• Disney announced a slew of new TV shows planned to premiere on the coming streaming service, Disney Plus.
• Several Marvel shows were among the new programming teased during a D23 Expo panel in Anaheim, California.
• We're also getting a "Lizzie McGuire" series, a new "Monsters, Inc." spinoff show, a new "Muppets" series, and three "Star Wars" prequel shows.
• Keep reading to see the full list of 19 new TV shows planned for Disney Plus.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

During Disney's D23 Expo event in Anaheim, California over the summer, the company announced a new slate of TV shows coming to its streaming service Disney Plus starting this fall. 

Five of the shows will be available right away starting on November 12, 2019 — the day the streaming service officially launches. For the rest, some approximate premiere dates have been announced while others are still in pre-production stages.

According to a report from TV Line, the new shows will be released one episode at a time on a weekly basis (instead of the full-season drop style Netflix employs for most of its programming).

Keep reading to see the full list of 19 new TV shows planned for Disney Plus.

"Monsters at Work" is a sequel series which picks up after the events of "Monsters, Inc."

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

Starring Ben Feldman and Aisha Tyler as monsters named Tylor and Millie, respectively, this series follows a recent graduate from Monsters University who spent his college days training to scare children.

But just as Tylor arrives to work at the scream factory, the system is switched over to laugh-power (thanks to  the events of Pixar's "Monsters Inc." movie). 

Mike and Sulley (Billy Crystal and John Goodman, respectively) will have "special appearances" on the show, but the story line will mainly center around a new cast of monsters as they navigate the new system prioritizing comedy over scariness.

"High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" takes the Disney Channel movie narrative into meta territory.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: November 12, 2019

In real life, Disney's "High School Musical" was filmed at a school called East High. So in the 10-episode scripted series coming to Disney Plus, the story follows a group of 2019 high-schoolers at East High who decide to put on their own production of "High School Musical: The Musical." 

Disney is rebooting the Lizzie McGuire character for a new show about Lizzie's life as a millennial working in New York City.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

Bringing back "The Lizzie McGuire Show" creator Terri Minsky and star Hilary Duff, this new series shows our main character all grown up. 

Lizzie is now 30 years old and living in New York City working her "dream job" as an "apprentice to a fancy decorator." Duff told the D23 Expo crowd that the little animated 13-year-old Lizzie will still be present and constantly talking inside the mind of the now-adult Lizzie.

Read more: WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of 'The Lizzie McGuire Movie' 15 years later

"Forky Asks a Question" is a new collection of Pixar shorts all starring the "Toy Story 4" character.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: November 12, 2019

Forky, voiced by "Veep" and "Arrested Development" actor Tony Hale, is a toy made from trash who deals with existential anxiety regarding his creation and existence throughout "Toy Story 4."

Now, in a series of 10 short films, Forky will speak with other Pixar characters about how the world works. 

On the episode previewed by Insider during the D23 Expo panel, Forky asks Ham (the "Toy Story" piggy bank character) an important question: "What is money?"

"Muppets Now" is a new "unscripted" series starring Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, and the rest of the Muppets.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

Few details about this show were announced during the D23 Expo panel, other than its existence and title. Instead of a trailer, Disney showed a video of Kermit bickering with a Muppet lawyer about all the things he wasn't allowed to say about the new show.

Disney so far is only promising "a new kind of mayhem and laughter" with this short-form series. 

Disney Plus is adding other unscripted shows, including "The World According to Jeff Goldblum."

When it premieres on Disney Plus: November 12, 2019

If you've ever wanted to watch Jeff Goldblum wander around the world and ask people questions about tattoo artistry, synchronized swimming, ice cream, jewelry, and more, then you're in luck. "The World According to Jeff Goldblum" is a 12-episode series following the actor on his own personal adventures. 

This reality/documentary-esque series is a National Geographic production which is part of the November 12 rollout on Disney Plus. 

"Encore" is the first reality series premiering on Disney Plus, and it's all about musical theater nerds.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: November 12, 2019

Kristen Bell ("Frozen,""The Good Place") is the executive producer and host of a new reality series on Disney Plus which brings high school theater performers back to the stage for a — you guessed it — encore. 

Bell and the "Encore" team found people of all ages who once starred in high school musical productions. Now the former performers will recreate the theater productions on stage again, sometimes singing in public for the first time in decades. 

The first Disney Plus original of 2020 will be "Diary of a Female President."

When it premieres on Disney Plus: January 2020

Gina Rodriguez ("Jane the Virgin") is the executive producer and "recurring guest star" on the new series starring Tess Romero. 

"Told using the narration from her diary, this half-hour single camera comedy follows 12-year-old Cuban-American girl Elena's journey through the trials of middle school, which set her on the path to ultimately become president of the United States," Disney's press release says.  

Now onto the "Star Wars" shows. The first major series will be "The Mandalorian," coming November 12, 2019.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: November 12, 2019

"The Mandalorian" is Disney's first live-action "Star Wars" series, and it follows a bounty hunter in the "outer reaches of the galaxy." According to a timeline shown during the D23 Expo panel, "The Mandalorian" takes place after the events of "Return of the Jedi." 

The series stars Pedro Pascal ("Game of Thrones"), MMA fighter and actress Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad"), and more.

Disney also teased a currently unnamed "Star Wars" prequel series about Cassian Andor and the droid K-2SO.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

Stars Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk are reprising their roles from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" for a series about the rebel spy and droid's years spent in the Rebellion before the events of "Rogue One" and "A New Hope." 

Ewan McGregor will also reprise his "Star Wars" role for a prequel series about Obi Wan Kenobi.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy officially confirmed Ewan McGregor's return to the "Star Wars" universe "after secrets and fibs and not being able to talk about it" for years. 

The live-action prequel series will follow Obi Wan in the same time period that "Solo: A Star Wars Story" takes place (which means it will be in the timeline following the events of "Revenge of the Sith"— the last "Star Wars" movie McGregor appeared in).

"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" is the first new Marvel series set to premiere on Disney Plus.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: Fall 2020

Set after the events of "Avengers: Endgame," this series stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as Sam Wilson/Falcon and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier, respectively. 

As revealed in the closing minutes of "Endgame," Sam Wilson will be the new Captain America now that Steve Rogers retired from heroism in the current timeline. On the new show, Wilson and Bucky Barnes will be forced to team up and we'll learn more about their characters. 

"WandaVision" is a mysterious new show described as "half classic sitcom, half Marvel Cinematic Universe [MCU] spectacular."

When it premieres on Disney Plus: Spring 2021

Few details about the actual plot of "WandaVision" are known, but Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen will definitely be returning as Vision and Wanda for this "wacky and fun" series. The teaser shown during D23 hinted at a link between "The Dick Van Dyke Show" sitcom from the 1960s and the superheroes features in the MCU.

Kat Dennings and Randall Park will reprise their roles from the MCU's "Thor" and "Ant-Man and The Wasp," and actress Kathryn Hahn has been cast as a "nosy neighbor" character.

"Loki" will follow everyone's favorite god of mischief in the events after "Avengers: Endgame" when he disappeared with the Tesseract.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: Spring 2021

While the heroic Avengers were messing with timelines in "Endgame," the Loki from the first "Avengers" movie grabbed the Tesseract and vanished. Where did he go? We'll find out when "Loki" premieres on Disney Plus in 2021. 

Read more: The 27 biggest questions we have after seeing 'Avengers: Endgame'

"What If...?" is a new Marvel animated series that asks how the events we've already seen in the MCU movies might have worked out differently with one small change.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: Summer 2021

Many of the stars we've come to know in the MCU are returning to voice their characters for this animated anthology series. Hayley Atwell, who plays Peggy Carter in the "Captain America" movies, came out during the D23 Expo panel to tease one episode on which Peggy is the one turned into a super-soldier instead of Steve Rogers.

"Captain Carter" is just one possibility of many which will be explored in "What If...?" starting in 2021.

"Hawkeye" is the first MCU spinoff to focus on Clint Barton's character.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: Fall 2021

The "Hawkeye" series will show us more of what happened to Clint Barton, played by Jeremy Renner, after Thanos' devastating snap in "Avengers: Infinity War." We'll also see more of Kate Bishop, Barton's daughter who's starting to follow in her dad's footsteps. 

In the comics, Bishop takes up the mantle of Hawkeye (a narrative teased in the beginning scene of "Avengers: Endgame").

Disney also announced three more Marvel series, including "Moon Knight."

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

As reported by Insider's Kirsten Acuna, "in the ['Moon Knight'] comics, Marc Spector is a mercenary who gets resurrected by an Egyptian moon god after being left for dead. He's a hero in New York City with multiple personalities."

"Ms. Marvel" will bring the first Pakistani-American superhero to life.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

"Ms. Marvel" is about a 16-year-old Pakistani-American girl from New Jersey named Kamala Khan. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Ms. Marvel" will be written by British writer Bisha K. Ali, who's also acting as showrunner.

Last but not least, "She Hulk" will come to to Disney Plus.

When it premieres on Disney Plus: TBA

Also deriving from the Marvel comics, "She Hulk" tells the story of Jennifer Waters — the cousin of Bruce Banner in the comics who transforms into a green version of herself.

Disney Plus launches on November 12, and will cost $6.99 per month or $69.99 for a full year.

The streaming service will be available for a monthly or an annual rate, and Disney's press release says pricing varies outside the US. For each account, you'll be able to make up to seven profiles where you can save watch lists.

Disney says it will allow for a maximum of four concurrent streams. You'll be able to download anything from the Disney Plus catalogue to your phone or tablet device, enabling offline viewing. 

• Read more:
• All 9 new original movies coming to Disney Plus
• See the first trailer for Disney's live-action remake of 'Lady and the Tramp'
• 'Avengers: Endgame' directors explain the movie's Loki twist, and it could have major implications for the character's Disney Plus TV series
•  

• Disney has more than 600 movies and TV shows coming to its streaming service, Disney Plus, starting on November 12.
• Though more titles will be announced over time, for now Insider has picked the 51 movies we're most excited to be able to stream. 
• Our picks include Disney Channel Original Movies like "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" and "Brink!" along with live-action classics like "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" and the original 1961 "Parent Trap."
• Keep reading for the full list.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The official Disney Plus account on Twitter shared a list of hundreds of movies subscribers will be able to stream starting on November 12. A Disney representative confirmed to Insider that more films will be added over time, but for now we've gone through the many options and picked the best of the bunch we're most excited to watch. 

Keep reading to see the best 51 movies coming to the Disney Plus streaming service. 

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937)

The princess movie that started it all at Walt Disney Animation Studios will be one of many classics available on Disney Plus right away. 

"Fantasia" (1940)

The pairing of classical music with fanciful and imaginative animated sequences (some of which, like the "Night on Bald Mountain," may have given you nightmares as a child) in "Fantasia" is always worth revisiting.

"Alice in Wonderland" (1951)

Another of the better Disney classics, "Alice in Wonderland" brings author Lewis Carroll's already-trippy story to life in a lush and technicolored animation. 

"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (1954)

This film ushered in a new era of science-fiction storytelling, and is well-worth the watch for its then-innovative special effects and gripping underwater adventure.

"Sleeping Beauty" (1959)

"Sleeping Beauty" is one of Disney's most gorgeous animated movies, and its lovely musical score is just one of many reasons we're eager to watch it again and again. 

"Swiss Family Robinson" (1960)

Though some people may remember the early Walt Disney Studios days for the company's animated movies, the swath of live-action films are just as significant.

The story told of a shipwrecked family in "Swiss Family Robinson" is one of the most iconic in all of Disney's catalog.

"101 Dalmatians" (1961)

The original "101 Dalmations" movie has an incredible score, and more of that exquisite 2D animation styling of Disney's early days.

"The Parent Trap" (1961)

This is yet another Disney movie based on a book (this time the 1949 German novel "Lottie and Lisa" by Erich Kästner). The studio's original take on the story is funny and heartfelt and a must-watch for anyone who loves the 1998 Lindsay Lohan remake.

"The Incredible Journey" (1963)

Remember "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey," aka the movie about pets that made everyone cry in 1993? Well yes, that was yet another Disney remake of its own great movie.

The original, simply titled "The Incredible Journey," will be on Disney Plus.

"The Sword in the Stone" (1963)

This retelling of the Arthurian legend is another wonderful Disney animated classic, complete with delightfully strange magical encounters and an inspiring tale of knighthood. 

"Mary Poppins" (1964)

Blending 2D animation with live-action wonder, "Mary Poppins" is one of the most beloved Disney movies ever made. Julie Andrews shines as the titular witch-like character, and the film's soundtrack is iconic for good reason.

"The Sound of Music" (1965)

One of the most famous musical movies of all time, "The Sound of Music" will be nice for millennials and older generations to stream. Remember the double VHS-tape set you used to have to rewind when you wanted a dose of "The Sound of Music?" This is going to be much easier.

"Bedknobs and Broomsticks" (1971)

Following the "Mary Poppins" style of mixing animation with live-action and great musical numbers, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" is an often-overlooked story of witches and wartime adventure that we can't wait to dive back into. 

"Robin Hood" (1973)

"Robin Hood" is yet another tale that has been told and retold countless times, but Disney's 1973 animated version is among our favorites. 

Read more: Disney has 19 new shows coming exclusively to Disney Plus — here they all are

"Escape to Witch Mountain" (1975)

The sci-fi book was written by Alexander Key in 1968, and tells the story of two orphan siblings with a paranormal abilities like telekinesis and the power to talk to animals.

"Freaky Friday" (1977)

Just like the 1961 version of "The Parent Trap," this original Disney telling of "Freak Friday"— when a mother and daughter switch bodies — is pitch-perfect and an entertaining watch for anyone who loves the later 2000s version. 

"The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (1977)

We could all us more visits to the Hundred Acre Wood and picnics with Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, and the whole gang.

This collection of "Winnie the Pooh" stories was the first of many beloved stories based on A. A. Milne's characters, and we can't wait to dive in once more.

"The Rescuers" (1977)

This is one of the more underrated Disney animated movis, likely because it came during the slight lull in hits for the studio in the 1970s. Both "The Rescuers" and its great sequel "The Rescuers Down Under" are coming to Disney Plus. 

"The Black Cauldron" (1985)

The Middle Ages, goblins, magic, and princesses all come together in this rather dark story. "The Black Cauldron" is infamous thanks to its box-office failure which nearly bankrupted Walt Disney Animation Studios. 

It's worth a rewatch just to experience the riskier (and expensive) story that cause such a stir in the 1980s, though we also think the movie has a lot of merits that were overshadowed by the disastrous rollout.

"The Great Mouse Detective" (1986)

This take on "Sherlock Holmes" is one of Disney's best animated movies from the pre-Renaissance era, and helped swing the studio back into critical acclaim after the disaster of "The Black Cauldron."

Read more:9 original movies Disney is releasing exclusively on Disney Plus

"Willow" (1988)

Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer costar in this fantasy adventure story created by MGM (not Disney). But now director Ron Howard is in talks to make a "Willow" sequel series exclusively for Disney Plus, so it's worth revisiting the original movie.

"Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" (1989)

Several of the "Honey, I Shrunk..." movies are coming to Disney Plus, but you can't beat the original sci-fi story.

This movie follows an inventor who accidentally turns shrinks his children to smaller-than-ant-sized, leaving them to traverse the treacherous backyard to make it home safely.

"Beauty and the Beast" (1991)

Though Disney has been on a tear lately, remaking "live-action" versions of its classic movies, nothing compares to the originals. "Beauty and the Beasts" boasts some of the most gorgeous animated sequences and musical moments of any fairytale story.

Read more: The dramatic story of a bomb-scare that led to the most famous song in the original 'Beauty and the Beast'

"The Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992)

This is just one of many Muppet movies you'll be able to watch on Disney Plus, but it's our favorite holiday treat. The comedy and heart of Jim Henson's Muppets paired with the classic Christmas tale is a must-see.

"The Sandlot" (1993)

As we head into the later decades of Disney films and other movies it has since acquired, "The Sandlot" stands out as a coming-of-age tale most 90s kids grew up watching over and over again.

"Thumbelina" (1994)

This was not originally a Disney movie, but instead a Warner Bros. production eventually sold to 20th Century Fox. But now that Disney and 20th Century Fox have merged, "Thumbelina" is under the Disney Plus umbrella of animated movies. 

"The Return of Jafar" (1994)

Disney made many straight-to-video sequels for its animated hits, and "Return of Jafar" is one of the better ones. If you're a fan of "Aladdin," then odds are you'll find things to like in "Return of Jafar" with an expanded role for Iago and of course, Jafar.

"The Lion King" (1994)

One of the greatest achievements in Disney animation history, the original "The Lion King" is an iconic movie we're happy to be able to watch whenever the mood strikes.

Read more: The singer who voiced Simba in the original 'Lion King' turned down $2 million to take royalties, and he's very happy he did so

"The Santa Clause" (1994)

Disney Plus will have all three movies in "The Santa Clause" holiday trilogy, but the first one is the only one truly worth revisiting. The Christmas story about Santa falling off a roof and dying (yes, it's dark) and then passing along his powers to Tim Allen's character Scott Calvin is a creative and heartwarming tale about the power of belief.

"A Goofy Movie" (1995)

This movie is worth watching for the music alone. The two songs performed in the movie, "Stand Out" and "I2I" (sung by artist Tevin Campbell), are timeless pop hits. Treat yourself and move this one up in your queue. 

"James and the Giant Peach" (1996)

"James and the Giant Peach" is based on the novel by Roald Dahl, and is a unique mix of live-action and stop-motion animation. The grim story takes a young boy on a bizarre adventure which helped paved the way for darker children's stop-motion movies like "Coraline." 

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996)

The Oscar-nominated soundtrack and creation of the loathsome villain Frollo are among the best pieces of work ever made by the animation team at Disney's studios.

With its dark themes of religion, sin, and genocide, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is markedly different than many of its fellow animated movies released during the Disney Renaissance.

Read more: 21 actors you probably didn't realize voiced animated '90s movies, including Demi Moore in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'

"Flubber" (1997)

Robin Williams is remembered for many signature roles around this period, including "Good Will Hunting" and "Patch Adams," but "Flubber" is a much goofier and Disney-fied version Williams that his fans can now more easily revisit.

"Mulan" (1998)

It's hard to select from the best of Disney's animated movies around this time, but "Mulan" also floats to the top of the list thanks to its incredible musical score and impressive female heroine.

"The Parent Trap" (1998)

As much as we love the original movie, director and writer Nancy Meyers' take on the story of identical twin-swapping is practically flawless. 

Read more: THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'The Parent Trap' 20 years later

"Brink!" (1998)

And now we've entered the era of Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs). "Brink!" is one of our favorites, thanks to the very 90s plotline of street rollerblading crews and one teens attempt to juggle corporate sponsorship with staying true to the blades, brah. 

"Halloweentown" (1998)

Though many millennials undoubtedly grew up with "Hocus Pocus" as a Halloween staple in their household, "Halloweentown" is another holiday classic for many.

It's so popular among fans that the official Disney Channel YouTube page literally plays it on a 24-hour live loop for weeks at a time around Halloween.

"Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" (1999)

"Zenon" is the most beloved and remembered of all the DCOM, again thanks to its hit music contained in the story ("Zoom, zoom, zoom, make your heart go boom boom") and the star power of Kirsten Storms and Raven-Symoné as the galactic BFF duo.

"Smart House" (1999)

Twenty years ago, this DCOM predicted several smart-home technologies that are prevalent today. In "Smart House," a teenager wins a computerized house that winds up becoming an out-of-control artificial intelligence system.

"Johnny Tsunami" (1999)

Another DCOM on our list, "Johnny Tsunami" follows a teen from Hawaii who forced to move to Vermont and switch from surfing to snowboarding as he tries to fit in with new classmates.

Read more: 50 of the best Disney Channel original movies of all time, ranked

"The Emperor's New Groove" (2000)

Another underrated Disney animated movie, "The Emperor's New Groove" tells the story of a selfish ruler who only learns how to be kind after he's magically transformed into a llama. The music, animation styling, and comedy in this movie are all simply fantastic.

"Atlantis: The Lost Empire" (2001)

This movie was significant for being the first sci-fi animated film produced by Disney's studios. The steampunk styling and bleak take on capitalist exploration were game-changers for Disney storytelling.

"The Princess Diaries" (2001)

This was Anne Hathaway's breakout role (alongside a small parts played by superstars Mandy Moore and Sandra Oh), and it's every bit as enjoyable to revisit as it was to witness 18 years ago.

Read more: THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'The Princess Diaries' movies

"Monsters, Inc." (2001)

Many great Pixar movies are coming to Disney Plus, including every "Toy Story" film, but "Monsters Inc." is one we're most happy to see on the streaming service. 

"Freaky Friday" (2003)

Just like "The Parent Trap" remake, Lindsay Lohan also starred in this version of "Freaky Friday." This is truly a time-capsule of 2000s pop trends and the family comedy film Disney was trying to recreate for a modern audience.

"The Incredibles" (2004)

One of the best superhero movies of the century so far, "The Incredible" is a phenomenal family story about what it takes to be a hero and how to handle your life's trajectory when it feels like the world has moved on. 

"Ratatouille" (2007)

With one of the best Pixar scores and yet another knockout creative premise, "Ratatouille" is one of the more recent animated movies you won't want to skip on Disney Plus.

"Wall-E" (2008)

We're more than 10 years past the release of "Wall-E"— which warns of a growing man-made climate crisis — and still the world has not banded together to enact drastic changes to our energy and commodity consumption.

But "Wall-E" remains an endearing and ambitious animated tale that you'll find inspiration in no matter what year it is or what darkness lies ahead.

"The Princess and the Frog" (2009)

"The Princess and the Frog" is woefully underrepresented among Disney's line of animated princess stories.

With yet another great Disney soundtrack and aspirational heroine, "The Princess and the Frog" is a movie you might have missed on its first go-around but should definitely watch as soon as possible. 

"Tangled" (2010)

"Tangled" was one of a few key Disney animation studios movies which began showing an uptick in storytelling quality from the non-Pixar creative teams.

The take on the tale of Rapunzel is funny, charming, and features the brilliant casting of Mandy Moore in the role of a new Disney princess. 

"Zootopia" (2016)

Tackling the complex topics of institutionalized discrimination against race and sex, "Zootopia" is a brilliant movie with an important message. The cute animal animations and witty punchlines are just cherries on top. 

• Read more:
• Watch the first trailer for Disney's new 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian' TV series teasing the dark bounty hunter tale
• 18 Disney movies that were turned into TV shows
• 'Lizzie McGuire' is getting a reboot 18 years after the original show premiered. Here's everything we know so far.

• Stadia, Google's new streaming video game platform, will launch with 12 games for purchase on November 19.
• Stadia will use cloud computing technology to stream video games directly to players, removing the need for an expensive video game console or PC.
• Players will be able to access Stadia on their computer, with Google's Chromecast, and with Pixel phones. Support for other smartphones and devices will arrive in the coming months.
• While Google has announced more than 40 games coming to Stadia in its first few months, the list of games available for launch day is much shorter.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google has confirmed which games players will be able to access with Stadia, its new video game streaming platform launching on November 19. A total of 12 games will be available for purchase on Stadia the day it launches, but Google has already confirmed more than 40 titles coming to Stadia in its first few months.

Rather than offering new hardware like the Xbox or PlayStation, Google's Stadia will stream games directly to players from PCs in Google's cloud data centers. That means Stadia will make high-quality video games available on any device with the Google Chrome browser, including computers, smartphones, and Google's Chromecast. However, the service will require a strong, stable internet connection to work properly.

Gamers who preordered Stadia Premiere Edition for $129 will get access to the service on November 19— the package includes the Stadia controller, a Chromecast Ultra, a copy of Destiny 2, three months of Stadia Pro, and a buddy pass for a friend. Stadia Basic will be available for free in February 2020.

Players will still need to buy their own games on Stadia; the subscription doesn't work like Netflix or Spotify. The $10 per month subscription gives Stadia Pro members one free game added to their collection each month, and they'll be able to stream in 4K resolution. Stadia Basic will be available for free in February 2020 and only goes up to 1080p.

Here are the 12 games that players will find on Stadia when it launches on November 19:

SEE ALSO: Google's new streaming video game service is set to take on PlayStation and Xbox, and it's finally got a release date

"Red Dead Redemption 2"

"Assassin's Creed Odyssey" (Ubisoft)

"Destiny 2: The Collection" (Bungie)

"Just Dance 2020" (Ubisoft)

"Kine" (Chump Squad)

"Mortal Kombat 11" (Warner Bros. Studios)

"Thumper" (Drool)

"Samurai Shodown" (SNK Playmore)

"Gylt" (Tequila Works)

'Tomb Raider" (Square Enix)

"Rise of the Tomb Raider" (Square Enix)

"Shadow of the Tomb Raider" (Square Enix)

• Disney has made some of the most famous movies of all time, from animated family films to Marvel superhero franchises. 
• But with hundreds of movies in its lineup, Disney doesn't always score well with critics.
• Here are the best and worst Disney movies of each decade based on critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As a new decade approaches, so does the promise of more Disney films that will forever be associated with the 2020s.

The entertainment and media giant has been cranking out films since "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was released nationwide in the US in 1938 and is now associated with some of the most beloved movies and franchises of all time. 

Each year, Disney releases a number of films that garner critical acclaim, but inevitably not all of its films resonate with critics.

Hits from popular franchises like Marvel and Star Wars tend to score highly with critics and fans alike, although they can't compete with the high praise Disney consistently receives for its bread and butter: animated films.

Here are the best and worst Disney movies of each decade, according to critics: 

SEE ALSO: The best and worst superhero movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked according to critics

Worst of the 1940s: "Song of the South"

Critic score: 45%

User score: 72%

What critics said: "The film is very much a '40s Hollywood vision of the Ole South. The field hands march to and from work in neatly pressed work clothes, singing elaborate choral arrangements of spirituals."— The Los Angeles Times ("Song of the South" has become known as Disney's most "notorious" film for its racist character archetypes.)

Best of the 1940s: "Pinocchio"

Critic score: 100%

User score: 73%

What critics said: "It still is the best thing Mr. Disney has done and therefore the best cartoon ever made."— The New York Times

Worst of the 1950s: "The Shaggy Dog"

Critic score: 67%

User score: 48%

What critics said: "Unhappily, Producer Walt Disney tells his shaggy-dog story so doggedly that he soon runs it into the pound."— TIME Magazine

(tie) Best of the 1950s: "Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier"

Critic score: 100%

User score: 78%

What critics said: "Walt Disney's amiable biography of the renowned American frontiersman is intended chiefly for youngsters, of course, but many a grown-up is likely to get quite a kick out of it too."— Maclean's Magazine

(tie) Best of the 1950s: "Darby O’Gill and the Little People"

Critic score: 100%

User score: 77%

What critics said: "[An] overpoweringly charming concoction of standard Gaelic tall stories, fantasy and romance."— The New York Times

Honorable Mention: "Lady and the Tramp"

Critic score: 93%

User score: 80%

What critics said: "The quintessential American love story — the one between the spoiled heiress and the spontaneous, fun-loving guy from the wrong side of the tracks — has seldom been more elegantly and entertainingly told."— The Chicago Tribune

Worst of the 1960s: "Babes in Toyland"

Critic score: 36%

User score: 60%

What critics said: "Live-action Mother Goose musical with mild slapstick action."— Common Sense Media

Best of the 1960s: "Mary Poppins'

Critic score: 100%

User score: 86%

What critics said: "Mary Poppins is a picture that is, more than most, a triumph of many individual contributions. And its special triumph is that it seems to be the work of a single, cohesive intelligence."— The Hollywood Reporter

Worst of the 1970s: "The Black Hole"

Critic score: 40%

User score: 45%

What critics said: "An elegant, if stubbornly unexciting, popcorn-muncher that flips into a chin-scratcher, with a crew of mostly bland heroes."— eFilmCritic.com

Best of the 1970s: "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh"

Critic score: 100%

User score: 88%

What critics said: "Disney has made a number of features by cobbling together shorter stories, but none more cleverly and successfully than this one."— Family Home Theater

Honorable Mention: "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope"

Critic score: 93%

User score: 96%

What critics said: "I haven't had as much fun at a movie in years. With its technical wizardry, high-velocity storytelling and spirited good humor, Star Wars dazzles the child in us."— Newsday

Worst of the 1980s: "Howard the Duck"

Critic score: 15%

User score: 38%

What critics said: "The movie is too scuzzy to beguile children, too infantile to appeal to adults."— Time

(tie) Best of the 1980s: "Never Cry Wolf"

Critic score: 100%

User score: 84%

What critics said: "Capturing the changes a man goes through as he learns about life in the wilds, 'Never Cry Wolf' is very informative."— TV Guide

(tie) Best of the 1980s: "The Journey of Natty Gann"

Critic score: 100%

User score: 78%

What critics said: "Beautifully photographed and designed, evocatively scored, it's a pleasantly archaic family entertainment in the Disney tradition."— The Washington Post

Honorable Mention: "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"

Critic score: 97%

User score: 84%

What critics said: "If the pleasures of Who Framed Roger Rabbit are mostly incidental, they are certainly more than considerable."— The Orlando Sentinel

Worst of the 1990s: "The Big Green"

Critic score: 0%

User score: 46%

What critics said: "'The Big Green' is at its worst and most desperate when resorting to ridiculous hallucinations and silly sped-up photography to get laughs, and it's at its best when … well, it's over."— The Austin Chronicle

Best of the 1990s: "Toy Story"

Critic score: 100%

User score: 92%

What critics said: "The rivalry between Woody the cowboy and Buzz the astronaut is worked out as a direct parallel to any other family quarrels and it is this sense of oneness that gives the film its kick."— The Guardian

Worst of the 2000s: "Old Dogs"

Critic score: 5%

User score: 44%

What critics said: "Heartless, brainless and unable to do anything with what it does have to offer, 'Old Dogs' doesn't know who it's for or what it's offering. It just needs to get made because people have to have something to do. Spare yourself and your kids."— ComingSoon.net

Best of the 2000s: "Finding Nemo"

Critic score: 99%

User score: 86%

What critics said: "'Finding Nemo' offers as much in terms of thrills, frights, humour and psychological insight as it does in pure technical skill, proving that a movie can be art without being an 'art' movie."— The London Evening Standard

Worst of the 2010s: "Need for Speed"

Critic score: 22%

User score: 57%

What critics said: "You wouldn't think a movie called 'Need For Speed' would feel so slow."— The Hollywood Reporter

(tie) Best of the 2010s: "Toy Story 3"

Critic score: 98%

User score: 89%

What critics said: "It's still more inventive, clever and laugh-out-loud funny than any other movie out there now."— The Wrap

(tie) Best of the 2010s: "Inside Out"

Critic score: 98%

User score: 89%

What critics said: "As so often with Pixar, you feel that you are visiting a laboratory crossed with a rainbow."— The New Yorker

• In 2018, Outdoor Voices launched TechSweat — a collection of lightweight workout gear that's cool to the touch and specially designed for hot, sweaty workouts.
• TechSweat includes staples ranging from leggings to crop tops and skorts, and prices from $45 to $95 per item.
• Recently, the TechSweat leggings underwent a fit update that gave them a new waistband, along with new colors.
• To see how the leggings stacks up, Insider Picks tested the new TechSweat leggings ($75-$95) in our own workouts. Find our (unanimously positive) verdicts below. 

Outdoor Voices (OV) is, in large, partly defined by its unusual ability to appeal to both athletes and leggings-are-for-Sunday-errands athleisurites. The company recently released an athletic collection that manages to keep its cool aesthetic intact while supercharging the clothing's functionality.

TechSweat, built for severely sweaty, no-frills workout classes, gets its namesake from OV's relatively new TechSweat material: breathable, sweat-wicking, surprisingly cool-to-the-touch, and extremely pliable thanks to four-way stretch. The shorts promise to be the lightest and smoothest you'll ever wear, and the leggings to withstand the high-intensity, high-sweat exercises that feel like they're being hosted in the fiery brimstone of hell on a Monday morning. You can shop it in all your workout basics — leggings, bras/crops, tanks, shorts/skorts — and prices range from $45 for crop tops and flex shorts to $95 for two-tone leggings.

To see if the TechSweat material was really all it was chalked up to be, we had five women on the Insider Picks team put the TechSweat leggings to the test. You can find our personal experiences below, but the gist of it is this: these are great workout leggings. 

At first glance, the collection looks like any other Instagrammable pair designed by the company: high waists; flattering, intuitive seaming; and rich colors with names like Papaya and Baltic. But on the body — and, more importantly, in your spin class — there's no mistake that these leggings were built first and foremost for exercise. The material is soft and smooth and still works to somewhat sculpt the body, but doesn't catch or hold heat. It's responsive, flexible, and lightweight enough to escape notice during exercise. For us, it meant our attention could remain on our exercise, rather than on how quickly we could bail. 

All in all, TechSweat gear manages to marry OV's calling card style with a high, unexpectedly utilitarian performance level. We suggest ordering your typical size. Expect to spend a lot of time in them. 

We worked out in Outdoor Voices' TechSweat leggings. Here's what we thought:

TechSweat 3/4 Leggings

TechSweat 3/4 Leggings, $85

I am supremely picky about leggings. I don't like to own pairs that are specifically for workouts or specifically for lounging — I want the pairs that I'm happy to wear for either of those things, and the TechSweats do not disappoint. The material is incredibly stretchy and thin, but I never worry that it'll become see-through when I bend over. Instead, the thinness contributes to their breathability, responsiveness, and gentle supportiveness. The waistband is high and thick, so it stays secure over my hips, but it's not so stiff that I feel like I'm being squeezed in half, which is a huge pet peeve of mine with a lot of HIIT-specific leggings. They fit true-to-size, 

Overall, I just really love this pair and I wear them all the time, both at the gym and on the weekends. I didn't have a great experience with the Springs leggings, so I'm really glad I gave OV a second chance with these. And now they're the ones I recommend to any friends (or readers) looking for a good pair.—Sally Kaplan, Insider Picks editor 

TechSweat Two-Tone Kneecap

TechSweat Two-Tone Kneecap, $45

After trying a different pair of OV leggings and not loving them, I have to admit that I was ready to write off the brand. However, these TechSweat leggings have whirled me around 180-degrees to become a fan. At first glance, I thought I maybe should've sized up, but they turned out to be very stretchy and forgiving, and my usual size fit perfectly. The waistband is a little stiffer than the legs, providing structure and support, while the rest of the leggings are flexible and breathable. If you have an intense workout or tend to sweat more in general, I do think the fabric will show your sweat — but if you don't care, you'll love the fit and feel for activities from running to HIIT workouts.  

I appreciate the inclusion of the back pocket, though to quell my paranoia, I do wish it was a zipped one instead. The brand's signature color-blocking design looks great. I have this idea in my head that cropped leggings make my already-short legs look even shorter, so I normally only buy full-length leggings, but OV's design (I got the Provincial Blue/Baltic color) really flatters my body! — Connie Chen, Insider Picks reporter

TechSweat 7/8 Two-Tone Leggings

TechSweat 7/8 Two-Tone Leggings, $57

I'm particularly picky when it comes to leggings — it's hard to find a pair that are comfortable, can power through all kinds of workouts, and look great, too. When I find that trifecta, I get a little obsessed, like I am with this pair from Outdoor Voices.

The first thing I noticed slipping these on was how soft, stretchy, and lightweight they are. I'm always a little hesitant about such lightweight leggings as many lack support, but these are equal parts supportive and breathable — a winning combination for sweaty workouts. The high waistband keeps everything secure while you run, stretch, or bend, but it doesn't dig into your stomach like other high-waisted pants have a tendency to do. The two-toned blue color is really pretty, but also super flattering and although these are lighter colors, I haven't had any issues with sweat marks.

Beyond practicalities, I love the way these make my legs and butt look and I would (actually, make that will) definitely buy another pair. —Remi Rosmarin, Insider Picks reporter

TechSweat 7/8 Leggings

TechSweat 7/8 Leggings, $85

Like Connie, after an initially underwhelming introduction to OV, I wasn't sure if the brand's larger-than-life hype would hold up. I own more than 20 pairs of workout leggings, and over two years of researching and reporting on products on top of that haven't made me an easy-to-please shopper.

But TechSweat really surprised me. Where the other OV leggings I had tried failed, these excelled. The TechSweat leggings manage to tread the very thin (some would say impossible) line between leggings fit for casual wear and those equipped with the performance level needed to withstand sweaty, punishing workouts all in one pair. I still wear my 2XU tights for the hottest conditions, but I may wind up wearing these more frequently overall, and I still gladly tug them on for HIIT classes. The breathable, flexible material is forgettable in exactly the way workout gear should be. The waist is tighter than the legs, but not uncomfortable. 

On top of functionality, it's worth mentioning that they're also pretty flattering on — strategic seaming accentuates leg muscles and shapes your bum, and a high waist elongates legs and seems to narrow the waist. My only substantial gripe is that I wish the back pocket had a zippered closure, and the downside to such great breathability and light colors is that you may run into noticeable panty lines with a noticeable pair on underneath. — Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter

TechSweat 3/4 Two-Tone Leggings

TechSweat 3/4 Two-Tone Leggings, $95

There's a lot of hype surrounding Outdoor Voices clothing. Some of it is well deserved, and some of it isn't … at least for the price. OV leggings aren't cheap (they range from $75 to $95 a pair), so I had high expectation for the TechSweat leggings when they landed on my desk to test. And … my verdict is in: These didn't disappoint. Their look is very Instagram-worthy, but it's their comfort and overall performance that sold me. They're very stretchy, but still supportive thanks to their high waistband; they're made of a thin-ish, but durable nylon blend that breaths better than other workout legging in my closet; and they're comfortable enough to wear when I'm not working out too. 

There are definitely cheaper leggings out there that are just as cute and high performing, but if you're itching to own an OV pair, definitely go for one from the TechSweat line. —Ellen Hoffman, director of content strategy for Insider Picks

• YouTube personality Shane Dawson has acquired more than 22 million subscribers in his over 10 years on the platform.
• Dawson, 31, is known for his documentary-length YouTube series exploring conspiracy theories and the lives of other famous YouTubers. He's also been involved in controversies stemming from past remarks he's made and since apologized for as well as offensive characters he's performed.
• Here's everything you need to know about Shane Dawson, whose worth an estimated $12 million and just released a new documentary about makeup YouTuber Jeffree Star.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese was forced to deny allegations earlier this year that it recycles uneaten pizza slices to serve to other customers, thanks to a YouTuber by the name of Shane Dawson.

The 31-year-old Dawson is essentially a YouTube veteran who has garnered more than 22 million subscribers in his decade of creating videos. His early comedic skits and parodies brought in a massive audience base who have stuck around to see Dawson evolve into creating hour-long documentaries about conspiracy theories and other YouTubers.

Dawson's fame has earned him an estimated net worth of around $12 million, as well as a book, a podcast, and numerous TV and film appearances. And then there were the multiple controversies (more on those later).

His latest piece of work is a documentary about makeup YouTuber Jeffree Star, and it dropped on October 1.

Here's everything you need to know about 31-year-old YouTuber Shane Dawson:

SEE ALSO: A fitness influencer will serve nearly 5 years in jail for using 369 Instagram accounts to harass bodybuilding colleagues and allegedly faking her daughter's kidnapping

The YouTuber was born as Shane Yaw on July 19, 1988 in Long Beach, California.

Source: Famous Birthdays

As a kid, Dawson grew up with an alcoholic father and was bullied for being overweight in high school. At 18, he signed up for the once-popular weight-loss program Jenny Craig, through which he succeeded in losing weight. He soon after got a job working at a local Jenny Craig storefront, and was later promoted to manager.

Source: Tubefilter

At the same time, Dawson was going out on auditions for acting gigs, but he wasn't having much luck. In 2008, Dawson decided to launch a YouTube channel called "Shane Dawson TV." However, his YouTube content got him into trouble early on: After recording himself pole dancing while at work, Dawson and six other people (including his mother and brothers) were fired from their jobs.

Source: Tubefilter, Forbes

The early days of Dawson's channel consisted of comedy sketches, video blogs and diaries, and impersonations of characters liked "Barb the Lesbian" and "Shanaynay"— who calls herself a "ghetto girl"— that are pretty problematic and draw on offensive stereotypes.

Source: The Startup on Medium, Bustle

Dawson's first video to go truly viral was "Fred is Dead," a sketch comedy video from September 2008 in which Dawson kills the beloved 2000s-era YouTuber Fred (aka Lucas Cruikshank). The video has more than 25 million views today.

Source: Know Your Meme

To pay the bills, Dawson picked up odd jobs — including working as a security guard at an aquarium — all while continuing to upload videos to his YouTube channel.

Source: Forbes

YouTube took notice of Dawson's growing popularity and invited him to join its partner program, which allowed him to make being a YouTuber a full-time, money-making job. By September 2011, Dawson's channel was the fifth most-subscribed to YouTube channel behind Ray William Johnson, Nigahiga, Smosh, and Machinima.

Source: Know Your Meme

Dawson started dating fellow YouTuber Lisa Schwartz in 2011. The two dated for a few years and even lived together before splitting in 2014. "That period of time was quite dark," Dawson later said in a video with Schwartz about their relationship. "It was nice to have someone who knows what it felt like to have problems."

Source: We the Unicorns

As Dawson continued to produce viral video hits, he harnessed his newfound fame to pursue other ventures. In 2013, Dawson launched the "Shane and Friends" podcast where he interviewed various YouTubers. However, the podcast stopped recording new content in 2017, and all episodes were deleted from the web after controversial comments Dawson had made on the show were dug up (more on that later).

Dawson also expanded into producing films and shows based off his real-life experiences. Dawson told Forbes in 2017 that "writing and directing is my thing," and it's something he's been pursuing ever since he was a kid.

Sources: Forbes

Dawson's first foray into producing was a show called "Losin' It" about Dawson's life as a formerly overweight person. Although NBC bought the rights to the show in 2013, it was never produced.

Sources: Hollywood Reporter, Forbes

The following year, Dawson produced the rom-com "Not Cool" as part of a Starz reality show called "The Chair" that pitted the YouTuber against another aspiring filmmaker to each use an $800,000 budget to make competing movies based on the same script. Dawson's "Not Cool" was declared the winner, despite a New York Times critic saying the movie was "so poorly executed and so unfunny that no one involved with it should ever be allowed to work in the movies again."

Source: Variety, LA Times

Dawson was forced to make his first public apology video in September 2014 after some older videos were dug up showing him using blackface to portray characters in his comedy sketches. Dawson admitted his actions were "ignorant," but said that "everyone knows I'm not a racist." He likely didn't know this would only be the first in a line of apology videos he would have to make throughout his controversial YouTube career.

Source: Bustle

Dawson has published two memoirs about his life in 2015 and 2016: "I Hate Myselfie: A Collection of Essays," followed by, "It Gets Worse: A Collection of Essays." Dawson told Variety he hoped to reach the older demographic "even if they find my YouTube videos annoying."

Source: Variety

The YouTuber has also used the platform to share and discuss deeply personal matters with fans. Dawson opened up in 2014 about having body dysmorphia, a disorder in which you can't stop obsessing over perceived flaws in your appearance. "I’m talking about this because I know a lot of you guys out there might be dealing with the same type of thing and I want you to know that you’re not alone," Dawson said in his video.

Source: Distractify

Dawson also released a video on YouTube to publicly come out as bisexual in 2015. Dawson said that while he was "scared" to come out, there's no reason to "be afraid of who you are." Reactions from fans and the YouTube community were overwhelmingly supportive.

Source: IB Times

A little more than a year after coming out, Dawson announced he was dating fellow YouTuber Ryland Adams. In his first Instagram about Adams in October 2016, Dawson said Adams is "sweet, caring, and makes me so incredibly happy."

By 2018, Dawson's YouTube channel had switched gears dramatically. Dawson switched to multi-part series investigating conspiracy theories and documenting the lives of scandalous YouTubers, including Tana Mongeau, Jake Paul, and Eugenia Cooney.

Dawson's controversial comments from the past caught up to him in early 2018 when a clip from an old "Shane and Friends" podcast episode resurfaced. "Having sex with children, touching children or anything of that nature is terrible and you should not do it," Dawson says on the 2013 episode. "But ... here’s my thing. People have foot fetishes, people have fetishes of everything." After his comments went viral, Dawson was forced to make another apology video on his channel.

Source: Washington Post

Criticism was again heaped on Dawson amid his docuseries on YouTuber Jake Paul. One of the episodes heavily features conversation between Dawson and a therapist where they discuss sociopaths, and speculate whether Paul is one himself. People reamed Dawson for his facetious treatment of mental health, and Dawson later apologized to anyone who was offended.

Source: Polygon

Among the conspiracy theories that Dawson has investigated is a claim that kid's chain Chuck E. Cheese saves uneaten slices of pizza, and recycles these leftovers into pies served to new customers. After Dawson went to a Chuck E. Cheese himself and declared that the conspiracy theory is legit, the restaurant chain was forced to respond and call his viral claims "unequivocally false."

Source: Insider

Dawson's rapt attention to conspiracy theories has started discussion about the role that YouTubers play in spreading disinformation on the platform. Additionally, YouTube has revised its policies this year to recommend fewer conspiracy theories, which could potentially have an adverse effect on content like Dawson's.

Source: WaPo, Business Insider

Dawson also caught heat for remarks he made on his podcast — yet again — in March. Dawson backtracked on the story of his "first sexual experience," which he said during a 2015 podcast involved activities with his cat. Dawson has insisted that the story was fabricated, and tweeted out: "It's embarrassing and I f---ing hate myself for it."

Source: Insider

Just two days after apologizing for these cat remarks, Dawson proposed to Adams just as the couple celebrated their three-year anniversary. Some speculated that Dawson proposed in an attempt to draw attention away from the controversy regarding his cat comments.

Source: Insider

In October, Dawson dropped the first episode of his latest docuseries, "The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star." The episode offers a glimpse into the life of beauty YouTuber Jeffree Star, which includes armed security guards, private jets, and shrieking fans.

Source: Insider

The duo also teamed up on a makeup collection earlier this month. The line was so popular, it immediately crashed the website.

Source: Business Insider

• The Jaguar XE is Jag's entry-level sedan, taking on segment leaders such as the BMW 3-Series, the Audi A4, and the Mercedes C-Class.
• My tester was the Jaguar XE P300 R-Dynamic S, with all-wheel-drive. It stickered at about $47,000.
• The refreshed sedan has lost its supercharged V6 but gained a pair of punchy, turbocharged four-cylinder engines.
• Combining style and joyful driving, the Jaguar XE is held back by a weak infotainment system, but it's still worth a look.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Do sports sedans matter anymore? 

It's an important question for luxury automakers because sporty "saloons" have for decades defined an important part of the vehicle segment. BMW built it's "ultimate driving machine" reputation on the success of its four-doors. For years, the competition has followed, minting fun-to-drive cars that pushed the market away from soft freeway cruisers.

But now the sedan is in trouble, as BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and others embrace the crossover SUV. While the four-door might be the superior driving platform, customers want fancy trucks.

In this context, Jaguar finds itself in an awkward position. The brand has always excelled at sedans, and in recent years it's produced a singularly gorgeous SUV in the F-PACE (not to mention a snappy electric crossover in the I-PACE). 

The Jaguar XE launched in 2015, throwing down a gauntlet for the BMW 3-Series. The vehicle sold reasonably well, but after a few years, deliveries have declined by about 5,000 units annually in the US, so Jag refreshed the car for the 2020 model year, sadly dropping the supercharged six-cylinder for turbocharged fours. 

I borrowed the beefier trim level, with the P300 engine, and drove it around the New York/New Jersey area for a week. I've typically been a fan of Jag's saloons, so I wondered earnestly how the XE would stack up.

Here's how it went:

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Behold! The Jaguar P300 R-Dynamic S, with all-wheel-drive, in a "Caldera Red" paint job. Designer Ian Callum did a fine job with this ride.

The Jag EX carries a heavy burden for India-owned Jaguar Land Rover. The XE has to take on the BMW 3-Series ...

... The Alfa-Romeo Giulia ...

... The Audi A4 ...

... And the Mercedes C-Class.

Looks-wise, the XE's only real competition in the segment is the Giulia. The XE starts at about $40,000, but options raised our as-tested price to $46,295.

From front to back, this Jag is an elegant, powerful-looking cat. Callum's ability to hold a design in a sort of coiled balance is his signature as a designer.

It's tough to find anything on the XE that's awkward or out-of-proportion. My test car came with a black exterior styling package that risked pushing the XE over the top, but from the blacked-out grille to the modest front diffuser, I thought it all worked well.

In keeping with the overall trend in the industry, the Jaguar XE is a fastback sedan, but with a trunk rather than a hatch. Again, the design is perfectly executed, with the rear elements unifying and creating an illusion of rear-wheel-drive muscle for an AWD setup.

The haunches are downright shapely. Jaguars always present an image of well-tailored athleticism, and the XE is no exception.

The leaping cat of course appears in chrome on the trunk lid.

The 20-inch,10-Spoke Style "Satin Grey Diamond Turned Wheels" hide red brake calipers.

It's easy to judge a car from the front, but the acid test of a great design is the rear. And the XE's is a winner.

With a trunk capacity of under 15 cubic feet, the XE is a bit lean for the segment ...

... but I didn't have much trouble with standard-issue suburban cargo. This Jag would also be adequate for weekend getaways.

Now for the sad part. The old 380-horsepower, supercharged V6 has gone away, replaced by either a 247-horsepower or a 296-horsepower turbocharged four-banger. My P300 tester had the 2.0-liter, 296-pony powerplant, making 295 pound-feet of torque.

The oomph is channeled the to the AWD drive system through an eight-speed automatic with a auto-manual option.

The 0-60 mph dash passed in about six seconds — not slow, but hardly the more ferocious, asphalt-gobbling performance that the V6 turned in. Fuel economy is a satisfactory 22 mpg city/30 highway/25 combined, using premium petrol.

Let's slip inside and see what the stylish Jaguar cabin has in store for us. The interior itself is a minimalist "Ebony" with tasteful brushed metal highlights.

The XE is of course Jag's entry-level sedan, so no one is expecting succulent wood trim or peacock leather. That said, the cabin is arranged in a pleasing manner. (I'm not a huge fan of the multifunction steering-wheel knobs and button, though, which are confusing.)

The InControl Touch Pro infotainment system runs on a 10-inch central touchscreen that combines with a digital climate-control interface. It looks fantastic ...

... But in practice it's a laggy hodgepodge, with a steep learning curve. JLR knows this — we've rarely failed to complain about this system — but it's been several years now of work-in-progress status.

The system itself gets to job done, with capable GPS navigation, relatively easy Bluetooth pairing, device integration, Apple CarPlay availability, and wireless charging. 

But even the basic process of adjusting temperature, fan speed, or heated-and-cooled seats is a multistep ordeal. 

For what it's worth, however, the 825-watt Meridian Surround audio system sounds glorious.

And there's a moonroof, filling what could be a dark cabin with natural light. The back seat is adequate for the segment — adults should be OK for short trips.

So what's the verdict?

While I found stuff to like and dislike about the XE is equal measure — adored the design, didn't care for the engine, liked the driving dynamics, struggled with the infotainment — I actually richly enjoyed the car.

The complete package was more than enough to overcome the assorted weaknesses. And that's a useful reminder that while a car might come off as disappointing on paper, whether it's a good or bad ride comes down to seat time. Behind the wheel of the Jag XE R-Dynamic, I was a happy pilot.

Overall, the R-Dynamic package adds enough tautness to the driving experience to put some serious "sport" into this sedan. Minus the V6, I'd say that the XE doesn't really rise to the same level as the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the Audi A4, or the BMW 3-Series. But it's competitive with the Mercedes C-Class, and that's sort of where it belongs: just enough performance, great style, less bling than the Merc.

My Jag tester was equipped with what I've come to expect these days in terms of driver-assist and safety features, ranging from cameras to lane-keep assist to emergency braking. Beyond cruise control, there wasn't anything that could be confused with semi-self-driving. All in all, the refreshed XE is predictable on this front; most premium vehicles now have all these features available.

Sometimes, a luxury car is less about objectivity and more about emotion. Jaguars make me feel cool, and that's probably why I like them. I, for one, looked forward to driving the XE. And with a price tag under $50,000, this dashing blend of style and performance is definitely worthy of consideration. And heck, it's also for drivers who want to be different. It's always been effortless to go German. Thank goodness that Jaguar is around to give us more choices.

• Slim Christmas trees are great for small spaces like doorways or halls, or if you just want a more compact tree this year. 
• Here are 12 of our favorite slim Christmas trees that may be on the smaller side but still pack a lot of Christmas spirit, some costing as little as $39.99.
• Check out all of our 2019 holiday gift guides here. 

Despite how much you want a huge artificial Christmas tree in your living room, sometimes you just don't have the space. Unless you're willing to tiptoe around the tree and risk bumping into delicate ornaments every five minutes, a slim Christmas tree is a great alternative. 

The width of a slim Christmas tree is usually around half its height, so it'll take up less space overall. They're great for doorways, hallways, corners, behind couches — basically everywhere. 

But what they lack in width, they make up for in festive holiday spirit. Here are 12 of our favorite slim Christmas trees, from fun palm trees to fully decorated ones covered with pine cones and red berries. Some even start as low as $39.99. 

If you need additional Christmas décor inspiration for tree skirts, tree stands, ornaments, and more, check out some of our buying guides: 

• Best artificial Christmas trees
• Best Christmas decorations
• Best Christmas tree skirt
• Best Christmas tree stand
• Best Christmas lights
• Best Christmas tree ornaments

A slim pine tree with 300 white lights

$218, available at Home Depot

This slim pine Christmas tree looks like it should still be in the forest — the artificial tree is covered in glitter, faux snow, ice, and pine cones to give it a more realistic appearance. The tree also comes pre-strung with 300 microlights, so while it's very much decorated, you can add extra ornaments and a tree topper to truly complete it. 

Tree height: 7 feet

Base diameter: 34 inches

Light count: 300

A slim white Christmas tree with 50 clear lights

$40.78 (originally $69.99), available at Wayfair [You save $25.96]

This slim evergreen tree has branches that are swept downward and pre-strung with 50 clear lights. The tree's branches, pole, and base are flocked with fake white snow so it looks like you've brought nature indoors.

Tree height: 3 feet

Base diameter: 14 inches

Light count: 50

A spiral topiary slim Christmas tree

$111.56, available at Lowe's

This slim tree with spiraling branches is such a fun twist on traditional Christmas trees. This unique design looks like an optical illusion and has more than enough space between the branches to hang ornaments and lights. 

Tree height: 5.5 feet

Base diameter: 29 inches

Light count: unlit

A slim Christmas tree with 105 lights

$53.66, available at Home Depot

This slim Christmas tree has 105 lights throughout to add a slight glow. The tree is on a sturdy square metal base, giving it a slightly different appearance compared to other artificial trees on stands with legs.

Tree height: 5 feet

Base diameter: 25 inches

Light count: 105

A slim Christmas tree with multicolored lights

$144, available at Target

At 9 feet, this tree comes in several sections and branches are hinged so setup is easy — stack the sections together, pull down the hinges, and fluff out the 1,094 branch tips. There's no need to string lights either — the tree comes with 350 multicolored lights for a colorful and festive appearance.

Tree height: 9 feet

Base diameter: 37 inches

Light count: 350

An unlit slim Christmas tree with real wood

$49.99, available at Amazon

This natural alpine tree is the perfect backdrop for lights and ornaments. The tree has an exposed tree trunk made with real wood, adding to the realism. It comes in several heights, but the tallest at 9-feet has a 56-inch width, so we'd suggest looking at this 6-foot-tall option.

Tree height: 6 feet (also available in 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet, 7 feet, 8 feet, and 9 feet)

Base diameter: 34 inches

Light count: unlit

A slim Christmas tree with clear lights

$160, available at Target

This 9-foot-tall slim Virginia pine tree is pre-strung with 350 clear lights and is lightly flocked so it looks like there's a bit of snow, but there's still plenty of space to add decorations and ornaments.

Tree height: 9 feet

Base diameter: 32 inches

Light count: 350

A slim Christmas tree with pine cones and holly berries

$652.00, available at Macy's [You save $196.01 until 11/11/19]

You don't need to add much to this tree since it comes pre-decorated with pine cones, holly berries, 300 clear lights, and a dusting of fake snow. 

Tree height: 6.5 feet

Base diameter: 33 inches

Light count: 300

A slim palm tree with 150 lights

$69.99, available at Lowe's

If you want an even slimmer tree, try a palm tree like this. It's 10-inches wide at the base and the leaves up top fan out to 30 inches, so it'll still make a statement without taking up your floors. It's a fun way to celebrate the holidays whether you live somewhere tropical with palms or just want to pretend that you do.

Tree height: 5 feet

Base diameter: 10 inches

Light count: 150

A slim 9-foot Christmas tree with 500 clear lights

$169, available at Home Depot

This pencil tree looks as well maintained as the ones in the Queen of Heart's gardens. The tree's uniformly slim profile measures just 23 inches so its perfect for extra-narrow spaces and the 500 white lights give it a warm glow.

Tree height: 9 feet

Base diameter: 23 inches

Light count: 500

A 6-foot-tall slim Christmas tree

$39.99, available at Amazon

Consider this slim unlit your foundation for as many lights and ornaments you want. The branches are sturdy enough to hold most ornaments, and the tree comes in five heights so you can maximize your space. 

Tree height: 6 feet (also available in 5 feet, 7 feet, 8 feet, and 9 feet)

Base diameter: 25 inches

Light count: unlit

A slim Christmas tree with a burlap base

$91.99 (originally $184), available at Macy's [You save $92.01 until 12/23/19]

This slim pine Christmas tree has a rustic burlap base that saves you from getting an extra tree skirt. It comes in four heights but the width stays relatively the same, so each one is still ideal for smaller spaces. The tree can be used indoor or outdoor too.  

Tree height: 5 feet (also available in 6 feet, 7.5 feet, and 8 feet)

Base diameter: 24 inches

Light count: unlit

• We lost beloved tourist attractions this year due to overcrowding, bankruptcy, or a lack of visitors.
• Australia's famed Uluru rock formation closed in October after years of protests from the Aboriginal community.
• The last flower shop in Amsterdam's floating Bloemenmarkt closed in April 2019.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

As 2019 approaches its end, we're taking a look back at tourist attractions that have sadly ceased to exist this year.

From Amsterdam's floating flower market to the base camp at Mount Everest, these spots are closed to visitors, or have simply shut down.

Keep scrolling to take a look back at the tourist attractions we've lost this year.

Uluru was permanently closed to hikers in October after years of tourists disrespecting the land and camping illegally.

Uluru, the giant red rock formation located in Australia's Northern Territory, is one of Australia's most famous tourist attractions. The site is important to Aboriginal people, specifically the Anangu people, who consider it a sacred site.

Following years of lobbying, the site was finally closed to tourists on October 25. The line on the last day stretched on for hours, with thousands of people attempting to get one final climb in.

 The rest of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park remains open.

The Mount Everest base camp became overrun with tourists and was forced to close in February.

In February, the Chinese government announced that the world's tallest mountain above sea level was closing its base camp to all non-climbing tourists. Only 300 climbing permits are granted throughout the year, so for all intents and purposes, it's almost impossible to reach base camp now.

The closure came after an overwhelming number of tourists left their trash behind on the mountain. Over 40,000 people visited in 2015, and it's only gotten more popular since then. Conde Nast Traveler reported that over 8 tons of trash was found last spring, including "a startling amount of human feces and mountaineering equipment."

Washington, DC's Newseum is closing at the end of 2019.

The Newseum is a museum dedicated to journalism and communication. Its collection includes pieces of the Berlin Wall and the broadcast antennae from New York City's World Trade Center, among other things.

The museum is set to close on December 31, 2019, after calling DC home for 11 years. The museum is surrounded by Smithsonian buildings, which are free, making it hard for tourists to justify spending $24.95 on a ticket.

Fans of high fashion should plan a trip to New York City soon, since all the other Barneys locations may close.

As any self-respecting "Gossip Girl" or "Sex and the City" fan knows, Barneys is an institution. However, the luxury department store filed for bankruptcy in August, and a new deal that was put forth in October proposed closing all but five of their locations.

While the Madison Avenue location is safe for now, the stores in "Chicago, Las Vegas and Seattle, along with five smaller concept stores and seven Barneys Warehouse locations," are all on the chopping block, Business Insider reported. It's just one of the latest casualties in the retail apocalypse.

The last flower shop in Amsterdam's floating Bloemenmarkt closed in April 2019, effectively shutting down the entire flower market.

At its peak, the Bloemenmarkt was a bustling, floating flower market in the heart of Amsterdam. It's been in the city since 1862. But over time, more and more tourists have taken over the market, displacing loyal customers.

The last florist, Michael Saarloos, closed his doors in April. "I have had enough of all the tourists who ruin my trade. If they are here with a group, I can no longer see my own customers," he told Dutch newspaper De Trouw.

Epcot's famous fireworks show "IllumiNations" shut down for good in September.

"IllumiNations" (full name "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth") has been wowing visitors at Disney World's Epcot since 1999. According to Touring Plans, the show "integrates laser lights, neon, and music in a stirring tribute to the nations of the world." Its final performance was on September 30, 2019, after 20 years.

The show was replaced temporarily by "Epcot Forever," but it's unclear what the permanent replacement will be.

• Read more:
• 9 tourist destinations that became obsolete in the 2010s
• Disappointing photos show what Disney parks look like in real life
• 8 tourist sites that had to close due to overcrowding
• The 21 most horrifying things tourists have done recently

• Hacking career advancement and achievement is a tricky game — one that even Melinda Gates and Oprah have struggled with. For the two of them, they found themselves in situations where they were trying to be what other people wanted.
• Gates said this didn't bring out the "best" in her, and Winfrey found that she was "pulling" herself "down."
• Research backs up this observation: "Covering" up your identity at work can impact your performance.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A lot of career advice boils down to various ways to fit in with whatever group you aspire to join. That's why people tell you to "dress for the job you want, not the job you have," to network with those you admire, and to police your tone to sound more "professional," among tons of other tips along these lines. 

But at least two incredibly successful women have exactly the opposite take. Sure, being mindful of others and the norms of your industry is always a good idea. But, according to these two titans, the real secret to career advancement (especially for women) isn't fitting in. It's being more truly yourself.

SEE ALSO: How to prepare for 5 important career moments, according to experts at Kellogg School of Management

'Fitting in is overrated'

The latest superstar to offer this take is Melinda Gates, who joined an incredible roster of women in sharing their memories and insights for National Geographic's new special issue focusing on the lives of women around the world. It's produced exclusively by women writers and photographers. 

When the magazine asked Gates for her number-one piece of advice for young women, she was blunt in her recommendation. 

"Fitting in is overrated," she replied. "I spent my first few years at my first job out of college doing everything I could to make myself more like the people around me. It didn't bring out the best in me — and it didn't position me to bring out the best in others. The best advice I have to offer is: Seek out people and environments that empower you to be nothing but yourself."

While superficial changes like trading in your hoodie for a suit might make sense, Gates insists that when it comes to your fundamental character and values, letting your inner light shine beats adapting to your surroundings every time. She's far from alone in thinking that. 

Pretending to be someone you're not is exhausting

No less than TV superstar Oprah Winfrey backs her up. As the talk show mogul explained in a recent Hollywood Reporter interview, her stint at storied news program 60 Minutes ended abruptly when she realized the show didn't line up with her true self. 

"It was not the best format for me," she explained. "I think I did seven takes on just my name because it was 'too emotional.' I go, 'Is the too much emotion in the 'Oprah' part or the 'Winfrey' part?' ... They would say, 'All right, you need to flatten out your voice, there's too much emotion in your voice.' So I was working on pulling myself down and flattening out my personality — which, for me, is actually not such a good thing."

Oprah, who is certainly not short of other opportunities, up and quit to search for projects that lined up more closely with her personality and approach. That sort of abrupt departure probably isn't possible for most of us, but we can still put the central point made by both superachievers to work. 

Dressing to impress or meeting the right people won't get you anywhere if you're not in a career and a role that lines up with your true character and abilities. And not just for some sort of airy-fairy self-help kind of reason. Constantly policing yourself is exhausting, which eats into the energy you have for your actual work. 

As I noted when I originally covered the Oprah interview, research out of both Columbia and Deloitte shows that "covering" your true identity at work (whether that's your sexual orientation, your introverted nature, or your emotional soul) has a negative impact on your professional performance and psychological well-being. When fitting in comes at the cost of authenticity, the research is clear: It's not worth it. 

So the next time you're pondering a career move, remember this advice. The only place where you'll truly shine is one where you can be yourself. In fact, you might even shine a little brighter in your current role if you let a little more of your real, authentic light out. Hey, it worked for both Oprah and Melinda Gates. 

• Texas' population has been growing rapidly for years, and a big part of that growth comes from the millions of people who have moved there from around the US and the rest of the world.
• Using data from the US Census Bureau, we ranked Texas' large metro areas by total net migration between 2010 and 2018, adjusted by 2010 population.
• Texas' largest cities were at the top of the list, as well as Midland, a major hub of the fracking boom.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Texas is one of the fastest-growing parts of the US.

A big factor in the Lone Star State's growth is the millions of people who have moved there from around the country and the rest of the world over the last decade.

Using data from the US Census Bureau, we ranked the metropolitan statistical areas in Texas by total net migration between 2010 and 2018 — the number of people who moved into the metro area during that period from another part of the US or another country, minus people who moved out of the metro area — adjusted by the metro area's 2010 population.

Texas' biggest cities appear at the top of the list, a contrast to the fates of some other large metro areas in the US. Also near the top was Midland, a major hub of the oil and gas boom of the last decade.

Here are the top 12 metro areas in Texas by that metric:

12. San Angelo had net migration of 3,305 between 2010 and 2018 — 3% of the metro's 2010 population of 111,823.

11. Waco had net migration of 7,585 between 2010 and 2018 — 3% of the metro's 2010 population of 252,772.

10. Lubbock had net migration of 13,495 between 2010 and 2018 — 5% of the metro's 2010 population of 290,805.

9. Tyler had net migration of 11,910 between 2010 and 2018 — 6% of the metro's 2010 population of 209,714.

8. Odessa had net migration of 11,351 between 2010 and 2018 — 8% of the metro's 2010 population of 137,130.

7. College Station-Bryan had net migration of 19,042 between 2010 and 2018 — 8% of the metro's 2010 population of 228,660.

6. Sherman-Denison had net migration of 11,842 between 2010 and 2018 — 10% of the metro's 2010 population of 120,877.

5. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land had net migration of 584,110 between 2010 and 2018 — 10% of the metro's 2010 population of 5,920,416.

4. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had net migration of 641,751 between 2010 and 2018 — 10% of the metro's 2010 population of 6,426,214.

3. San Antonio-New Braunfels had net migration of 239,501 between 2010 and 2018 — 11% of the metro's 2010 population of 2,142,508.

2. Midland had net migration of 22,239 between 2010 and 2018 — 16% of the metro's 2010 population of 141,671.

1. Austin-Round Rock had net migration of 310,931 between 2010 and 2018 — 18% of the metro's 2010 population of 1,716,289.

• Sheldon and Miriam Adelson gave more money to political candidates than any other Americans in 2018. They donated over $123 million to Republicans, according to The Center for Responsive Politics.
• Political figures Micheal Bloomberg and Tom Steyer are also top donors to Democrats, according to The Center for Responsive Politics.
• Surprisingly, Charles Koch did not make the list. To be included, his donations would have needed to top $6.5 million.
• Collectively, the 25 billionaires and billionaire couples on the list totaled a whopping $573,892,284 in political donations in 2018, data from The Center for Responsive Politics shows.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A small group of ultra-wealthy Americans pumps a lot of money into politics.

We took a look at the top 25 donors who funded American politics in 2018 and found that the list consists of, among others, an assortment of financiers, heirs, and entrepreneurs.

The contributions of some of the largest donors — such as Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, George Soros and Tom Steyer— are well known, while other donors, like Jeff Bezos, are better known for their careers.

Interestingly, one well-known political donors — Charles Koch— did not make the list. Koch and his now-deceased brother David donated $1,816,650 to Republicans through their company Koch industries in 2018, according to The Center for Responsive Politics. To make this list, their donations would have needed to top $6.5 million.

Business Insider previously reported that public affairs rank as the eighth-most popular cause that billionaires donate to. Only 12.4% of billionaires reported making donations to politics in 2018, according to Wealth-X's 2019 Billionaire Census.

Collectively, the 25 billionaires and billionaire couples on the list totaled a whopping $573,892,284 in political donations in 2018, data from The Center for Responsive Politics shows.

Keep reading to learn more about the country's biggest political donors, ranked in order of their donations during the 2018 election cycle by The Center for Responsive Politics. Each donor's net worth, where available, was sourced from Forbes unless otherwise specified. Their party affiliations are listed according to The Center for Responsive Politics.

SEE ALSO: Meet the 18 ultra-wealthy Americans begging for a wealth tax, from a Facebook cofounder to a Disney heiress

DON'T MISS: Less than 1% of the world's billionaires donate to housing and shelter charities. Here are the top 10 causes the world's richest people give their money to.

25. Billionaire hedge-fund manager Paul Singer gave $6.4 million to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Total donations: $6,463,400

Party: Republican

Net worth: $3.5 billion

Singer is the founder of investment firm Elliott Management, according to his biography on the firm's website, but he is better known for his advocacy for conservative causes, Forbes reports. Once a major critic of President Trump, Singer has since met with him at the White House. Singer does break with the President on one important issue, however — Singer is also an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

24. Former Breitbart News investor Robert Mercer and his wife Diana have given $6,544,024 to conservatives.

Total donations: $6,544,024

Party: Republican

Net worth: Unknown

Robert Mercer, 73, is the former co-CEO of Renaissance Technologies, a hedge fund valued at $50 million in 2017, according to The New York Times. Mercer left the hedge fund in 2017 after clients, including the retirement fund for Baltimore's police and firefighters, withdrew their investments from Renaissance over concern about Mercer's political donations and involvement with Breitbart, The Times reported.

The $6.5 million that Robert and his wife Diana donated to Republicans in 2018 was the smallest figure they've given in any election cycle since 2012, CNBC reported. The couple, once among President Trump's biggest supporters, have become fatigued by the resulting media attention, sources told CNBC.

23. CEO of Arkansas-based chicken producer Mountaire Corp, Ronald Cameron, and his wife Nina donated nearly $6.6 million to Republicans.

Total donations: $6,574,352

Party: Republican

Net worth: Unknown

Ronald Cameron is the CEO of the poultry company founded by his grandfather, according to the North Caroline Poultry Foundation. Mountaire Corp is the seventh-largest producer of chicken in the country, the foundation reports. An alum of the University of Arkansas, Ronald and his wife Nina have four children and nine grandchildren, according to the foundation's website.

The Camerons were responsible for 80% of total donations to Mike Huckabee's 2016 presidential run, ABC News reported.

22. Indiana real-estate developer Paul Skjodt and philanthropist Cynthia Simon-Skjodt gave $6.8 million to Democrats through their foundation.

Total donations: $6,750,150

Party: Democrat

Net worth: Unknown

Cindy Simon-Skjodt serves as the chair of the couple's non-profit, the Samerian Foundation, according to its website. The foundation provides grants for education, economic development, and youth sports initiatives, according to its website. Paul Skjodt is a former professional hockey player and real estate developer, according to his biography on the foundation's website.

The Skjodts donated $20 million to create a genocide prevention center at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. in 2015, according to The Indianapolis Business Journal.

21. Jeffrey and Janine Yass donated $7.3 million to conservatives.

Total donations: $7,611,083 ($7,295,833 to conservatives, $250 to liberals)

Party: Republican

Net worth: Unknown

Jeffrey Yass is a cofounder of trading firm Susquehanna International Group, according to the company's website.

The couple also donated $250 to liberals in addition to their support of conservatives, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. 

20. Investor Joshua Bekenstein and philanthropist Anita Bekenstein gave $7.7 million to Democrats.

Total Donations: $7,713,540

Party: Democrat

Net worth: Unknown

Joshua Bekenstein is the co-chairman of Bain Capital, the private equity firm cofounded by Mitt Romney, according to Fortune. 

Anita, Joshua's wife, is a philanthropist who manages the couple's private fund, which supports health, education, arts, and environmental non-profits, in addition to serving on the board of patient advocacy non-profit Upstream USA, according to her biography on the organization's website.

The couple lives in Boston and has five children, according to Anita's biography on the organization's website.

19. Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife, former Wall Street Journal reporter Cari Tuna, donated $7.7 million to Democrats.

Total donations: $7,720,230

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $11.8 billion

After leaving Facebook in 2008, Dustin Moskovitz founded workflow management platform Asana, according to Forbes.

Alongside his wife Cari Tuna, Moskovitz has donated millions to health and LGBTQ+ organizations through their foundation Good Ventures, Forbes reports.

Moskovitz maintains a 3% stake in Facebook, according to Forbes. 

18. Home Depot cofounder Bernard Marcus and his wife, Billi Wilma, gave nearly $8 million to Republicans.

Total donations: $8,000,018 ($7,980,318 to conservatives, $500 to liberals)

Party Affiliation: Republican

Net worth: $6.5 billion

Bernie Marcus cofounded Home Depot in 1978 with Arthur Blank after they were fired from their jobs at another hardware store, according to Forbes. Marcus was the company's first CEO and retired in 2002.

Marcus was a major contributor to President Trump's 2016 presidential bid and will support the President again in 2020, Business Insider previously reported. 

Read more: The billionaire cofounder of Home Depot plans on donating up to 90% of his $5.9 billion fortune, and Trump's 2020 campaign will be one of the beneficiaries

17. Charles Schwab, the founder of the eponymous brokerage firm, and his wife Helen gave $8,531,440 to Republicans.

Total donations: $8,531,440

Party Affiliation: Republican

Net worth: $8.2 billion

Charles Schwab, 81, founded his brokerage firm in 1971 and served as its CEO until 2008, according to Forbes. Schwab's fortune comes from his 11% stake in the firm. 

Helen is a philanthropist and serves as the president of the board of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, according to the organization's website.

The couple resides in Woodside, California and has 5 children, according to Forbes.

16. LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman donated $9,315,826, mostly to Democrats.

Total donations: $9,315,826 ($433,500 to conservatives, $8,317,326 to liberals)

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $1.9 billion

Reid Hoffman was an early employee of PayPal and one of the first investors in Facebook, according to Forbes. Hoffman founded Linkedin in 2003. Hoffman sold LinkedIn for $26.2 billion to Microsoft in 2016 and now sits on Microsoft's board, according to Forbes.

Hoffman gave $8,317,326 to Democrats and $433,500 to Republicans in 2018, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. 

15. Investor George Marcus and his wife Judith gave $9,610,125, mostly to Democrats.

Total donations: $9,610,125 ($10,400 to conservatives, $9,579,725 to liberals)

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $1.5 billion

George Marcus is the founder of real-estate brokerage Marcus & Millichap Company, according to the company's website. Marcus is also the chairman of Essex Property Trust, a multi-family real-estate investment trust, and he serves on the board of California-based commercial bank Greater Bay Bancorp.

The Marcuses gave $10,400 to Republicans in 2018, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The rest went to Democrats.

14. Heiress Deborah Simon donated $9.7 million to Democrats.

Total donations: $9,744,070

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: Unknown

Deborah Simon is the daughter of Indiana shopping mall developer Melvin Simon. Simon inherited a portion of her father's fortune after a bitter legal battle over his estate with her stepmother Bren Simon, according to Forbes. 

Simon's family had a net worth of $6.8 billion in 2014, according to Forbes.

13. Investor Timothy Mellon gave $10 million, mostly to Republicans.

Total donations: $10,061,000 ($10,058,300 to conservatives, $2,700 to liberals)

Party Affiliation: Republican

Net worth: $1 billion 

Timothy Mellon, the grandson of twentieth-century business magnate Andrew Mellon, funded the founding of New Hampshire-based railroad company, Guilford Transportation Industries, according to Forbes.

While most of Mellon's donations were to conservatives, Mellon also gave $2,700 to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, according to The Guardian.

12. Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos donated $10,186,170 in total to candidates of both parties.

Total donations: $10,186,170

Party Affiliation: Non-partisan, lean conservative

Net worth: $107.4 billion, $33.9 billion

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and novelist MacKenzie Bezos made 60% of their donations to Republicans and 40% of their donations to Democrats, according to The Center for Responsive Politics. 

The pair finalized their divorce in July 2019, Business Insider previously reported.

Read more: 25 years after Amazon's launch, Jeff Bezos is the richest person alive. Here's how he makes and spends his billions.

11. California-based psychiatrist Karla Jurvetson donated $12 million to Democrats.

Total donations: $12,431,198 ($5,400 to conservatives, $12,415,726 to liberals)

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: Unknown

Karla Jurvetson is the ex-wife of venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson, according to The Guardian. Her largest donation, $5.4 million, was to a Super PAC aimed at elected pro-choice female candidates run by Emily's List, The Guardian reported.

10. Chicago-based newspaper publisher Fred Eychaner gave $12,665,400 to Democrats.

Total donations: $12,665,400

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $500 million in 2005

Fred Eychaner is the chairman of Newsweb Corp. Eychaner became wealthy after selling a television station to Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp for $425 million in 2002, according to Crain's Chicago Business.

Eychaner is also a major supporter of Hillary Clinton. He financially backed her 2008 and 2016 presidential bids, according to Crain's Chicago Business.

9. Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman and his wife Christine gave $12,882,200 to Republicans.

Total donations: $12,882,200

Party Affiliation: Republican

Net worth: $16.7 billion

Stephen Schwarzman, 72, cofounded the private equity firm in 1985, according to Forbes. 

8. Hedge-fund manager Kenneth Griffin donated $19,225,125 to Republicans.

Total donations: $19,225,125

Party Affiliation: Republican

Net worth: $12.7 billion

Ken Griffin is the founder and CEO of Chicago-based hedge fund Citadel, according to The Guardian. Citadel manages $32 billion in assets, according to Forbes.

Griffin also owns the most expensive apartment ever sold in New York City, Business Insider previously reported.

Read more: Hedge-fund manager Ken Griffin's $238 million NYC apartment shattered the US real estate record — here's a look at his record-setting properties and penthouses

7. Billionaire financier George Soros donated over $20 million to Democrats.

Total donations: $20,135,586

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $8.3 billion

Soros built his fortune leading Quantum Fund, once the world's largest hedge fund. Since retiring from money managing in 2011, Soros has turned his attention to philanthropy. He started donating to campaigns in 2003 because of his dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq, Business Insider previously reported. 

Soros has also found himself at the center of numerous conspiracy theories about his involvement in governments from the United States to Hungary to Russia, many of which are anti-Semitic and have never been supported by evidence.

Read more: What George Soros' life is really like: How the former hedge-fund manager built his $8.3 billion fortune, purchased a sprawling network of New York homes, and became the topic of international conspiracy theories

6. James and Marilyn Simons gave $22 million to Democrats.

Total donations: $22,165,010

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $21.6 billion

James Simons, the founder of quantitative hedge fund Renaissance Technologies, was named the highest-paid hedge fund manager of 2019 by Forbes. James and his wife, economist and philanthropist Marilyn Simons, are also major donors to Stony Brook University, where they met, according to Bloomberg.

5. Hedge-fund manager S. Donald Sussman donated over $27 million to Democrats in 2018.

Total donations: $27,545,500

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: Unknown

Donald Sussman is the founder of Paloma Partners. The Fort Lauderdale-based hedge fund was the top donor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, giving $21.6 million, according to The Guardian. 

4. Uline CEO Richard Uihlein and his wife Elizabeth donated almost $40 million to Republicans.

Total donations: $39,854,296

Party Affiliation: Republican

Net worth: Between $700 million and $2 billion in 2014

Richard Uihlein is the founder of the Wisconsin-based shipping materials company Uline, according to Forbes.

"I'm a conservative Republican, and I'm trying to help people who believe as I do in limited government and free markets," Richard Uihlein said in 2013, according to Forbes. "I'm not one to hide from that."

3. Presidential candidate Tom Steyer and his wife Kathryn Taylor gave $73,819,973 to Democrats.

Total donations: $73,819,973

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $1.6 billion 

Tom Steyer, 62, ran hedge fund Farallon Capital before becoming a full-time activist in 2012, according to Forbes. 

Read more: Billionaire activist Tom Steyer just jumped into the 2020 Democratic field after previously ruling out a presidential run

2. Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg donated over $95 million, nearly all of it to Democrats.

Total donations: $95,098,168 ($5,400 to conservative, $94,837,766 to liberals)

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Net worth: $52.4 billion

Michael Bloomberg, 77, is the founder and CEO of financial media company Bloomberg LP.

Bloomberg will spend $500 million on the 2020 election in hopes of defeating Trump, Politico reported in February. On November 7, The New York Times reported that he was actively preparing to enter the Democratic primary.

1. Sheldon and Miriam Adelson gave $123,244,400 to Republicans.

Total donations: $123,244,400

Party Affiliation: Republican

Net worth: $33.6 billion

Sheldon Adelson, 86, is the CEO of the Las Vegas Sands casino company, according to Forbes. Adelson is also an avid Trump supporter. Adelson was the largest donor to both Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and his inauguration fund, according to The Guardian.

• If you subscribe to Spotify or are about to, you should know that you can get a free Google Home Mini speaker right now.
• There's no additional cost — the smart speaker is included with your individual or family-plan pricing on Spotify.
• The offer lasts until November 15, or until the Home Minis run out. Time is running out!
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Who doesn't like free tech?

That's the question at the heart of Spotify's new promotion. The music-streaming company is offering free Google Home Mini smart speakers to anyone paying for a Spotify subscription, which starts at $10 per month.

But the offer is limited — you've gotta act fast! There are only a few days left! So how do you get one? Follow these simple steps:

SEE ALSO: Google unveiled a new version of its $49 smart speaker named the Nest Mini

First things first, there are two caveats: This is a Google Home Mini, not the newly announced Nest Mini ...

Google's Home Mini smart speaker, unveiled in 2017, is the one you'll get as part of Spotify's promotion, not the newly announced update to the Google Home Mini, named the Nest Mini.

It's a subtle difference, but one that might matter to you if you're in the market for the newer smart speaker from Google.

That said, the Nest Mini costs $50, and the Google Home Mini through this promotion costs zero dollars.

... and if you got a free Google Home Mini last year through a similar promotion, you can't get another this year.

I learned as much when I tried snagging a second Home Mini through the promotion. Unfortunately, if you got one last year through a similar promotion, you can't get another this year. Oh well!

Got it? OK, let's get to the directions!

1. Log in to your Spotify account on the Spotify website.

Head over to Spotify's website and click on either "Get Individual" or "Get Family," depending on the type of paid Spotify account you have.

2. When you click through, you'll be prompted to log in. Do that!

3. After you've logged in and agreed to a few standard terms of service things, Spotify will send over an email with a link to your free Google Home Mini.

4. After you've logged in, the Google Store will open with your Google Home Mini price reduced to zero. Choose your color!

5. You're all set: The Google Home Mini is yours.

6. Wait patiently for the Google Home Mini to arrive.

• President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963 while riding in an open-topped Lincoln Continental.
• In the decades since Kennedy's assassination, the president's car has been totally redesigned, prioritizing security.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It is a picture of one of the darkest moments in American history. In it, a US Secret Serviceman climbs onto the back of the open-roofed Lincoln Continental where President John F. Kennedy lies fatally wounded. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy is attempting to clamber from the vehicle.

Moments before, as Kennedy was waving at crowds in Dallas, Texas, the fatal shots were fired from a nearby multi-storey book depository. 

The assassination on November 22, 1963, shocked the world — and also led to a total rethink of how the presidential cars are designed. 

The open-roofed Lincoln Continental left the president uniquely exposed, and future models enclosed the president in ever-thicker layers of armor and protection. 

Below, Business Insider looks over the evolution of the presidential limo in the last four decades. 

1961 to 1963: Kennedy's Lincoln Continental

The vehicle that President Kennedy was riding in on the day of his assassination was a 1961 Lincoln Continental. 

Its low-slung elegance was perfectly suited to the forward-looking image Kennedy sought to project. 

After leasing the vehicle from Ford, the Secret Service made some adjustments, including a special phone system and a mechanism to elevate Kennedy's seat to give crowds a better view. 

But the car had no armor or other protective features. Even had its bubble roof been in place that day in Dallas it would have provided no shield against the assassin's bullets.

1963 to 1972: Lyndon B Johnson's armored Continental.

After Kennedy's assassination, the 1961 Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine model in which he travelled was given a substantial redesign. 

According to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, the vehicle was given a permanent roof, titanium armor plating, an explosion-proof fuel tank, and run-flat tyres. 

At the request of Kennedy's White House successor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, the color of the car was changed from midnight blue to a more sombre black. 

1972 to 1982: Nixon's Continental, which Reagan inherited and survived 2 assassination attempts.

The next major redesign took place during the presidency of Richard Nixon, with the new model of Lincoln Continental unveiled in 1972. 

Though it wasn't a convertible, the vehicle had opening roof panels if the president wanted to stand and wave to crowds from the vehicle while electioneering or on official visits. An extra quarter inch of armor was added, bringing its weight up to 5,000 pounds. 

The vehicle was put to the test in two presidential assassination attempts, speeding President Gerald Ford from Union Square, San Francisco, after Sara Jane Moore narrowly missed him in a shooting in 1975.

Jimmy Carter also used the same model when he took over in 1977, as did Ronald Reagan from 1981.

That year, one of the six bullets, fired by would-be assassin John Hinckley Jr, hit the right window of the vehicle, and another ricocheted from its roof, seriously wounding the president. He later made a full recovery. 

1982 to 1992: The Reagan administration switches to a Cadillac, with bulletproof glass.

The Secret Service — which is responsonsible for the presidential car — switched to Cadillac for the vehicles used by President Reagan and his successors, George HW Bush and Bill Clinton. 

Reagan's Cadillac had a slightly raised roof and seats, so the president could be seen by crowds.

But unlike the open-roof models previous presidents travelled in, this one was encased by bulletproof glass. 

1992 to 2001: Clinton's Cadillac

Clinton's 1992 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham eschewed the running board and sunroof of the earlier model, for extra security. 

2001: George W Bush's Cadillac DeVille, more tank than car.

George W Bush's Cadillac DeVille was the first to be specially built to the specifications of the Secret Service, and not based on a commercial model. Features added by the Secret Service to previous models added so much weight they caused malfunctions, like brake failings. 

With the days when presidents travelled with open roofs long gone, this sealed off vehicle had its own air supply, 5 inch armor, and Popular Mechanics reported, glass so thick "it blocked off part of the color spectrum."

It also boasted  "a big 454 cubic inch truck engine so the 14,000-or-so pound monster could push through any obstacles."

2009 - present: The Beast

Brought into service in 2009 for President Barack Obama's inauguration, the 2009 Cadillac Presidential Limousine weighs in at a massive 10 tons.

Its the kind of vehicle used by Donald Trump, the current president. 

The vehicle comes with a formidable array of weapons and armory.

Its eight-inch walls and five-inch windows make the doors as heavy as those on a commercial jet, and it is sealed against biological attacks. 

"It can put out a smokescreen, fire tear gas, and lay down an oil slick to send vehicles chasing it out of control. Even the door handles can be electrified to shock those who might try to get inside,"reported NBC News.

The vehicle even contains a fridge full of the blood matching the president's blood type, in case an assassination attempt puts him in need of an emergency transfusion.

• Evo Morales suddenly left Bolivia on Sunday, after weeks of upheaval over a dispute election that Morales claimed but the opposition and observes said was marred by irregularities.
• Morales' exit came after the military suggested he step down, but whether the long-time leader was disposed in a coup or surrendered power is now subject of debate.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Did Bolivia experience a coup or the culmination of a popular movement demanding a president's resignation?

Bolivians and countries around the world are weighing that question after Evo Morales stepped down from power following weeks of upheaval.

The nation's first indigenous leader contends he was forced out of power by a coup instigated by the opposition, while detractors claim his alleged abuse of power triggered a legitimate uprising in the streets.

SEE ALSO: 400 murders a day: 10 reasons why Latin America is the world's most violent place

What sparked Bolivia's upheaval?

The South American nation has been embroiled in protests since Morales claimed that he won the October 20 presidential election outright.

Bolivia's leader for nearly 14 years needed a 10 percentage-point margin over his closest rival to avoid a December runoff in which he faced a high probability of losing to a united opposition in his quest for a fourth consecutive term.

Election officials abruptly stopped releasing results from a quick count that showed Morales leading the race but not by enough to win in the first round. The development led to accusations of fraud and sparked deadly protests.

Days later, Morales declared victory, holding up election results showing he had narrowly edged opposition candidate Carlos Mesa.

Many in Bolivia were already skeptical that the vote would be fair, contending the nation's electoral authority is biased toward Morales.

The president had also chosen to run for a new term despite a 2016 referendum in which voters shot down a proposal to change constitutional term limits and let him run again. A top court that critics claimed was stacked in Morales' favor threw out the restrictions, paving the way for him to run again.

Why did Morales step down?

The leader's troubles escalated Friday evening when police forces across Bolivia decided to join the protests and break with Morales.

The following day, the Organization of American States announced that its preliminary audit of the October 20 had found serious irregularities.

Morales agreed to hold a new vote, but that wasn't enough to quell protests or satiate an opposition convinced it would not be possible to hold a fair election as long as he remained in the presidential palace.

Labor groups, including some that had marched in favor of Morales, began turning against him and calling on the leader to resign.

On Sunday, the head of Bolivia's armed forces, Gen. Williams Kaliman, issued a statement declaring that in light of the ongoing social upheaval, military officials were "suggesting" to Morales that he resign.

Shortly thereafter Morales announced he was calling it quits, likening his departure to an overthrow by an opposition threatening both him and his followers.

Was it a coup?

A coup d'état is commonly defined as a forceful change in government through the use or threat of violence by a member of the state, often the armed forces.

Whether the events Sunday in Bolivia constitute a coup d'état is now the subject of debate in and outside the nation.

On one hand, there was a clear involvement of the military in civilian affairs, notes John Polga-Hecimovich, a political scientist at the US Naval Academy.

However, unlike Cold War-era coups in which military troops marched on capital cities and took control of government buildings, Bolivia's armed forces only issued a statement with a "suggestion" of what Morales should do.

Thus, Bolivia's "coup" is largely a question of semantics.

"The military didn't use violence," Polga-Hecimovich said. "It issued a verbal declaration and did not give the president an ultimatum. I think that's the crux of the matter. Whether you want to view that as a threat or not. If you view it as a threat, it's a coup. If you don't view it as a threat but as a suggestion, then you don't."

Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, highlighted that there is also no indication right now that the military plans to rule.

Nonetheless, he added: "I don't' think we can be happy about what seems to have been a role of the military in causing Morales to step down."

Who is on each side of the coup debate?

Morales allies who share his socialist ideology have backed his claim that he was removed in a coup d'état.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro called it "a coup prepared with violence."

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvia also came to the leader's defense, saying Morales had been "obliged" to step down.

"It is unfortunate that Latin America has an economic elite that does not know how to coexist in democracy and with social inclusion of the poorest," he wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, conservative Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro questioned the coup assertion.

"The word coup is used a lot when the left loses," he told Brazil's O Globo newspaper. "When they win, it's legitimate. When they lose, it's a coup."

Others are avoiding a direct stance and calling for new elections.

The head of the Organization of American States said the international body "rejects any unconstitutional resolution of the situation" while calling on Bolivia's legislature to name new election authorities to ensure a fair vote.

The European Union reiterated a call for calm and said it stands ready to send election observers if a request is made.

Does it matter what it's called?

Yes. As long as there is uncertainty about whether Morales was overthrown in a coup, any incoming government could face legitimacy challenges.

The armed forces could also now be perceived of having become politicized, Polga-Hecimovich said.

All this could mean that an already polarized Bolivia grows more divided.

"If they can't agree on the facts, it's going to be very difficult to agree on a common consensus and a common governance plan," the analyst said.

What will happen next?

All eyes will be on who steps in to fill Bolivia's present power vacuum. Those immediately next in line to assume the presidency have resigned.

Jeanine Áñez, the Senate's second vice president, said Monday that she would be willing to assume the presidency on an interim basis pending new elections.

"I just want to help provide a solution for this terrible crisis we are living," she said in tears. "Let it be clear this would only be for a transition."

It remains to be seen whether legislators belonging to Morales' party — who still hold a majority — might try to block her.

Whoever steps in will face an uphill battle in establishing a new electoral office, organizing a vote and trying to quell tensions.

Morales has vowed not to back down, saying rival opposition leaders will be remembered by history as "racists and coup plotters."

On Twitter, he said he's been moved by an outpouring of solidarity from supporters.

"They will never abandon me," he said. "And I will never abandon them."

• Google's traffic data from 25 US cities last year during Thanksgiving gives you an idea of what kind of traffic to expect during Thanksgiving this year. 
• For all cities, the worst time to start your travels is around 3 p.m. on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
• The best times are usually in the very early hours of the morning. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google has a bunch of traffic data from 25 US cities it collected during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2018, and the company has shared that data to give you a heads up of when to travel during Thanksgiving this year to avoid the hideous traffic that usually piles up.

Basically, wherever you are, don't get in the car between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, since that's when you'll face the worst traffic. 

Google tells you the best times to start your car travels, but you're probably not going to like it — the best travel start times usually involve the very wee hours of the morning.

Check it out:

SEE ALSO: The 20 best smartphones in the world

Here's an overview of traffic spikes that occurred during the Thanksgiving holidays in 2018 compared to typical traffic, which could very well be similar for Thanksgiving 2019.

To get the finer details, scroll down to the "When to hit the road" section at bottom of Google's report, where it tells you the best and worst times to travel before and after Thanksgiving.

Google Maps says that "between 3 and 4 p.m. [on Wednesday] is the worst time to hit the road, but traffic clears up significantly by 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning."

And below that, you can check the expected heaviness of traffic from Wednesday and Sunday. Unfortunately, Google Maps' data doesn't tell which highways or roads experienced traffic spikes.

Like your very own traffic reporter, Google suggests "try your best to avoid the Friday or Sunday afternoon rush and leave in the morning when there are significantly less cars on the road."

Google also registered when crowds were at their busiest during Thanksgiving 2018 at bakeries, grocery stores, liquor stores, movie theaters, and shopping centers from Wednesday to Black Friday, which should give you a good idea of what to expect in 2019. Just don't go anywhere at around noon.

You can read the full report over at Google Trends.

We rounded up the 10 best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on Greats sneakers, OtterBox cases and screen protectors, Honest baby and beauty products, flannel bedding and apparel at Boll & Branch, and more.

Deals in this story are subject to change throughout the day. The prices listed reflect the deal at the time of publication. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

The best sales and deals happening today at a glance:

• Save 20% sitewide at Greats
• Buy a case, get 50% off a screen protector or a power accessory at OtterBox
• Save $100 on your first box of 12 wines at NakedWines.com
• Save 30% on Honest baby and beauty products on Amazon
• Save 25% on select footwear, clothing, and accessories on Timberland
• Save 20% on flannel bedding and apparel at Boll & Branch

SEE ALSO: The best mattresses you can buy

DON'T MISS: I got my teeth straightened through an online service called Candid for under $2,000 — here’s how it works

1. Save 20% sitewide at Greats

Shop the Greats sale now. 

Founded in Brooklyn and made in Italy, Greats is a direct-to-consumer sneaker startup that makes high-end sneakers without high-end prices. During the extended Singles' Day sale, the brand is offering sitewide discounts. Right now, you can save 20% on everything by using the promo code "SINGLES2019" at checkout.

2. Buy a case, get 50% off a screen protector or power accessories at OtterBox

Shop the OtterBox sale now. 

Besides insurance, a great case is the best way to protect your smartphone, and OtterBox has some of the most durable options on the market. Right now, when you buy an OtterBox case, you can get 50% off a screen protector or a power accessory like a wireless charger, external battery, or car charger. With a selection of products for almost every smartphone brand, we're pretty sure you won't have a problem finding a durable case for your phone.

3. Save $100 on your first box of 12 wines at NakedWines.com

Shop the NakedWines.com sale now. 

Founded in 2008, NakedWines.com is a direct-to-consumer startup that invests directly into independent winemakers to bring unique, high-end wine to consumers for reasonable prices. Right now, you can save $100 on your first box of 12 wines by using the promo code "AWIN100" at checkout. Insider Picks reporter Mara Leighton tried the service and was impressed by the quality of "easy drinking" wines and their 100% satisfaction guarantee. Read her full review here.

This list includes Sponsored Products that have been suggested by Naked Wines and that also meet our editorial criteria in terms of quality and value.*

4. Save 30% on Honest baby and beauty products on Amazon

Shop the Honest Company sale on Amazon now. 

Honest Company has built a reputation for making skin and bath products that are safe for babies and have a low impact on the environment. As an Amazon Deal of the Day, you can save 30% on the brand's baby and beauty products. Whether you're looking for body wash, shampoo, diapers, and wipes for your baby, or lip balm, eye shadow, and mascara for yourself or your partner, you'll find it here.

5. Save 25% on select footwear, clothing, and accessories on Timberland

Shop the Timberland sale now.

You probably know Timberland for its boots, but the brand makes everything from heavy winter outwear and sweaters to button-up shirts and chinos. Right now, Timberland is having a huge sale on both footwear and clothing for men and women. You can save an extra 25% on already reduced winter sale styles. Discounts are automatically taken off at checkout.

6. Save 20% on flannel bedding and apparel at Boll & Branch

Shop the Boll & Branch sale now. 

Popular bedding startup Boll & Branch is having a huge sale on flannel products to keep you warm this fall and winter. Now through November 12, you can save 20% on flannel sheets and pajamas by using the promo code "FLANNEL20" at checkout. 

7. Get $750 worth of travel points when you sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred from our partner The Points Guy.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great option if you're new to earning points and miles, as it has a reasonable $95 annual fee. You'll earn 2 points per dollar on all travel and dining purchases and 1 point on everything else, and the card includes some valuable benefits like trip delay coverage and primary car rental insurance.

You can earn 60,000 Chase points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred when you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. That's worth at least $750 toward travel. Read our review to learn more about the card's benefits.

Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network if you apply for a credit card, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

8. Save 25% on Gravity Blankets and more

Shop the Gravity Blanket sale now. 

Weighted blankets are becoming an increasingly popular method for reducing stress and getting a good night of sleep — and the popular Gravity Blanket is on sale now. For a limited time, you can save 25% sitewide with the promo code "HOLIDAY2019" at checkout. In addition to the original Gravity Blanket, the sale also includes travel blankets, weighted sleep masks, aromatherapy pillows, and more. 

9. Save 20% on OXO Smart Seal containers and glass bakeware

Shop the OXO sale now. 

Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, and if you're planning on preparing a big feast, you're going to need lots of containers to prepare food and store all those leftovers. Now through December 8, you can save 20% on all OXO Smart Seal containers and glass bakeware automatically. Instead of struggling with the mismatched containers and lids in your cabinet, this is a good opportunity to save on new high-quality containers.

10. Save up to $275 on a Bear mattress, plus get two free pillows

Shop the Bear Mattress sale now. 

Named the best mattress for hot sleepers in our buying guide, Bear Mattresses are designed to keep you cool and comfortable at night. Additionally, the mattresses feature Celliant, a material that converts heat from the body into far infrared — a type of energy that's been proven to help rebuild cells. The technology can help you wake up feeling well-rested and free of aches and pains, plus you won't break a sweat in your sleep. Right now, you can save $175 on orders of $1,075 with the promo code "VET175" and $275 on orders of $1,075 with the promo code "VET275" at checkout. You'll also receive two free pillows.

• A luxurious suite in a 300-year-old Indian palace just went up on Airbnb.
• The Gudliya Suite in the City Palace of Jaipur, India, includes a lounge, kitchen, bathroom, and a private indoor swimming pool.
• It will cost you $8,000 a night, and a private butler is included.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Truly get the royal treatment by staying in a 300-year-old palace that has been listed on Airbnb.

Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh just became the first royal Airbnb host, as he listed the Gudliya Suite in the City Palace of Jaipur, India, on the booking site.

The 1727-built palace is usually home to Jaipur's royal family, and the bookable suite is located in one of the palace's private sections.

The one-bedroom suite includes its own lounge, kitchen, bathroom and private indoor swimming pool.

Keep scrolling to see inside the luxurious suite, which has seen guests like Princess Diana and Oprah Winfrey.

The City Palace in Jaipur, also known as the Chandra Mahal Palace, was built in 1727.

The palace has grown and changed over the years, and thus features buildings from different eras.

The enormous compound, which sits in the heart of Jaipur's Old City, features courtyards, gardens, and a variety of buildings. It is partly open to the public.

Booking the suite ensures a private guided tour of the palace, which will be conducted by a member of the royal staff.

The royal treatment begins when you land in Jaipur, as you'll be picked up by a chauffeur who will hand you off to your very own private butler.

The luxurious rental features a regal four-poster bed, a lounge, a kitchen, an enormous bathroom, and a private indoor swimming pool.

Two meals at the palace's in-house restaurant are included, though you can also eat authentic Rajasthani dishes on a private terrace overlooking peacock-filled gardens.

The suite has previously hosted guests of the royal family, notably Princess Diana and Oprah Winfrey.

The 21-year-old Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh is now officially the first king to host on Airbnb.

The suite will set you back $8,000 a night come January 1, 2020. However, from November 23 until then, Airbnb is renting it out for just $1,000 a night, and taking care of the remainder.

Best of all? By staying here, you'll be contributing to a good cause, as proceeds from each booking will go to the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting rural women and artisans.

• Read more:
• A candy-colored hotel in Ibiza is the stuff of Instagram influencers' dreams
• You and 3 friends can stay in Barbie's Malibu Dreamhouse for 2 nights, and it'll only cost $60 per day
• Disappointing photos that show what 17 popular tourist attractions look like in real life

• The College Football Playoff is rapidly approaching, and while we don't quite have a handle on who will make the four-team slate, the field of potential contenders is dwindling.
• The committee is set to release its second College Football Playoff rankings of the season Tuesday night, and major losses from the Alabama Crimson Tide and Penn State Nittany Lions are certain to shake up the top of the list.
• As of now, LSU, Clemson, and Ohio State appear to have a solid hold on playoff spots, but a handful of undefeated teams and a few strong one-loss squads are still very much alive and vying for a bid.
• Check out where the last 11 contenders stand heading into Week 12 of the season.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

11. Oklahoma Sooners

Record (AP rank): 8-1 (10)

Last week's result: Beat Iowa State 42-41

Last week's playoff rank: 9

The outlook: With a nasty loss to Kansas State already staining its resume, Oklahoma can't afford close calls like it had this week against the Cyclones. Still, the Sooners have a decent shot at the playoffs, especially if they manage to take down the undefeated Baylor Bears on the road this weekend. Oklahoma will have to win out from there to bolster its claim for a playoff spot.

10. Utah Utes

Record (AP rank): 9-0 (12)

Last week's result: Beat TCU 29-23

Last week's playoff rank: 12

The outlook: An early-season loss to a mediocre USC squad significantly hinders Utah's chances of making the playoff, but the Utes still have a solid chance of breaking through. Not only will they have to win out, but they'll also have to hope that whichever team sits atop the Big 12 has a more significant blemish on its resume.

9. Baylor Bears

Record (AP rank): 9-0 (12)

Last week's result: Beat TCU 29-23

Last week's playoff rank: 12

The outlook: Baylor didn't do itself any favors by just barely outlasting the Horned Frogs in triple overtime on Saturday, but Charlie Brewer and the Bears are still undefeated nonetheless. If they run the table, the selection committee would have a hard time not including them in the playoff, but their next two games could spell trouble. Baylor will host Jalen Hurts and the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners Saturday before welcoming the No. 22 Texas Longhorns to McLane Stadium one week later.

8. Penn State Nittany Lions

Record (AP rank): 8-1 (9)

Last week's result: Lost to Minnesota 26-31

Last week's playoff rank: 5

The outlook: The Nittany Lions took a major hit Saturday with a 26-31 loss to the surging Minnesota Golden Gophers, but they still have a chance to snag a spot in the playoff. Penn State's only compelling claim would involve running the table and exacting revenge against Minnesota in the Big Ten championship game. Even then, the best of the Pac-12 and Big 12 may have better cases for the final spot.

7. Alabama Crimson Tide

Record (AP rank): 8-1 (4)

Last week's result: Lost to LSU 41-46

Last week's playoff rank: 3

The outlook: A College Football Playoff without Alabama is impossible to imagine simply because it is unprecedented; the Crimson Tide have competed in every College Football Playoff since its inaugural year in 2015. Tua Tagovailoa and his teammates still have a shot, but a few things have to go their way. LSU more than likely needs to win out for Alabama to have a shot at the fourth spot, but even so, an undefeated Baylor or one-loss Pac-12 champion may have a stronger case.

6. Oregon Ducks

Record (AP rank): 8-1 (6)

Last week's result: Beat USC 56-24

Last week's playoff rank: 7

The outlook: The first-week loss to Auburn may be enough to keep the Ducks out of playoff contention, but they still have a decent shot at making it in. If we assume three spots will be allocated to the SEC champion, Big Ten champion, and an undefeated Clemson, the fourth spot will be a toss-up between one of the remaining SEC powerhouses, the Big 12 champion, or the Pac-12 champion. A few decisions need to fall in Oregon's favor, but a Pac-12 championship will give them a substantial claim to a College Football Playoff bid.

5. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Record (AP rank): 9-0 (6)

Last week's result: Beat Penn State 31-26

Last week's playoff rank: 17

The outlook: I'm a bit higher on the Golden Gophers than most, but they have a perfect record and are fresh off of a 31-26 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions — who were at the center of the college football playoff conversation just a week ago. Upcoming contests against the No. 23 Iowa Hawkeyes and No. 15 Wisconsin Badgers will help bolster the Gophers' case for a spot, but they'll need a Big Ten championship win — likely over Ohio State — to secure their bid.

4. Georgia Bulldogs

Record (AP rank): 8-1 (5)

Last week's result: Beat Missouri 27-0

Last week's playoff rank: 6

Key games remaining: Auburn on the road, Texas A&M at home, SEC championship game

The outlook: A mid-October loss at home to the unranked South Carolina Gamecocks may keep Jake Fromm and the Bulldogs from making the College Football Playoff. If LSU wins out, Alabama likely has a stronger case for a second SEC spot than Georgia does. Essentially, the Bulldogs need to win the SEC championship game to punch their ticket for the first time since 2018.

3. Clemson Tigers

Record (AP rank): 10-0 (3)

Last week's result: Beat NC State 55-10

Last week's playoff rank: 5

Key games remaining: South Carolina on the road, ACC title game

The outlook: Trevor Lawrence's Tigers haven't lost, and given the dismal state of ACC football outside of South Carolina, it doesn't appear as though they will. Clemson's biggest test left will come against in-state rival South Carolina on the Gamecock's home turf, but barring a disaster, it looks like the Tigers are a lock for their fifth consecutive College Football Playoff appearance.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Record (AP rank): 9-0 (2)

Last week's result: Beat Maryland 73-14

Last week's playoff rank: 2

Key games remaining: Penn State at home, Michigan on the road, Big Ten title game

The outlook: The Buckeyes have been perfect, and losing star defensive end Chase Young didn't seem to hinder there performance. Ohio State walloped Maryland 73-14 this week and is en route to a gimme against Rutgers on Saturday, but surviving the one-loss Nittany Lions and rival Wolverines in back-to-back contests may prove challenging. Should all go according to plan for the Buckeyes, an undefeated Minnesota squad could very well be waiting to fight them for a College Football Playoff spot in the Big Ten title game.

1. LSU Tigers

Record (AP rank): 9-0 (1)

Last week's result: Beat Alabama 46-41

Last week's playoff rank: 2

Key games remaining: Texas A&M at home, SEC championship game

The outlook: The Tigers have been rolling all season despite a ridiculously challenging schedule that has included the No. 3, No. 10, and No. 11 teams in last week's College Football Playoff rankings. Thie week's win over Tua Tagovailoa and the Crimson Tide on their home turf has set LSU firmly ahead of the pack and seriously bolstered its bid for a spot in the playoff.

Now check out who will be the biggest stars in college basketball this season:

The top 15 players to watch this college basketball season, ranked

• Dubai's Princess Tower was the tallest apartment building in the world until 2015.
• With a roof height of 1,286 feet, it is taller than the roof of the Empire State Building.
• It's so tall that sometimes clouds will form below the upper floors.
• Despite its lofty height and being in Dubai, rent is surprisingly affordable — you can get a room in an apartment for $1,400 a month or less, with utilities, access to amenities like a pool and gym, and daily cleaning included.
• For more than a year, I lived near the very top of the building, on the 88th floor.
• Despite not being fabulously wealthy, it made me feel like royalty.
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It's possible to live in the sky — even if you're not fabulously wealthy.

One of the tallest steel trees in Dubai's glittering forest of skyscrapers is the Princess Tower. At 1,358 feet, it's the second-tallest tower that's open in Dubai, behind only the world's tallest building, the 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa.

Until 2015, the Princess Tower was the tallest residential building in the world, but its crown was swiped by 432 Park Avenue in New York City.

But unlike 432 Park Avenue — where, as Katie Warren wrote in February, penthouses can cost many millions of dollars— rent for apartments in the Princess Tower are surprisingly affordable: in fact, for 5,000 United Arab Emirates dirhams ($1,362) and under per month, they come in at barely half the monthly median rent in New York City (which is now more than $2,700).

For more than a year, I lived near the very top of the Princess Tower, on the 88th floor (out of 97 above ground).

Here's what it was like to live at such a lofty height on a modest (read: non-six-figure) salary.

The Princess Tower is tall — until 2015 it was the tallest apartment building in the world.

Dubai is known for tall buildings — but even by its standards, the Princess Tower is tall. In fact, from 2012 to 2015, it was the tallest apartment building in the world, recognized as such by the Guinness World Records.

It's even taller than the Empire State Building.

With a roof height of 1,286 feet, the Princess Tower stands more than three basketball hoops (which, of course, are 10 feet high each) higher than the Empire State Building, which has a roof height of 1,250 feet.

Located in the Dubai Marina, the area around it is also the world's tallest residential block.

Six of the world's 10 tallest residential buildings are next to each other in the Dubai Marina. In a way, with so many supertall towers right next to each other, it makes them individually look shorter than they actually are.

Construction wasn't cheap: building costs reportedly exceeded $2 billion.

As reported by Dubai-based Emirates Woman and other outlets, building costs for the Princess Tower exceeded $2 billion — making it one of the most expensive buildings ever built when it opened in 2012.

If the building and neighborhood seem familiar, it's because of a recent 'Star Trek' movie.

Large parts of 2016's "Star Trek: Beyond" were filmed in the Dubai Marina, and the Princess Tower appears in several scenes. As Emirates Woman reported, producer Jeffrey Chernov said the decision was made to film in the Dubai Marina because the architecture already looked like something from a sci-fi film.

"We came searching for the future and we found it in Dubai. It represents the future of what the next frontier would be like in our film," the magazine reported Chernov as saying.  "We wanted to find a very vertical city."

And yet rents are shockingly affordable — at $1,400 a month or less, rooms in many apartments are barely half the median monthly price in New York City.

One reason rents are less expensive than New York, London, Sydney, or Los Angeles is because of the sheer amount of housing stock compared to the population able to afford such places. According to Gulf Business, Dubai's housing market is seriously oversupplied, with construction of a huge number of gigantic new apartment buildings continuing seemingly without end. A report by UBS Global Wealth Management found housing prices in Dubai have tumbled by about 35% since mid-2014.

For 5,000 United Arab Emirates dirhams ($1,361) per month, I got a large furnished room with a private balcony, and all utilities, high-speed internet, and daily maid service included.

Large and bright, my furnished room on the 88th level had a tiled floor, like most Dubai flats (the cool tiles feel refreshing under your feet when you've been out in the sun). The queen-sized bed was soft, and I thought the blue-green colored walls were a nice, vaguely nautical touch.

I did share a bathroom with someone and a kitchen with six people, but seeing as the monthly median rent in New York City is now more than $2,700, and even higher in San Francisco, I thought it was a deal that was almost too good to be true — especially since it's cheaper than even the monthly median rent for the entire US, which is about $1,700.

And some rooms can be even cheaper: for a smaller room without a balcony, my neighbor paid just 4,000 dirhams ($1,089) per month — again with everything included.

The kitchens were large and bright — which is good since for many of the flats, several people will share.

Including myself, six people lived in the six-bedroom penthouse flat (which had three bathrooms). With so many people, it was a relief to find the kitchen had more than enough space for all of us — and the nearby kitchen balconies (there were two) were popular spots for socializing while taking in the view. Even more incredible, it was cleaned daily by a maid, who usually came in at about 11 a.m.

It was pretty cool to cook and eat with a view of blue water and the famous Palm Jumeirah.

The kitchen had a table, but there was also a separate dining room accessible by walking through the lounge and entryway. The kitchen table was my favorite spot to grab a bite — there were no windows in the dining room, unfortunately.

The views from my room were stunning by day ...

The room (of course) had air conditioning, but I never needed it: being so high up, the air was always a few degrees cooler than at ground level.

With such an utterly jaw-dropping view of the Dubai Marina, the private balcony quickly became a favorite place to sit and read, or simply look down at the city so far below. With so many things to see from my vantage point, it was like a real-life television show.

... And night ...

Another advantage of being so high up: you could even leave the screen door leading to the private balcony open all night and not find the sounds of the city too loud because they were so far down.

It was, simply put, one of the most relaxing places I've ever lived.

... And in the morning, when the fog sometimes rolled in.

I've been to nearly 90 countries, lived in six, and seen countless incredible things I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd ever witness. But I'd never seen anything like when I woke up one March morning, looked out from my balcony, and saw nothing but slowly rolling clouds, and the tops of buildings poking out from them like candles on a cake with vanilla or whipped cream frosting. In that moment, I had no words. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen — so amazing, I was late to work that morning.

The upper floors are also a good spot to catch fireworks shows, which happen frequently in Dubai. It's a weird feeling to see fireworks below you.

Free evening entertainment would often be provided in the form of fireworks shows taking place over the water in front of Caesars Bluewaters (the first overseas location of the famed Caesars Palace) and the world's largest Ferris wheel, the Dubai Eye. It was like living in Disneyland — but without the eye-wateringly high admission price.

Despite the views of glimmering, tax-free Dubai, the rooms are usually pretty easy to come by.

Usually, it's as simple as searching the online listings in the real estate/housing sections of websites like Craigslist or local United Arab Emirates-centric site Dubizzle, then under "rooms for rent" seeing what's there (the latter is how I got my room). Then, all you need to do is call or send a WhatsApp message to the landperson to arrange a quick in-person tour to see it for yourself, and if you like it, voila! A couple documents to sign, and you now have a room in the second-tallest apartment building on the planet.

With 97 floors above ground and thousands of residents, there are plenty of amenities. One of them is the sixth-floor outdoor pool area.

The outdoor pool came complete with large plastic chairs not only on the deck, but actually submerged in the water. While they might have made a cool picture for Instagram or social media with a drink in hand, they were not comfortable. At all.

The pool was pretty refreshing on a hot day, which is every day in Dubai.

With temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) for much of the year, it's no surprise pools in Dubai are very, very popular — as anyone who's visited or lived there can attest. But they're not jam-packed at all hours of the day — the Princess Tower's outdoor pool on the sixth floor could be blissfully empty just before its 10 p.m. daily closing time, and also in the late afternoon before many people got off work (most of the building's residents are white-collar professionals).

The outdoor hot tub was also quite relaxing — though it felt weird to soak in a hot tub where the water was colder than the air.

It's not often you can step into a hot tub to cool down — but you can in Dubai. With a super view of skyscrapers all around in a riot of different architectural styles and a few palm trees that sway whenever there's a pleasant sea breeze, it's a feast for the eyes. Still, I spotted plenty of people checking their phones for updates while in the hot tub.

It may be in the Middle East, but in an area full of Western expats, women and men can go to the pool together — and the most common swimsuits people wear at the Princess Tower's pools are bikinis.

Other amenities included a gym, saunas, indoor pool and hot tub, dance/yoga room, table tennis room, indoor playground, event spaces, and multiple game rooms.

There were plenty of other things to do at the Princess Tower. The pool changing rooms have saunas where you can sometimes see people whack each other with branches — something Katie Warren experienced firsthand when she visited a traditional bathhouse during a recent trip to Russia.

The nearby yoga and dance room was usually booked by people doing various things requiring flexibility. The gym on the fifth floor was popular with weight-lifters and treadmill-runners. The game rooms were typically occupied by people engaging in foosball or air hockey competitions. The competition would also get intense in the table tennis room.

Things would be a bit more subdued in the 97th floor event spaces, but in the indoor playground on the sixth floor, young children would be having the time of their lives.

With a huge number of food delivery services in Dubai like Uber Eats, you could theoretically never leave the Princess Tower and still live very comfortably.

The lobby at the main entrance wasn't too shabby, either ...

Not only was the tiled lobby (the tiles were often so polished you could see your reflection in them) very nice, but it was also staffed 24/7 by two concierges (who greeted residents with "ma'am" and "sir" every time someone walked past) and a white-uniformed security guard. The doors also required key card access — though with Dubai being known for an incredibly low crime rate, where you can literally leave your phone on a table at a busy cafe and come back to find no one had touched it, I did wonder why this was necessary.

... Nor was the hallway leading to the elevators.

With 97 floors above ground, it was helpful there were two sets of four elevators: one that went up to the 50th floor, and another "high speed" group of elevators going from the 51st to 97th floors. As I lived on the 88th floor, I used the latter daily. It would still sometimes take several minutes to reach my floor.

My favorite place was the 'sky lounge' on the 97th floor.

Princess Tower residents and their guests had access to a public lounge/relaxation area. Looking like a fancy hotel lobby, it was a fantastic place to read, write, work on your computer, or chat with friends or family in person or on the phone while sitting on the plush couches and taking advantage of the free, high-speed public WiFi.

Needless to say, the views from the lounge were pretty stunning.

Sitting at a small table next to one of the large windows, with the blue waters of the Arabian Gulf and the palm tree-shaped artificial island known as the Palm Jumeirah unfolding below, was incredibly inspiring. It was unlike anything I'd experienced before, and I took full advantage of it — I went up almost every day.

The sunsets were pretty special, too.

It was also an otherwordly experience to take in a sunset from so high up. Standing away from the windows and looking out, so that you couldn't see the ground below at all, made me think I was on a very large, very fancy airplane — or a spaceship.

Being next to the water, it was just a short walk to the beach ...

There are closer beaches, but the key advantage of Marina Beach is it's free. The perfect place for a picnic or dip in the hot tub-warm waters (they're the warmest sea, lake, or river waters I've ever been in, anywhere), it's also fun to people-watch (everyone, from construction workers to Western sunbathers to Emiratis, hangs out here) — and camel-watch. You can often see the humped mammals ambling about, led by men in traditional dress.

... And there are lots of other cool things to do nearby, too. The surrounding Dubai Marina area is quite walkable.

Sure, Dubai is warm, but if the heat starts feeling too oppressive, there are plenty of places along the Marina to duck into. The newness of it all, the sun, people jogging, walking their little dogs, zipping by on rollerskates, waving from the decks of yachts (which you can also rent in the Marina), or walking past and chatting away on their smartphones — and of course the palm trees all along the water — feels a lot like being in Miami or Long Beach.

There was no shortage of activities, with Dubai being Dubai ...

In just a few short years, Dubai has already become a legendary party city. But not everyone who hits the beach clubs, pools, or swanky hotels is looking for that kind of entertainment. There are also plenty of places to just chill and let life slow down a bit.

... Including traditional cultural activities, especially during Ramadan.

Humans have lived in the UAE for thousands of years. One of the best ways to experience its rich culture is to attend a Suhoor during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan — a meal had very late at night or in the early morning before Fajr, the first of the day's five prayers (and after which, during Ramadan, Muslims who are physically able must fast until Iftar in the evening). In Dubai, hotels, restaurants and more are specially decorated to serve as beautiful venues for Suhoors, during which Emiratis, expats and others all come together to share food, culture, and to reflect amid an experience you'll have a hard time replicating anywhere else. In short: if someone invites you to a Suhoor, go.

Of course, living so high up does have drawbacks. The elevators can be frustrating with a bunch of people getting on and off on floors below you.

It may seem like a small thing to complain about, but it's not fun when you're in a hurry and the elevator needs to make 10-20 other stops on the way down — which can happen often in the mornings from Sunday until Thursday (the weekend in the UAE is Friday — the Islamic holy day — and Saturday) before most office hours begin at 9 a.m. and in the evening after they end at 6 p.m. (Dubai lunch breaks are often an hour, hence working more than eight hours per day).

The elevators also didn't provide access to the 'secret' 95th floor. There were rumors celebrities like David Guetta and 50 Cent had penthouses there, but I never saw any sign of them.

There were all kinds of rumors about who lived on the 95th floor. I have no idea where the rumors came from, but thought they might have been fueled by the fact I never saw anyone get on or off on the floor, and you (presumably) had to enter a code in the keypad in all the elevators to gain access to it (which you did not have to do to access the other floors). Still other rumors claimed there were no fancy apartments on the 95th floor at all, but rather was just a maintenance floor.

Either way, the mystery was a lot like the "missing" fifth floor of the Yanggakdo Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Another frustration was the sink design in the bathrooms. Many tears were shed over items that fell into them, never to be seen again.

Razor blades, makeup, contact lenses, jewelry — you name it, it can fall into the sinks, since there's no cover for their pipes. And, seeing as there can be 88 floors (or more) of pipes to fall down, good luck ever seeing whatever fell in again.

While the Princess Tower is one of the world's tallest apartment buildings now, it may not be for much longer. Several taller ones are under construction.

Already surpassed by New York City's 432 Park Avenue, the Princess Tower's rankings are set to further tumble next year, when two more ultra-tall apartments open in the Big Apple. 111 West 57th Street will be 1,428 feet high when it opens — taller even than 432 Park Avenue. But even that will be surpassed by Central Park Tower. As Katie Warren found out when she went on a recent tour, when the 131-floor building opens to residents, it'll stand a lofty 1,549 feet high.

The Princess Tower might not even be the tallest building in its neighborhood for long: once nearby Marina 101 opens, the 1,349-foot building will be the new queen of Dubai's supertall apartments.

But overall, with what you get for the price, the name 'Princess Tower' seems apt. Because you really do feel like royalty — with a view to match.

For the chance to live like a royal for barely half the price of renting in New York City (translation: a rate a young, working professional can actually afford) — not to mention in a place that's tax-free with warm, sunny weather year-round — living in the Princess Tower really does feel like living in a fantasy.

Only this one is very real.

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