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Ford tested the Ranger PHEV against a common portable gas generator.

The pickup truck emitted far fewer pollutants during power generation.

Fuel use reportedly dropped to about a third once the truck warmed up.

Ford is making a big claim about its new Ranger Plug-In Hybrid . For many buyers, it can replace an entire piece of equipment they’ve been hauling around for years. According to the automaker, customers who rely on portable generators for work sites, events, or remote jobs may no longer need one at all thanks to the Ranger PHEV’s available Pro Power Onboard system. If Ford’s testing is accurate, the pickup does more than just replace a generator. It improves on it in nearly every meaningful category.

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One catch for North American readers, though. The Ranger PHEV is sold in Europe, the UK, and Australia, and Ford has no current plans to bring it to the States.

How Ford Ran the Numbers

The company recently conducted a series of tests at its engineering center in Dunton, England, comparing a typical 4 kW (5.3 hp) portable gasoline generator against the Ranger PHEV’s 6.9 kW (9.2 hp) Pro Power Onboard setup. Ford says it chose a range of common use cases, including charging power tool batteries, running heaters, boiling a kettle, and maintaining higher electrical loads over longer periods.

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More: 2027 Ram 1500 Gets Fancier And Can Act As A Portable Generator

The comparison focused on emissions and fuel consumption. That’s key because most folks don’t realize how much pollution the average generator creates while being relatively inefficient. According to Ford , the generator in its test produced dramatically higher levels of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons than the Ranger PHEV while generating similar amounts of electricity.

Ford

In some scenarios, nitrogen oxide emissions were reportedly more than 9,000 times higher from the generator, while carbon monoxide output exceeded the truck’s by more than 1,200 times. Those figures are key because while generators don’t have to comply with automotive emissions controls, cars, trucks, and SUVs certainly do. That’s where things like the Ranger’s catalytic converters, fuel management, and emissions technology make a big impact.

Fuel Consumption Tells a Similar Story

Ford

Fuel consumption may be even more important to customers. Ford tested the Ranger PHEV under several operating conditions, including with a full battery, an empty battery and cold engine, and an empty battery with a warmed-up engine. In every case, Ford says the pickup consumed less fuel than the standalone generator while supplying 4 kW of power. Once the truck was fully warmed up and using the battery as a buffer, fuel consumption reportedly dropped to roughly one-third that of the generator.

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Ford’s Data Still Needs A Second Opinion

Naturally, Ford has every reason to highlight the advantages of its latest electrified pickup, and independent testing would be needed to validate the findings. Still, if real-world results come close to matching Ford’s data, the Ranger PHEV’s biggest innovation may not be its plug-in hybrid drivetrain at all. It could be the fact that it lets some owners leave another gas-guzzling machine behind entirely.

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Photos Ford

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When booking a hotel, most of us focus on the essentials: location, room type and amenities. Rarely do we consider what awaits us at turndown time. That is — until we experience one so thoughtful it becomes part of the story we tell about the trip itself.

The right turndown transforms a routine return to your room into something memorable. It can become a small, nightly surprise that elevates the entire stay. From the Maldives to Jackson Hole to Portugal, the hotels below have mastered the art of making guests feel special through thoughtful evening turndown services.

Imagine: You return from a day sailing in the Caribbean to find a custom canvas capturing a moment you enjoyed from the day before, or returning to your room after a long hike to find that a locally sourced treat and beverage await, accompanied by a note explaining their origins. These aren't just amenities; they are intentional gestures that make a stay distinctly personal.

It's never too early to book your next trip based around a hotel stay that gets all the details right — ensuring the most restful of sleeps and a memorable trip.

Related: Book with points at these 10 wellness-centric hotels for an active vacation

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY At The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, guests are treated like royalty, regardless of room category. Located along Grand Cayman's popular Seven Mile Beach, this retreat is available to Marriott Bonvoy members looking to redeem points at an ultraluxe Caribbean property.

Turndown service here is a carefully curated ritual, rather than a standard end-of-day procedure. For guests enjoying the hotel's Your Wellness Journey offer, turndown service essentially becomes an extension of the hotel's newly renovated spa, with turndown amenities including an ESPA lavender pillow mist, aromatherapy essence rings, locally designed sleep masks and wellness bonbons infused with plant-based ingredients and adaptogens. 111SKIN face and eye masks, and mineral-rich lavender bath salts, reflect the high-quality skincare products used in the spa, while the Myndstream soundscapes accessible via in-room iPads mimic the immersive sound platform used during spa treatments.

Drawing from the resort's on-property art gallery, select turndown experiences feature bespoke pieces by local artist Shane Dready, transforming guests into one-of-a-kind artworks set against iconic island or hotel backdrops. Showcasing the hotel's impressive culinary options, turndown service here reflects this during certain seasons, where guests may receive a rum cake and a miniature bottle of rum from a local distillery or mango presented in several variations, celebrating one of the island's prized fruits. These presentations arrive on a hand-crafted wooden serving board shaped like Grand Cayman, a keepsake that can be taken home. For milestone occasions like birthdays, rooms are transformed with personal photographs and custom decor, reflecting a level of care that is incredibly thoughtful.

Rates at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman start at $1,150 or 106,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night for a Garden View King Guest Room.

Atlantis The Royal

CAROLINE LASCOM/THE POINTS GUY Atlantis The Royal is undoubtedly one of the most glamorous hotels in Dubai. From striking LEGO-like architecture to epic views of Palm Jumeirah, Michelin-starred dining and a star-studded clientele, it's no surprise that the turndown service is just as exciting. In fact, turndown service at Atlantis is designed as a week-long wellness progression; the longer you stay, the more immersive the experience becomes, with a different amenity introduced each evening between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. across all room categories.

Monday ends with a Sweet Dream tea bath soak, blending magnesium salts and essential oils for a deeply relaxing wind-down. Tuesday introduces a sleep lotion enriched with melatonin, chamomile, lavender and palmarosa to encourage full-body calmness. On Wednesday, guests are treated to Dream Drops, a roll-on oil of sweet almond, chamomile, lavender and tonka, designed for pulse-point application and immediate relaxation. Thursday shifts to recovery with a lip repair balm formulated with soy wax, grapeseed oil, shea butter and peppermint, while Friday pivots towards energy with an energizing oil blend of grapeseed, bergamot, juniper and cedarwood, in time for the start of a social weekend. Saturday's Dream Mist, a soothing pillow and linen spray infused with chamomile, lavender and tonka, resets the tone for rest. The ritual concludes on Sunday with a cooling and hydrating under-eye serum enriched with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and vitamin E. On select evenings, turndown service also includes access to a curated wellness playlist from AWAKEN spa.

Rates at Atlantis The Royal start at $1,198 per night. Book through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts for value-added benefits like upgrades, early check-in and late checkout (based on availability), plus daily complimentary breakfast for two, and $100 property credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa, and resort activities. Book through The Edit by Chase Travel to receive the same value-added benefits, plus a welcome amenity.

VRetreats Cervino

DIEGO DE POL/V RETREATS CERVINO Nestled in Italy's Aosta Valley, the alpine town of Breuil-Cervinia offers unbeatable views of the iconic Matterhorn. During the winter months, skiers at Cervino Ski Paradise are able to seamlessly ski in Italy and Zermatt in a single day, while summer transforms the region into an ideal place to hike and explore the Alps.

Part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and thereby bookable via Hilton, VRetreats Cervino fuses highend service, local design and expertly crafted cuisine. Located just a few minutes from the town center, the hotel offers a convenient shuttle bus to both the village and ski lifts. Rooms are designed with an Alpine aesthetic, incorporating natural materials, while spa suites feature private saunas.

Turndown Service at VRetreats Cervino is offered between 6:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to prepare guests for a restful night's sleep. In addition to turning down the bed covers, placing slippers and fresh water bedside, and softening the lighting for the evening, a small treat is also left on the bed. Treats change nightly and include chocolates, bedtime infusion tea, and locally inspired postcards. In higher room categories, guests may find silk eye masks, bookmarks, and luggage tags placed on the bed to serve as mementos of the property and location.

Rates at VRetreats Cervino start at $350 or 80,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

GEORG ROSKE/PATINA Spread across more than 150 private-island resorts, most of the islands in the Maldives operate on a "one island, one resort" philosophy, an approach that allows each property to craft a distinct experience. At The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, exclusivity is at the core of everything they do. Overwater and beachfront villas, access to the nearby Fari Marina Village for dining and retail, and a thoughtfully designed kids club ensure it caters to multiple types of travelers.

What differentiates the experience, however, is the role of the Aris Meeha, a dedicated island butler assigned to every villa. More than a point of contact, this individual functions as the brains and creativity behind turndown service. Rather than a standard ritual, each island butler pays close attention to their guests' preferences to create a highly personalized nightly experience.

A dive excursion, a celebration, or even a casual comment may reappear in an intricate hand-drawn chalk illustration with a personalized message outside a guest's villa during turndown service. Each Aris Meeha is highly skilled at picking up on subtle clues and understanding preferences to curate thoughtful turndown amenities. For example, a mention of enjoying the flavored chocolate bonbons might result in an additional selection with a handwritten note. If a guest was mesmerized by a sea turtle they spotted earlier in the day, an Aris Meeha may create a turtle towel sculpture. Nighttime pillow mist may be subtly placed on each nightstand to help ensure a deep, restful sleep. For guests who mention their children back home, their Aris Meeha may create a Ritz Kids bag or a personalized luggage tag for them.

Rates at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands start at $1,700 or 166,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal

CARLY HELFAND/THE POINTS GUY Located within the gated community of Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas, Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is a beachfront haven that stands out among the rest in the area. Following a recent property-wide renovation , the resort blends effortlessly into the dramatic surrounding landscape, while guestrooms incorporate local materials that pay homage to the region. Guests can also immerse themselves in local traditions through experiences such as learning to make Mexican coffee and mezcal cocktails. At the spa, treatments draw on Mexican folkloric traditions and healing practices. Even the smallest details, including turndown service, are designed to give guests insight into the local culture.

Every room includes a customized miniature bottle of Casa Dragones tequila, but one of the most fun touches arrives daily between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., when complimentary chips, guacamole and Coronitas are delivered as part of a pre-turndown ritual. Along with the usual dimming of lights, drawing of curtains and turning down the bed, guests may also find a lemon balm pillow spray and a selection of authentic Mexican sweets, such as cocadas, glorias and alegrías, or miniature peanut butter, cinnamon, oatmeal, chocolate and butter cookies. On special occasions like Valentine's Day, the service may also include a rose.

Rates at Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal start at $1,200 or 250,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino

MARRIOTT Set within Costa Navarino, a sustainable luxury destination located three hours southwest of Athens, The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort is one of five properties woven into this expansive coastal retreat. Surrounded by centuries-old olive groves and positioned along the shores of the Ionian Sea, the resort evokes the grandeur of a Greek temple, with its columned architecture and warm, sand-toned palette. Inside, guest rooms feature expansive windows and private terraces.

Each evening, a rotating selection of travel-sized sunscreen, after-sun lotion and hand cream is placed in the room, encouraging wellness throughout the stay and beyond. Pasteli, a traditional Greek snack made from sesame seeds and honey, which provides bursts of energy, is also placed on pillows during turndown, in preparation for whatever journey lies the next day. For guests staying in Ionian suites or beachfront villas, the experience is amplified by bespoke treats tailored to dietary preferences. These may include a variety of tarts, orange pie, chocolate bars, chocolate and coffee éclairs, pistachio and sour cherry balls, dragées (sugar-coated almonds), and lalagia, traditional fried dough rings or strips that reflect the region's culinary heritage.

Rates at The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino start at $452 or 88,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa

THE RUSTY PARROT LODGE AND SPA At the gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks is The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa, a luxury boutique hotel with rustic Western charm, that has been around for over 30 years.

The family-owned and operated hotel is part of SLH, and doesn't skip a beat when it comes to offering intimate, thoughtful experiences. If curious about the origin of its name, guests must ask a member of the Harrison family, and the story must only be told in person. In 2019, a fire devastated the original log structure of the hotel and caused significant damage, but, much like the strength of the wild west, the owner rebuilt The Rusty Parrot with more amenities and a more luxe atmosphere. Rooms mirror the spirit of the West with in-room fireplaces, regionally sourced artwork, abundant natural lighting and stunning views.

Taking the western theme further, The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa's nightly turndown service carries on the hotel's long-standing storytelling tradition, offering chocolates paired with classic cowboy poetry. Each room also features the signature Rusty Parrot Teddy Bear, playfully staged each evening in different scenes.

Rates at The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa start at $500 or 140,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

Argos in Cappadocia

Within a village of luxury cave sanctuaries overlooking the iconic hot air balloon-filled skies over Pigeon Valley, guests will find Argos in Cappadocia. This village within a village was a detail-oriented restoration and preservation project that lets guests feel history and modernity at once. Glimpses of the past can be spotted in the facades of the historic chapel, mill houses and caravanserai, or trading hubs. At Argos, sustainability is at the forefront of each day. The property not only has no plastic amenities, but also recycles rainwater and harvests most of the ingredients for the kitchen.

The turndown service here is thoughtful and commemorates the local culture. Suites receive special items such as tahini halva (Turkish Delights), seasonal postcards, bespoke bookmarks or a hot water bottle during the winter months. An exclusive children's book may be placed in the room for families traveling together. Throughout the year, the hotel also marks special occasions with themed turndown moments, from wool-knit flowers for International Women's Day to handcrafted bracelets for Valentine's Day.

Rates at Argos in Cappadocia start at $619 or 46,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

Hotel Ranga, an SLH Hotel

BJORN BAUER PHOTOGRAPHY LLC/SMALL LUXURY HOTELS Set in the secluded countryside of Southern Iceland, Hotel Rangá is the epitome of classic Icelandic hospitality. Originally built in 1999 as a rural retreat for horse enthusiasts, the property has evolved into a destination that attracts a wide range of travelers. Family-owned and operated, the hotel showcases artwork by local artists and features an on-site observatory equipped with two high-quality telescopes and a roll-off roof for optimal stargazing. Ideally positioned for viewing the mesmerizing Northern Lights, complete with a dedicated Northern Lights wake-up call, the hotel also offers easy access to Iceland's most striking natural wonders, including waterfalls, volcano-glaciers, black sand beaches and ice caves.

Beyond its landscapes, Iceland is also a nation of bookworms. Each year, the country celebrates Jólabókaflóðið, or the "Christmas Book Flood," where books are gifted on Christmas Eve, followed by an evening of reading, often accompanied by hot chocolate and Icelandic chocolates. Staying true to its roots, Hotel Rangá offers a winter "Book Lovers" turndown service, for an added fee, where guests receive a staff-selected, signed Icelandic book, along with a hot drink, candles and a deck of cards.

For a more whimsical touch, the hotel also offers a complimentary Poetry Hotline, allowing guests to dial in and listen to renowned Icelandic poet Þórarinn Eldjárn recite his work.

Rates at Hotel Ranga start at $487 or 100,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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There's no shortage of spy content in the streaming landscape right now, but not many shows focus on how all-encompassing and lonely the life of a secret agent can be. As part of an intelligence operation, spies are forced to give up any connections they have to reality, and the thrills of the job don’t always make up for what an emotionally debilitating profession it can be. Black Doves is a brilliant modern spy series because it’s a character drama, first and foremost, and examines what it's like for characters to live double lives. Although its six episodes fly by in a singular burst of energy, Black Doves ' renewal for Season 2 means that the story isn’t ending anytime soon.

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Air-filled fiber carried 51.3 Tb/s across 206.5 km unaided

Researchers push 1.2 Tb/s through each wavelength across record distances

AI infrastructure increasingly depends on networks moving data faster everywhere

Chinese fiber manufacturer YOFC says it has completed a hollow-core fiber transmission trial that reached 51.3 Tb/s over 206.5 km without regeneration.

The demonstration involved collaboration with China Telecom and optical equipment manufacturer Dekoli using a live network rather than laboratory conditions alone.

Researchers achieved a transmission rate of 1.2 Tb/s per wavelength while avoiding intermediate signal regeneration equipment along the entire route.

A different kind of fiber built around air instead of glass

Unlike conventional optical cables that guide light through solid silica cores, hollow-core fiber transmits signals through air-filled channels instead.

That architectural difference allows light to travel faster while reducing several optical distortions that traditionally limit transmission efficiency over distance.

YOFC previously stated that its hollow core technology could deliver 31% lower latency and transmission speeds improving by 47%.

The company now claims the latest trial establishes the highest unrepeatered wavelength division multiplexing capacity ever demonstrated under field conditions.

Researchers described the achievement as the world's first field deployment combining 1.2 Tb/s wavelengths with a 206.5 km span.

Previous demonstrations managed comparable transmission rates over roughly 20 km, while longer experiments generally sacrificed substantial amounts of overall capacity.

The trial relied exclusively on erbium-doped fiber amplifiers instead of remote-pumped amplification systems often required for comparable distances.

Commercial hollow core deployments have historically struggled with signal attenuation, making long unrepeatered transmission distances difficult to sustain economically.

Network cables become the next computing bottleneck

The research team tackled those limitations by using adaptive allocation techniques that independently adjusted channel rates and optical power across wavelengths.

That approach allowed hybrid transmission settings while reducing losses associated with gas absorption effects unique to air-guided optical signals.

Engineers also developed a high-power amplifier capable of producing 33.5 dBm output while maintaining relatively uniform gain characteristics.

Because transmitting optical power approaching 2.24 W introduces operational risks, several automatic protection systems monitored link behaviour continuously throughout testing.

Safeguards included anomaly detection systems, automated shutdown functions and alarm-triggered responses designed to prevent expensive equipment failures during operation.

The timing of the experiment coincides with accelerating demand from AI tools requiring unprecedented movement of information between data centers worldwide.

Large GPU clusters increasingly depend on networking performance, creating constraints that processors alone cannot solve through additional computing resources.

Lower-latency transmission could allow operators to distribute facilities farther apart without incurring penalties that affect training and inference performance.

YOFC believes the trial marks progress toward wider deployment, although competing hollow core ecosystems are rapidly emerging outside China's supply chains.

Whether such experiments eliminate bandwidth bottlenecks remains uncertain, although networking limitations increasingly appear as important as computing limitations themselves.

Via Tom's Hardware