue headbands, draped in flags, and sporting dangly blue AMERICA earrings. Doubts about anything related to Trump'his abysmal approval ratings, inflation accelerated by the war he started in Iran, his clashes with Republican senators earlier in the day'were, for an evening, drowned out by the roar of fighter jets overhead. Last night's festivities were meant to kick off two weeks in which Americans could come together and commemorate America's semiquincentennial. But a string of artists had pulled out of events in Washington amid concerns that the celebrations would become the Trump show. And indeed, the evening felt like a Trump rally, with a montage of hits that his most die-hard fans know and love, including Trump's favorite tenor singing 'Ave Maria.' The president declared that America is 'the hottest country anywhere in the world' and rattled off a list of ways in which his administration continues to 'Make America Great Again.' 'The best is yet to come!'...