Ripple's cap surged to $108.2 billion to reclaim the fifth spot XRP has surged by 21.08% to hit a three-year high In the past 24 hours, Ripple [XRP] has made one of the greatest comebacks in the Crypto's recent history. For the first time since 2018, XRP's market cap has breached the $100 billion barrier to surpass Binance Coin [BNB]. According to CoinMarketCap, XRP's market cap has reached $108.22 billion after a 21.38% spike over the past day. This increase has moved the altcoin to fifth place by market cap. In 2018, XRP price rallied to set its all-time high at $3.13 while the market cap reached $120.76 billion. Interestingly, the recent uptrend raises questions about what's driving Ripple's uptrend and if it will keep its fifth spot. Factors driving XRP's market cap According to AMBCrypto's analysis, one factor driving the surge is the changing political environment in the United States. Since Donald Trump's election, the altcoin has experienced a sustained uptrend as he promised to remove the current SEC chairman. Gary Gensler announced his intentions to resign as the new administration takes over. There's growing speculation that the SEC will... Gladys Makena
Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emergesSolana (SOL) Struggles to Break $200 and Ripple (XRP) Hovers Around $2 — DTX Exchange (DTX) Enters Whale Radars as Launch ApproachesCanada's Trudeau returns home after Trump meeting without assurances that tariffs are off the table
The Motorola Razr (2023) is still one of the most affordable foldable phones on the market, especially now that it's on sale. Some notable compromises include a smaller external display, a lower-end processor, and a weak camera system. The Motorola Razr handles day-to-day activities fairly well and can even run more graphics-intensive tasks if needed. It's been on my mind since the very first foldable: At what point will these shape-shifting phones be affordable enough for everyone to buy? The first iterations were understandably expensive because of the R&D and materials that manufacturers had put in -- and also because of innovation -- so it was only a matter of time before processes became more streamlined and the entry price dropped, right? Also: The best Black Friday deals: Live updates But that's hardly been the case, with the OnePlus Open being priced at $1,699 (only $100 less than Samsung and Google's phone-to-tablet foldables) and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 now starting at $1,219. That's why Motorola's humble Razr (2023) is such a big deal. It's the first foldable phone to retail for less than $700, not only undercutting the next "cheapest" foldable by $300 but also the base models of more traditional phones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Apple iPhone 15. If Motorola can nail down the essentials at this price point, the Razr may well be the foldable I recommend to most people. Motorola Razr (2023) A pocket-friendly Android with dual displays, a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, a 4,200mAh battery, and more. For starters, it's easy to mistake the Motorola Razr for the Motorola Razr Plus that was released last June. The two phones are very similar, including the folding mechanism, general form factor, software features, and charging technology (30W wired, 5W wireless). Review: Motorola Razr Plus (2023): The best flipping foldable right now But seeing the two physically together paints a clearer picture. The 1.5-inch OLED panel on the Motorola Razr is one of its big compromises, as it's simply not as functional or glamorous as the one on the Razr Plus. That can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your smartphone values. Outer screens compared: Motorola Razr Plus (left) and Motorola Razr (right) For example, having a smaller external display limits the information you can see at a glance. In most cases, incoming notifications and text messages are just too long to be read completely, and a good chunk of tasks require you to use the inner screen to get them done. You also can't freely open apps and browse the web from the outer screen -- that was something I commended the Razr Plus for -- as Motorola limits you to basic widgets like the weather, contacts, and voice recorder. Also: Motorola wants you to wear its new bendable phone like a watch - but don't get too excited On the other hand, a smaller screen means you're less likely to get distracted when the Razr is not in use -- or doesn't need to be used. Motorola even has a "Unplugged" feature that limits your access to more distracting apps like TikTok and Instagram, so this is as close to a feature phone as a smartphone gets. Flip the screen open and you're met with what is basically a standard mid-range Android phone from 2023. The processor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, is not the latest and greatest, but it's good enough to get me through a day of Slack messages, emailing, capturing the occasional photo and video, and navigating around the city, with some lag and slower load times here and there. Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Three features I love (and two that I still wish for) I've also been testing the Razr's performance with a Nintendo DS emulator (DraStic) -- because why wouldn't you simulate a foldable gaming console on a foldable phone -- and the device has kept things running fairly well. In most cases, the Razr only gets warmer to the touch after about 15 minutes of gameplay at 60fps. On paper, the Razr's 64MP dual camera system should yield more flattering photos than it does, but Motorola's image processing is its biggest Achilles heel. The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens means the Razr has to create an artificial bokeh effect, which can sometimes blur subjects more than it should (see the top of this Halloween desk contest entrant's headphones). In most cases, colors appear more washed out and not as saturated (or lifelike) as I'd prefer, and the 13MP ultrawide lens, while capable of capturing a wider field of view than the main sensor, lacks detail in shots. Also: I changed this Android setting to instantly double my phone speed But the Razr being foldable means that it beats even the most expensive iPhone 15 Pro Max in one regard: hands-free pictures. Motorola put the same sturdy hinge on the Razr as it did on the Razr Plus, so you can set the phone down -- something you'd typically need a counterweight or tripod for -- and capture photos and videos from a distance. Having the external display also means you can take fantastic-looking selfies by leveraging the rear cameras instead of the front-facing one. Again, something only a foldable phone can do. ZDNET's buying advice Shopping in the mid-range market can be difficult because it's all about how manufacturers balance specs and features, and how those values align with your personal needs. In the case of the Motorola Razr , its foldable form factor alone makes it stand out from a sea of glass slabs, and the $399 (currently $339) price makes it the most accessible option of its kind. Of course, you'll have to be OK with its compromises, including the just-average camera system, smaller external display, and 128GB storage limit. Otherwise, this is as good as a foldable gets at this price point, and I fully expect competitors to match Motorola's offer as soon as next year. What are the best Black Friday 2024 deals? ZDNET's experts have been searching through Black Friday sales live now to find the best discounts by category. These are the best Black Friday deals so far, by category: Black Friday TV deals Black Friday phone deals Black Friday laptop deals Black Friday gaming PC deals Black Friday smartwatch and fitness tracker deals Black Friday Amazon deals Black Friday Best Buy deals Black Friday Walmart deals Black Friday Sam's Club deals Black Friday Apple deals Black Friday iPad deals Black Friday AirPods deals Black Friday Apple Watch deals Black Friday Kindle deals Black Friday streaming deals Black Friday soundbar and speaker deals Black Friday robot vacuum deals Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals Black Friday PlayStation deals And more Black Friday deals: Black Friday deals under $25 Black Friday deals under $100 Black Friday Samsung deals Black Friday Verizon deals Black Friday headphone deals Black Friday tablet deals Black Friday monitor deals Black Friday gaming deals Black Friday security camera deals Black Friday storage and SSD deals Black Friday portable power station deals Black Friday VPN deals Black Friday Chromebook deals Black Friday HP deals Black Friday Dell deals Black Friday Roku deals Black Friday Roborock deals Best Black Friday deals Black Friday phone deals Black Friday TV deals Black Friday laptop deals
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The United States is actively seeking the assistance of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group to locate and secure the release of missing American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in 2012. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed on Tuesday that the U.S. has prioritized Tice's safety in its communications. Efforts to recover Tice have intensified as Washington conveys its message via intermediaries to HTS, despite its designation as a terror organization. This request comes in the wake of Bashar al-Assad's overthrow, with a focus on liberating Syrian prisons. President Joe Biden firmly believes Tice is alive and has deployed envoy Roger Carstens to reinforce these efforts. HTS's public statements emphasize cooperation, though the U.S. is reserving judgment until actions reflect these declarations. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has engaged with Middle Eastern counterparts to support Syria's political transition, aiming for an inclusive governance structure aligning with international standards. The U.S. remains resolute in observing HTS's next moves. (With inputs from agencies.)
