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A wild first season of the expanded Big 12 is down to what should be a chaotic final weekend. Through all the upsets, unexpected rises and falls, there are nine teams still in the mix to play in the conference championship game. No. 14 Arizona State and No. 17 Iowa State have the best odds, yet a multitude of scenarios could play out — 256 to be exact. There's even the possibility of an eight-team tie. It may take a mathematician to figure out which teams are in the Dec. 7 game in Arlington, Texas — even for the ones who win. Travis Hunter, Colorado. The Buffaloes' two-way star has excelled on both sides of the field, making him one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Cam Skattebo, Arizona State. The senior running back can do a little of everything, but excels at punishing would-be tacklers. He's one of the nation's leaders in yards after contact and the focal point of the Sun Devils' offense. Shadeur Sanders, Colorado. If it weren't for Hunter, Sanders might be the Heisman favorite. The son of coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur is fifth nationally with 3,488 yards passing and has been a big part of the Buffaloes' turnaround. DJ Giddens, Kansas State. The Wildcats' running back is one of the nation's most versatile players. He is ninth nationally with 1,271 rushing yards and has added 21 receptions for 258 yards. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona. The Wildcats have struggled this season, but McMillan has not. He is third nationally with 1,251 receiving yards with seven touchdowns on 78 catches. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders' junior linebacker leads the Big 12 with 68 tackles, averaging 10.2 per game. He also has four sacks. Brendan Mott, Kansas State. He's a menace to opposing quarterbacks, leading the Big 12 with 8 1/2 sacks. The Big 12 has nine teams already bowl eligible and two more a win away. The winner of the Big 12 championship game will be in the mix for a College Football Playoff spot. Arizona State, Iowa State, No. 19 BYU, Colorado, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia have already clinched bowl berths. Kansas and Cincinnati can get into the postseason with wins this weekend. Gus Malzahn, UCF. Despite successes in recruiting, the Knights are 10-14 in two seasons since moving to the Big 12. Maybe not enough to get shown the door this year, but another mediocre season could lead UCF to make a change. Kyle Whittingham, Utah. Whittingham was one of the Pac-12's best coaches, leading the Utes to consecutive conference titles. Utah was expected to contend for the Big 12 title its first year in the league, but enters the final weekend 1-7 in conference play, which could push Whittingham toward retirement since it's doubtful he'd be fired. Neal Brown, West Virginia. The Mountaineers' coach was in a precarious spot at the end of last season and West Virginia hasn't lived up to expectations this season. The Mountaineers are eligible to go to a bowl game for the second straight season, but Brown could be on the hot seat even after signing a contract extension before the season. Josiah Trotter, West Virginia. The redshirt freshman is the latest Trotter to have success at the linebacker position, following the footsteps of his father, former Philadelphia Eagles player Jeremiah Trotter, and brother Jeremiah Trotter Jr., a current Eagles linebacker. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State. The Michigan State transfer has been just what the Sun Devils' needed: an agile quarterback who extends plays with his legs and rarely makes bad decisions. Bryson Washington, Baylor. The Bears' running back has rushed for 812 yards — 196 against TCU — and 10 TDs. TCU has the Big 12's highest rated 2025 recruiting class with six four-star players among 26 commitments, according to the 247 Sports composite. Receiver Terry Shelton of Carrollton, Texas, is the highest-rated recruit at 71st nationally. Baylor is next with five five-star players among its 20 commitments, including running back Michael Turner, rated 13th at his position out of North Richland Hills, Texas. Texas Tech is ranked seventh in the Big 12, but has four four-star recruits. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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1. A 100-piece set of Picasso tiles , a magnetic building system that will get used over and over and over again. Pro tip: commit to one building toy type and then just keep adding to it! It will still feel new to your crew and cleanup will be MUCH easier. Promising review: "These tiles are amazing! So many different ways to be creative. Our two-year-old loves it so much and even the adults can have hours of fun with it. These are great for individual play for our toddler and can keep her engaged for 15-30 minutes at a time. They are also amazing for interactive and pretend plays, from building houses to car ramps. Love these so much and highly recommended!" — Buu nguyen Get it from Amazon for $27.99 . 2. A Skillmatics Guess in 10 Animal Planet game , which is so fun your crew won't even realize that they're (gasp!) learning. My kids absolutely adore this one and I'm not going to lie... I do, too! Promising review: "We purchased this game for Christmas. It surpassed our expectations. Our kids range in age from college age down to elementary age. They all played this game together for hours. The game is easy to learn, easy to play with a variety of ages, and the game helps everyone learn. It is perfect for the classroom, homeschooling, or just for fun. We highly recommend it." — Jeremy B. Get it from Amazon for $12.97 (available in 14 editions). 3. A TonieBox starter set that comes with a Toy Story Tonie. This has been a staple in our home for YEARS now — my kiddos love choosing what music and stories they get to listen to and the Tonies come in all of their favorite characters. Each additional Tonie is $17.99 . Need a rec? The Moana Tonie is VERY popular at my house! Promising review: "I absolutely love the Tonie, I think it's a great idea and perfect for kids. The Tonie box itself is soft and easy to use. You can switch tracks by bumping the box and volume by tugging an ear. It is great for kids of many ages and the Tonies you can get are great. It is educational and would make a great gift." — Annienicole7 Get it from Target for $99.99 . 4. A set of four parachute toys , which are simple but brilliant. How many times can your kids run up the stairs and throw them down? The limit does not exist. Promising review: " These paratroopers are great! My boys are so used to getting the ones that are poorly made with thin, cheap plastic and this string. These are not those at all! They are super sturdy and very durable. I got these as stocking stuffers and they're still going strong! They've been thrown, dragged, shoved in toy bins, etc. They are still good as new! They work great as well. Our boys enjoy throwing them over the side rail on the stairs and watching them fly down. I absolutely would recommend!" — Amber Get it from Amazon for $7.19 (available in two colors). 5. An LCD doodle tablet that will inspire some serious creativity all while saving paper. (Trust us, the trees will thank you.) Promising review: "My son is 4 years old and once he got it he played with it for 2 hours. We played Pictionary, tick tack toe and practice his writing. Great for being stuck inside. Just wish I bought more for gifts." — Mindy Ciglar Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in four colors and two sizes). 6. A Kinetic Sand set for those moments when you're stuck inside with bad weather but you and your kiddos would much rather be at the beach. Promising review: "Item arrived on time and in perfect condition. It comes with several durable tools. There's a piece of cardboard on the inside of the package. We used it as a mat for the sand. Super easy clean up and absolutely NOOOO mess. This is a great alternative to slime...and it doesn't dry out." — CamoFreaks Get it from Walmart for $19.89 . 7. A Silly Poopy hide-and-seek game that gets the giggles going just by saying its name. Where's the grownup hiding? In the kitchen, enjoying a cup of coffee (while it's still hot!), and the kids are independently playing. Promising review: "This hide and seek game is so fun. We randomly hide silly poopy in house all the time. The song will get stuck in your head and never leave so be prepared for that. But also hours of fun both inside and outside. We also do a little dance when we find silly poopy and he plays the song. My 6 year old loves it and this it’s so fun and silly. Great gift!! I had this in my cart for awhile before I bought it and wish I would have sooner." — Schub22 Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in two designs). 8. A very charming toy kitchen , the MVP of imaginative play, which also comes with 56 play food pieces for extra fun. Is it weird that a toy kitchen might serve as the inspo for the reno you've been dreaming of? Nope. Promising review: "The absolute play kitchen! My kids (2.5 and 11 months) have been playing with it for hours now. Wasn’t too difficult to build — took a little over an hour. Will definitely be recommending this play kitchen to all my friends with kids! — Mamaofdos Get it from Target for $118.99 . 9. A pack of Crayola Globbles fidget toys that will help with the wiggles and keep little hands busy. No judging if you happen to snag one or two of these for yourself — they're great! Promising review: "These are great! Kids love them! I love them! They do NOT leave that stain on your wall and when they get dirty you wash them off and they are sticky again! 10/10" — Elizabeth M. Get a six count from Amazon for $7.49 . 10. A Melissa & Doug scissor skills activity pad with kid-safe scissors, which will occupy their focus — giving you the cutting edge in accomplishing your to-do list for the day. Promising review: "I gave this to my 4 yo when he was sick at home, and it's a great way to pass the time. More importantly it's a great way for him to practice the work with scissors. The scissors are great, without any blade, and the plastic is sharp enough for the pages in the notebook. The pages has different difficulty levels, some with straight lines, some with curves which is a good challenge for kids." — Tamar Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 11. A Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza game deck that is so fun you might just find yourself clearing your schedule for the day and joining in. Work? Meh, that can be done later. Promising review: "This is the funnest game we own, and we own a lot! It's high speed, physical game, and anyone can play it! You just have to remember the order of the words, and the actions you have to make for certain cards. It's a blast, and we've played it with kids aged 4, all the way up to 19, and us adults as well! I highly recommend it! I think the value is great, especially since it's a go-to game that we play often!" — Janet Duran Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 12. A Fisher-Price record player toy , which gives your kiddo some freedom to choose their own music to sing and dance to. And you? You'll feel like a total parenting rock star. Promising review: "Got this for my 3 year old as a birthday gift . She loves my "grown up" record player, and loves to ask me to "play songs" on it. I thought this would be a fun thing for her to play with so she can play her own songs, but I didn't expect her to have as much fun as she has with it! Each one of the records has 2 songs on it, one on each side, and each record is a different style. She loves the hip hop record the most and the pop rock comes in a close 2nd. What's nice is that there's no needle on the arm of the turntable, so there's nothing to worry about her hurting herself with. It has cool features like when you stop a record mid song it "scratches" and the sound of a vinyl popping which I love! You do have to monitor it, though as we learned that unlike a real record player, if you don't move the arm off the record after a song ends it just keeps playing that song over and over and over and over and over and over and over." — John Jeziorski Get it from Amazon for $25.99 . 13. An absolutely adorable sewing craft kit that will have everyone so quiet and focused, you'll wonder if their mouths were accidentally sewn shut, too. Promising review: "I'm so impressed at the thoughtfulness of this craft!! This is a beginner level, perfect for my 6-year-old's attention span, the only sewing is to attach the front of the fox to the back in order to stuff. I was worried it might be too easy, but it was great, the instructions are clear, the holes all line up, there is plenty/extra yarn. The accessories and clothing is too cute and perfect for little girls, the details and variety are awesome for a beginner sewing craft. The only part that she needed extra help with was the tiny little backpack to hold the baby fox. If you think about the time it would take to design and cut out all of these pieces, it's definitely fairly priced, I hope they come out with more animals because we want to make another!!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in two designs). 14. A Play-Doh Kitchen Creations restaurant play set , so your little can whip up the tastiest pretend creations... and you might have a few minutes to get the real deal ready in time for dinner. Promising review: " This and the coffee shop set keep my daughter entertained for hours. And when you think she would get tired she asks for a different color and starts all over again. Even the extra utensil help keep her amused longer. Gives me enough time for mom projects like dinner and dishes and it's actually very easy clean up she does most of it herself and she's only 3!!" — Lizzie Get it from Amazon for $16.89 . 15. An FAO Schwartz nine-piece ceramic glazed tea party set that can actually be used with real food and drink. Why watch a princess tea party on a screen when you can have one in real life? And your sitter is the *perfect* guest. Promising review: "I purchased for my 7-year-old grandgirl so we can have a 'real' tea party. She absolutely loves it. The colors are adorable. The size of the cups and handles are perfect size. I highly recommend!" — idoj614 Get it from Target for $19.99 . 16. An indoor doorway gym set for kids, perfect for those days when you would go to the playground, but for some reason, you just can't (reasons including everything from bad weather to you not feeling like it). Promising review: "Adjustable lengths. Strong enough for an adult and fun for toddlers. Just read the instructions on how it fits in the door jam, not the whole door frame. There’s videos showing set up and installation too." — Fi Get it from Walmart for $139.99 (available in four colors). 17. A pack with more than 500 puffy stickers , so your littles can create scenes, cards, and whatever else their imaginations can come up with! And because these are no-trace, you won't be left with sticky situations in case one or two end up on your wall. Promising review: "My daughter loves these stickers! They are easy for her to remove from the sleeve, to get them off the backing, and stick well. The stickers themselves are cute, high quality, and are a good variety. My daughter will spend hours having fun with stickers, and these are my go to!" — Bree Get it from Amazon for $6.99 . 18. A cute, starry-eyed Furby that will interact and play with your kiddo. These little guys have gotten a major upgrade since you had one — in addition to talking to you, it can lead you through mindfulness exercises, tell your fortune, put on a light show, and throw a dance party. How do you say, "that's impressive" in Furby? Promising review: " Furby is such a fun toy! My five year old has played and played with her furby. The phrases are easy to learn, so she has had the best time laughing, dancing and playing with Furby. Would definitely recommend getting this toy for your child!" — Katie Momberger Get it from Amazon for $33.99 (available in three colors). 19. A perfectly sized (and durable!) kids' digital camera , so you can give your cameraphone a break from your kids. Not that you don't love those 400+ up-the-nose selfies in a row, but ya know. Promising review: " This has been such a hit with my 3 and 4 year olds and keeps them entertained for hours. It operates JUST like an adult digital camera but has some fun added filters like a mustache, kids face and different boarder designs. Is a small size that allows them to operate it with ease. My kids walk around the house taking pictures of random things and then love to come and show me. Battery life is great and it seems pretty indestructible! I have purchased this 3 times now for birthday party gifts as it’s an affordable great gift!" — Above and Abode Get it from Amazon for $26.99 (available in five colors). 20. A 150-piece marble run set that is ideal for those times when you're stuck indoors and about to lose YOUR marbles if those kids don't find something to do IMMEDIATELY. Promising review: " My kids played for HOURS with just 3 pieces of tracks. Love the independent play this facilitates and the sturdiness means mommy can get housework done while the kids play! Great quality. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. We even purchased the super set the very next day after receiving this set the kids (and mom & dad) love it so much." — Karen Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in four sets). 21. A 30-foot roll of road play tape because life (AKA your entire house) is a highway and your kids are going to be cruising to a good time. Promising review: "Sticky level is about equal with painters tape, so there’s no worry about restricting where to use. It’s great for cars, pretend play, etc. A perfect rainy day distraction!" — Jennifer Horne Get it from Amazon for $9.47+ (available in four patterns and quantities). 22. A National Geographic Break Open 10 Geodes kit that comes with safety goggles, which might just inspire the next generation of geologists. Bonus: Use it as a teachable moment to show your kids that it's what's on the inside that really counts. Promising review: "My 9 year old is obsessed with all things gems and geology. We bought this for Christmas. He opened it tonight and it was so beautiful we ended up cracking them all! He even got an amethyst (he was thrilled as that's his favorite!). I am very impressed. I will definitely be buying again. One tip- definitely score them before cracking and be a little gentle if you want two halves. My husband was a little heavy handed 🤣 also, one of them at first we thought wasn't much but I had a feeling there was more inside so we cracked it in half again and lo and behold, it was a beautiful geode. Highly recommend!" — Andrea Green Get it from Amazon for $25.49 (available in packs of 4, 5, or 10). 23. A Bop It! — and yes, you read that right. It's more than just the old '90s jingle you can't get out of your head. You haven't forgotten this toy because it is SO MUCH FUN. Share the fun with your crew! Promising review: "Bought this to play with my kids because I'm looking for fun things to do with them that doesn't require internet. I loved playing it as a kid & it's perfect my son & I have been playing it trying to beat eachothers high score since it announces it after each turn. I'd say it's a great gift & a great fidget toy!" — Krystal Rose Get it from Amazon for $15.97 . 24. A 40-piece wooden puzzle that has lots of different solutions and honestly, is just really fun to tinker with. It's exactly what you need to get some piece, err, peace in your day. Promising review: "I bought this as one of the toys to get my 6-year-old son off-screen during the summer. Now we are all playing it and we have competitions to see who can solve the fastest. Who knew? You can also do designs - so its levelled fun and appeals to different interests. It would be nice if it came with a carry case or tin, but you can use a zip lock to keep the pieces together. Going to buy more so we can battle with the cousins." — Haydee Gordon Get it from Amazon for $8.99 . 25. A three-pack of Melissa & Doug jumbo coloring books , which will keep your mini Monets and petite Picassos totally occupied. Hey, your fridge needs a new masterpiece! Promising review: "The jumbo books are awesome for our kids. The pages are nice and thick and do not bleed onto the next page. You can easily rip out pages they want to color and they also fit in nicely into our art frames we have on the walls. Would 10/10 recommend!" — K Get it from Amazon for $16.89 . 26. A beautifully designed 24-piece puzzle featuring wildlife in the forest that will help calm things down when your kids are acting like, well, wild animals. I truly believe these are some of the best kids' puzzles out there. From the really nice aesthetic to the well-fitting pieces, this brand has been a staple in my home for years. Get it from Walmart for $25.57 . 27. A 5-in-1 wooden play set that is like going to the playground but without needing to do all the things you need to do to leave the house. Sometimes the weather is bad, or sometimes you just don't feel like it. Don't worry about it — this will help your littles get the wiggles out for years to come. Promising review: " Super sturdy, great quality, smooth wood! I love that the slats on the arch are close together! So many of these I’ve seen have arches with rungs very far apart. I also love that it doubles as a rocker. The slide/rock climbing wall is awesome and very versatile. The triangular piece folds up for easy storage. I also appreciate that each piece was labeled with a number sticker, that the stickers peel off easily once assembled, and that they don’t leave any sticky residue. Our 11-month-old daughter loves this, and it will keep her challenged and entertained for years to come!" — Maegan Howell Get it from Amazon for $199 (available in three colors). The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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LOS ANGELES , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Appotronics, the inventor of the ALPD® laser display technology, recently participated in the Laser Illuminated Projector Association (LIPA) Annual General Meeting held in Los Angeles , United States . During the event, the company showcased its optics solutions designed for both the interior and exterior of vehicles, emphasizing their versatility in functions such as illumination, entertainment, and V2X (Vehicle to Everything) communication. Meng Han , senior director of Appotronics, addressed the attendees, which included laser illumination and display technology experts, market analysts, and trend observers. He emphasized that the automotive industry is undergoing a transformation from internal combustion engines to autonomous electric vehicles, creating ample opportunities for laser projectors. This shift typically results in more internal space for entertainment features, such as in-car theaters and laser display-enabled human-vehicle communication both inside and outside the vehicle. "We have done the study, finding many people like it, " said Han, citing the example of Appotronics' rollable giant laser display screen, which is equipped on the Seres AITO M9, a top-selling SUV priced above RMB 500,000 in China . The SUV has received over 170,000 orders since its debut late last year, indicating a strong market demand for such innovative features. Han further pointed out that more laser display technology will be applied within the cabin as a supplement to the current LCD panels, transforming the cabin into an immersive and comfortable third living space. "As for the long future, the future isn't more screens—or even screens at all." Han cited Alfonso Albaisa , Design Chief of Nissan, emphasizing that laser display offers numerous advantages, such as easy modeling, free-form surfaces, design flexibility, safety, and sustainability and can be utilized for projections inside the cabin, on the sunroof, side windows, or even on the windshield. Afterwards, Xin Yu , vice president of Appotronics, introduced the company's intelligent digital colorful laser headlight as an example of immersive exterior display . This innovative light is equipped on the newly-released Smart #5 vehicle, enabling car users to enjoy movies while camping. Yu announced that the product is currently available in China and will soon be launched in Europe and Australia . Yu also demonstrated the company's All-in-One laser headlamp, which fulfills multiple functions, including intelligent signaling displays (ISD), adaptive driving beam (ADB) systems, V2X communications, and entertainment. He revealed that the multi-functional headlamp will soon enter mass production and will be showcased at CES 2025, which is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas between January 7 and January 10 . Other automotive optics solutions from Appotronics will also be displayed at the event. "So hopefully in the future, we have more friends together in this industry to make more interesting applications and build up more markets for laser innovation." Yu concluded, adding that he expects more "concepts" of laser technology to turn into "reality" in the automotive sector, just as laser technology has revolutionized the cinema industry. In addition to Appotronics' updates, representatives from Texas Instruments, Epson, Panasonic, Seibersdorf Labs, OMDIA, PMA Research, Nordisk Cinema, Nichia America Corporation, Barco, Oxford University , LUMAfestival.com , and RSL Fiber Systems also shared insights on current laser-related regulations, technological advancements, and future trends at the annual meeting. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/appotronics-highlights-role-of-laser-technology-in-automotive-industry-at-prestigious-us-trade-conference-302315609.html SOURCE Appotronics Corporation Ltd.