The Future of Tech, News and making sense of it all!

Friday, December 31, 2021

Final Day of the Year Technology News and More

 Technology News and More...





500+Ars Technica / 2h
Enlarge / A 1960s Southern California gas station being restored. (credit: FarukUlay | Getty Images) On the frosty morning of Dec. 9, 1921, in Dayton, Ohio, researchers at a General Motors lab poured a new fuel blend into one of their test engines. Immediately, the engine began running more quietly and putting out more power. The new fuel was tetraethyl lead. With vast profits in sight—and very f



200+Mashable / 3h
While the powerful James Webb Space Telescope was stealing the spotlight this year by beginning its journey into deep space to take extremely detailed photos, its predecessor was still going strong. The Hubble Space Telescope produced some jaw-dropping images of swirling galaxies, shining star clusters, and nebulae that channel the spirit of Thor's colorful bifrost bridge this year. The James Web



Gizmodo / 14min
Forget quitting booze or starting an exercise regime—the only New Year’s resolution worth making (because it’s the most fun to stick with) is “read more books.” io9's got you covered with a robust list of sci-fi and fantasy releases coming in January, including new titles from James Rollins , Charles Stross , Nnedi… Read more...




SlashGear / 5min
Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock The smartphone market has someone for everyone, whether you’re looking for a budget device that doesn’t compromise on features or a flagship model sporting the latest and greatest hardware. Despite chip shortages, shipping delays, and production bottlenecks, manufacturers still managed to deliver an assortment of new handsets in 2021, including these top-of-the-line model



Engadget / 11min
It feels like forever since we all were able to look back on the last 12 months and not say “good riddance, you garbage fire hellscape of a year.” 2021 kicked off with riots at the Capitol and though things seemed to quiet down a little after, all was not well in tech. There are companies that are obvious additions to this list, like Meta (formerly Facebook) with its repeated transgressions this



The alerts ask people to test or self-isolate after contact with someone who had a positive result.



From the metaverse to NFTs and everything in-between, what's made the news in tech this year?



While airlines around the globe have been put to the test during the pandemic, I don’t think there’s a major airline in the world that has been hit as hard as Cathay Pacific. That make me sad for a variety of reasons — Hong Kong is (or was?) one of my favorite cities in the world, and Cathay Pacific is one of my favorite airline brands . With Cathay Pacific continuing to suffer, I can’t help but



Tomb Raider Epic EG•
Want some free games to finish off 2021? The Epic Games Store giveaway is concluding with the most recent Tomb Raider trilogy for free on PC. The latest Lara Croft adventures consist of three games - Tomb Raider Game of the Year Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider and the most recent Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The Tomb Raider trilogy is a great amalgamation of survival mechanics, exploration and act



Ars Technica / 43min
(credit: MIT Press ) “What makes machines, animals, and people smart?” asks the subtitle of Paul Thagard’s new book . Not “Are computers smarter than humans? or “will computers ever be smarter than humans?” or even “are computers and animals conscious, sentient, or self-aware (whatever any of that might mean)?” And that’s unfortunate, becausethough most people are probably more concerned with que



Lifehacker / 45min
Talk about a year for the iPhone and iPad—new devices across the board and tons of software updates, including the much-anticipated iOS 15. All that news means a lot of change and plenty of advice to share. Whether you’re an Apple fanatic or just someone who appreciates a good feature for their iPhone, we have… Read more...



That was one helluva year, wasn’t it? Sure, the global pandemic continued to grab most of the headlines in 2021, but we’ve also been treated to some darn good movies and TV shows over the last 12 months – the best of which you can find in our annual streaming roundup . The onslaught of high quality entertainment isn’t over yet, though. Many of the major streamers have saved some of their best off



2021 The Year Mars China•
2021 was full of innovation and discovery in the world of science, covering everything from biological discovery and archeology to not one but two burgeoning space races. We learned some fascinating things about ancient animal species, including some surprising facts about dinosaurs, and we learned a lot about humanity as well. Quantum computers jumped from the realm of practical technology to po



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A year ago, we tried to take our best stab at how 2021 would play out in the world of credit card rewards. In the 12 months since then, COVID-19 vaccines (and boosters) have rolled out, and the travel and cards industries have made a comeback of sorts. As we round out the year, let’s rewind and take a glance back at whether any of our predictions about credit card trends actually came to fruition



A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips. Continue reading ...



Gizmodo / 50min
A team of archaeologists and geoscientists just found victims of an ancient tsunami on the Turkish coast. The victims—a human male and a dog, now just skeletons—were likely killed in the aftermath of a gargantuan volcanic eruption 3,600 years ago. Read more...



TechCrunch / 55min
Hello and welcome back to Equity , a podcast about the business of startups where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. As is tradition on the show, we used the last episode of the year to make predictions about the next year. To continue an annual tradition, Grace and Chris joined Natasha and Mary Ann and Alex on the mic, a rare treat and one simply for your enjoyment. Expectedl



Google Pixel 6 December•
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were both meant to get their first major updates by the end of December 2021, but now the company has confirmed it has paused the rollout of the upgrade. According to a statement on Google's Support Forums , spotted by DroidLife , the company has decided to pause the update rollout because of a new bug that meant some users were experiencing calls with connectiv



For a long time there have been rumors and reports of Delta opening new premium lounges for business class passengers, and it looks like we have another clue of what we could expect there. 36,000 square foot Delta One Lounge coming to JFK There are major changes happening at JFK, including an expansion to Terminal 4. There was recently an outreach event for Delta Air Lines and the airport, which



Gizmodo / 1h
Get another look at Rob Zombie’s Munsters reboot . Star Trek: Discovery teases its return in February. Plus, a new clip from the latest season of Cobra Kai , and what’s coming on Outlander for Brianna, and an adorable new clip from We Baby Bears . It’s the last spoilers of 2021! Read more...



In mid-November, just two days before the US launch of Star Trek: Discovery’s fourth season, Paramount dropped a photon torpedo-shaped bombshell. For the first time, viewers outside the US and Canada wouldn't be able to watch the new run of episodes on Netflix within hours of their American debut. Instead, the studio tweeted , “Internationally, the upcoming season of Star Trek: Discovery season 4




It was perhaps inevitable, but one of the side effects of Brexit is that European roaming charges are now returning for those in the UK for at least three networks with some others reducing fair use limits. That means when you travel to European countries you may have to pay to use your phone’s data allowance, or start paying for data once you hit a certain cap, which either didn’t exist before o



21Gizmodo / 1h
It turns out 2021 wasn’t the mental reprieve we’d all been hoping for after the challenges of 2020, and unfortunately, the finalists of this year’s Best Illusion of the Year Contest aren’t going to leave your brain feeling any less raddled, confused, or exhausted as we quickly approach the new year. As they do every… Read more...



A few hours from now, it will be a new year. And we hate to be the bearers of bad news, but as happy as we are to see 2021 come to a close, we’re also realistic about the fact that things won’t magically get better at the stroke of midnight tonight. Read more...



51Wired / 1h
The famous cartoon schemer has an ingenious plan to lure Bugs Bunny out of his hole—and it involves a giant magnet and an iron carrot.



Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. As a Floridian prone to bust out fuzzy boots at the first sign of a winter cold front, I’m well aware of how silly such antics look to the rest of a country properly drowning in wintry precipitation. Down here in Florida, we live for these cold fronts that come through during the winter months and leave th



If you are shopping for an 8K TV, you’ll likely come across something called “8K Association Certified” or “8K Certified.” Here’s what this certification means and how a regular 8K TV is different from an “8K Certified” TV. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



21Mashable / 1h
Like it or not, we’re headed into another uncertain year on good ol’ planet Earth. But if there’s one thing you can always count on — like you are trapped in your house and unable to leave for an indeterminate amount of time count on — it’s movies. Dozens of exciting titles are expected in theaters and on streaming platforms in 2022, including but not limited to: Top Gun: Maverick, John Wick: Cha



Engadget / 2h
We’re back from the holidays and gearing up to (virtually) cover CES 2022. Cherlynn and Devindra chat about some of the most interesting new tech we expect to see, like Quantum Dot OLED displays and new CPUs. And they discuss what the global chip shortage could mean for CES and the rest of 2022. (Prepare to wait a lot longer for all your near gear!) Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app



BlackBerry January 4•
Own an older BlackBerry phone? You will likely soon find your handset unusable as certain devices from the company won't be able to make phone calls, send SMS messages and complete other functions from January 4. BlackBerry has confirmed it is dropping support for BlackBerry OS devices, but this doesn't impact more recent devices from the company that run Android software. A statement from the co



100+Gizmodo / 2h
If you’ve spent even a minute on the internet this week, you have surely seen something about Don’t Look Up . The Adam McKay-directed flick is Netflix’s top movie. It’s also perhaps the top reason for people shitting their pants online recently. Read more...



Mashable / 2h
You've heard of the copy and paste. But now, get ready for the drag and drop. With iOS 15 , iPhone users can now enjoy an entirely new way to essentially do the same thing as copy and paste, but with more finger deftness. Dragging and dropping is exactly what it sounds like: A method to select media and drag it from one app or browser tab to another. We find it the most useful for selecting multi



Dutch Apple App Store•
Indian antitrust watchdog on Friday ordered an investigation into Apple’s business practices — in particular, the company mandating iPhone app developers to use a proprietary payments system — in India, where the American firm commands less than 2% of the smartphone market. The Competition Commission of India, which ordered the Director General to conduct the probe within 60 days, said it is of t



Airlines, particularly in the United States, are having a really rough time operationally at the moment. We saw thousands of flight cancellations around Christmas, and now we’re likely going to see thousands of flight cancellations around New Year’s as well. I’m grateful to not be flying at the moment, for a variety of reasons. Just how bad is airline reliability at the moment, and what’s going o



Two minute review Jump to Price and availability Design Drive and range Specs and tech Should I buy it? Did you know that Mercedes-Benz makes two flagship sedans? In addition to the familiar internal combustion S Class, the company now offers a new-from-the-ground-up battery EV, the EQS. Both deliver gobs of luxury, but these two cars target different audiences. While the S Class is aimed at the



View of a pamphlet for the Michigan Chime & Signal Co., advertising the Mello-Chime doorbell. Printed on back: “Chime in on Mello-Chime. Manufactured by Mello-Chime & Signal Corp. 220 West 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. Sold by Michigan Chime & Signal Co., 7310 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan. Telephone Madison 1280.” Courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library



Ainikki Riikonen Contributor Ainikki Riikonen is a research associate with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). She is a co-author of the CNAS report “Edge Networks, Core Policy: Securing America’s 6G Future.” The TechCrunch Global Affairs Project examines the increasingly intertwined relationship between the tech sector and global politic



Gizmodo / 2h
We review a lot of gadgets here at Gizmodo, and honestly, many of them are good . We detailed our favorites here. But we also see a lot of really bad products—some are just plain bad, while others are capable and well-designed but fatally flawed in one way or another (usually when it comes to privacy). Still others… Read more...



Over the summer I told you about indications of improved business class check-in and a business class lounge planned for LAX. Now there’s leaks out of the Port Authority of New York New Jersey about a planned Delta One lounge at New York JFK. Delta appears to be matching Untied and American with a dedicated business class lounge product. Continue reading ...



OnePlus 10 Pro January•
A new OnePlus 10 Pro leak has suggested the phone will be arriving in the first half of January 2022. According to a leaked video posted to Chinese social networking website Weibo , the OnePlus 10 Pro is set to debut on January 11. It's unclear who has supplied this video, but the clip itself looks official and it matches with previous leaks we've seen of the handset. Nevertheless, take this leak




Enlarge / Ars staffers picked their favorite must-watch TV shows of 2021. (credit: Aurich Lawson) Warning: Although we’ve done our best to avoid spoiling anything too major, please note this list includes a few specific references to You , Midnight Mass , Resident Alien , Post Mortem , Snowpiercer , Lupin , His Dark Materials , and Wellington Paranormal , among others. Months of lockdown in 2020



It's been drama on a lot of levels because the offer was - unsurprisingly - pulled early and it took some time to sort out getting Mastercard to pay more than budgeted on this bonus offer. And then miles per posting, but not properly for everyone, and then being taken away. There's still no miles earned reflected in my SimplyMiles account. However, miles are posting to AAdvantage accounts , which



If you’re one of the few who are looking for budget hosting solutions, Hostinger and HostGator are probably at the top of your list. And rightfully so. Among the top names in web hosting , both are highly affordable yet offer reliable and fast hosting services. Despite these great features, their reliable customer support available 24/7 becomes their easiest selling point, making help available t



India Startup 50 2021•
23TechCrunch / 3h
In late March last year, as the virus started to spread across India, investors began to worry about the impact a potential pandemic could have on their portfolio firms. They exchanged notes, and on April 1, penned a joint open letter to the local startup ecosystem, advising firms to “ prepare for the worst .” In the months that followed, the virus engulfed the South Asian market and, among other



Engadget / 3h
Happy almost new year! We’re wrapping up 2021 with some of the big winners of the last twelve months, whether that was NFTs (ugh), the metaverse (double ugh), Apple’s change of direction on device repair or the boom in home workout tech. We also mention Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3, which makes the most compelling case for foldables so far. Samsung has noticed the same . It said the Flip 3 motivated



The urge to upgrade is a constant one for gamers. The desire to jump from Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch OLED is strong, the need to pop a 2TB SSD into the PS5 near-overwhelming, and the lust to level up from a standard Xbox pad to an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 profound, profuse and prodigious. The problem is, we don’t always make the upgrades that offer the most bang for our buc



The Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 launched at the same time and look almost identical, but there are some important differences to know when you're choosing the right one for you. The key difference is that the Fitbit Sense has two extra health-monitoring features: a sensor for tracking electrodermal activity, which is an indicator of stress, and an ECG sensor, which can detect an abnormal hear



For quite a while Hilton Honors has been offering a bonus for new program members. This promotion has now been extended into 2022… New Hilton Honors members can earn 5K points New members of Hilton Honors can earn up to 5,000 bonus points after two paid stays: To take advantage of this promotion, members must enroll by March 31, 2022 Members earn 2,000 bonus points after the first stay, and 3,000



24Wired / 3h
This is one weird trick, but when it works, it works well and can save you cash on apps.



100+Wired / 3h
The task of 2022 will be figuring out how much action we’re willing to take and how much disease and death we’ll tolerate.



Wired / 3h
From tabloid stars to Targaryen dragons, here are some of the upcoming shows on our watchlist—and where to stream them.



Wired / 3h
Three new books explore why fledgling companies flounder—and what to do about it.



There are multiple VPN protocols, and which protocol a VPN uses has a big influence on how it functions. Some protocols are a lot better than others. Thankfully, finding the best VPN protocol is easy as there are only a few candidates. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Update : At least on my end, miles from the SimplyMiles promotion have now fully posted to my American AAdvantage account. I had some miles post just over 24 hours ago, and then the remainder of the miles posted overnight. I’d appreciate any data points from OMAAT readers as to whether others have had all miles post as well. Congrats to those who got in on the deal. You can find the original post



Mashable / 4h
It's the last week of 2021 and TikTok is still weird. This week TikTok saw discourse about making Instagram casual, time traveling, and a comeback of the 1971 song "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)." Here are the final TikTok trends of 2021. TikTok asks, is casual Instagram worth the hassle? Since the start of the pandemic, the way young people post on Instagram has shifted away from perfectly



Mashable / 4h
Just like the year itself, the video games of 2021 seemed to come and go in a flash. Finding focus was hard after a seemingly endless 2020. But the video games kept on coming, and our days were enriched by the best of them. Now, with 2022 firmly in our sights and a year's worth of COVID-inflicted delays promising an incredible calendar ahead, fans of video games are preparing to indulge in a weal



It’s been a fantastic year for audiophiles. Whether you’re a casual music listener or a dedicated AV enthusiast, 2021 has seen some landmark product launches, innovations in the field of wireless music streaming , unexpected trends, and the continued growth of spatial audio technologies. 2021 was a difficult year for many industries, with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and global chip shortages ma



At the start of 2021, Gartner predicted that the worldwide low-code development technologies market will increase 22.6% this year. Of course, the data to prove them right or wrong will come in the future, but it seems that even non-technical people are familiar with the term these days since the digital transformation (in large part accelerated by no-code and low-code solutions) has been playing



Public safety officials warned that alternate routes offered by apps like Google Maps and Waze don’t always take into account hazards to drivers.




Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: The Alpha Z PRO 4K and the Flying Fox 4K Drones Bundle is just $139.99 at the Mashable Shop with code CYBER20 as of Dec. 31. Didn’t get that drone you were wishing for this holiday season? No biggie. You can buy not only one, but two 4K camera drones for a steal this week and start recording yourself drone dancing ASAP. For a limited time, you can get two Ninja Dragon drones, equipped with



Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: The Gamma Graphene Infused Heated Jacket is just $199.99 at the Mashable Shop with code CYBER20 as of Dec. 31. That's a savings of $300 off. You can buy the fluffiest, softest jacket you can find, but still get the shivers as soon as you step out the door. Chances are, the materials aren’t up to the challenge of a blustery, brisk winter day. Only the best of the best can sustain a trip to



Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: The Fit Timez Multifunction Fitness Watch is just $22.39 at the Mashable Shop with code CYBER20 as of Dec. 31. If one of your New Year's resolutions was to get back on track with your fitness goals, this watch will make sticking to a plan that much easier. And to make the timing even more perfect, it's on sale. To secure 20% off at checkout, all you have to do is enter code CYBER20 to get



Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: The Smart Visual Ear Cleaner is just $23.96 at the Mashable Shop with code CYBER20 as of Dec. 31. Are you a fan of those oddly satisfying TikToks where you just watch someone refinish their wood cabinets from start to finish and feel like you're the one who completed the task afterwards? Instead of just being in the audience, get that weirdly satisfying feeling in real life with this visua



Like clockwork, at the end of every year, people around the world sit down and make resolutions for the new one: lose weight, meditate, save money. Maybe this year it’s time to take stock of your tech life. Perhaps you’ve been getting a persistent note that your storage is full, or you simply want to feel less stressed by the onslaught of breaking news. Here are some digital resolutions that you



Game The Year 2021•
It’s that time of the year again. As 2021 draws to a close, and 2022 comes hurtling around the corner, we’ve been looking back at this year’s gaming landscape – and what a year it’s been. 2021 saw game developers truly harness the immense power of the PS5 and Xbox Series X /S consoles, with titles that pushed games, both in terms of performance and from a visual perspective, further than we’ve ev



Chance Nelly’s HH Rapper•
100+Mashable / 6h
If there's one thing Lil Nas X's massive hit "Old Town Road" taught us, it's that country music and rap music can go beautifully hand-in-hand. Here to remind us of that fact is Chance the Rapper, who appeared recently on Jimmy Fallon's musical game show That's My Jam and was tasked with putting a country twist on Nelly's classic "Hot in Herre". As you can see from the clip above, he more than del



As the cryptocurrency market has boomed over the last 10 years, so too have the number of security breaches and cyberattacks trying to take advantage of its growth. According to a new report from invezz , it's estimated $12.1bn in cryptocurrency was stolen between January 2011 and December 2021 with Japan, South Korea, the US, the UK and China being the countries with the most security breaches.



Zomato Swiggy GST Food•
If you are planning to ring in the New Year tomorrow by ordering food through platforms like Swiggy and Zomato , don't be surprised if you are asked to pay more. For, starting tomorrow, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) changes kick in, and food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato are mandated to collect and pay the GST on behalf of all restaurants. As ever with tax changes in India, there i



2021 was a good year for phones, but it's looking like 2022 could be even better, with talk of a massive overhaul for the iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra , loads of new foldable phones , and dependable flagships. So there's a lot on the horizon, and some of it is coming very soon, with many of 2022's biggest phones expected in the first few months of the year. Below, we've highlighted
YESTERDAY



The end of the year is almost upon us – and what better time to reflect on the last 12 months than by scrolling through a selection of the best photos from 2021? Luckily, that’s exactly what you’ve found: the gallery below features our pick of the year’s top prize-winning snaps. To create our all-star list of stunning snaps, we’ve rifled through shortlists, nominees and award-winners from the yea



Telegram Reactions•
The thing about the instant messaging platform Telegram is that it is always on the ball when it comes to rolling out updates. As 2021 winds to a close, they have come out with the 12th update for the year and the second in December. Now users can add iMessage-style reactions, translate messages, get themed QR codes and even have an option to hide texts such as spoilers. This update is Telegram 8



Mashable / 10h
TL;DR: The Premium Digital Marketing for Entrepreneurs Certification Bundle is on sale for £26.42, saving you 98% on list price. Discover how to expand your brand’s reach with the 2021 Premium Digital Marketing for Entrepreneurs Bundle . Through 10 courses, you’ll dive into the major digital marketing tools at your disposal. You'll take classes on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, as well



Gizmodo / 12h
Brandon Brown, the NASCAR driver who unintentionally helped originate the viral rightwing chant “ Let’s Go Brandon ” (which many people believe means “Fuck Joe Biden”), has decided to partner with a memecoin based on the slogan. Read more...



100+Gizmodo / 12h
Before I joined the cult of iPhone, of which I have happily been a member of for many years now, my first big phone purchase was a BlackBerry. Time made it as slow as a turtle, and it began its new life in a drawer in one of the many apartments and houses I’ve lived


Backblaze

No Agenda Episode 1412 - "Oil Ball Panic"

 

  • "Oil Ball Panic"
  • A picture named NA-1412-Art-SM
  • Direct [link] to the mp3 file
  • Experimental IPFS RSS Feed

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Thursday Technology News and More

 Technology News and More





Four months after the Afghan government fell to the Taliban, 22-year-old Asad Asadullah had settled into a new routine. In his hometown in Afghanistan’s northern Samangan province, the former computer science student started and ended each day glued to his laptop screen. Since late October, Asadullah had been participating in a virtual coding bootcamp organized by Code Weekend, a volunteer-run co



89Mashable / 4h
I've given myself an impossible task. I set out to explain why mindfulness is the most important skill to learn in 2022 at the exact moment when I have no inclination to practice it. Omicron has me upset, disappointed, and worried. Days before Christmas, a loved one and their young, high-risk family tested positive for COVID. Separately, another loved one, despite good intentions, exposed themsel



When you're feeling stressed, do you sometimes absentmindedly nibble on your finger? It helps a little, right? Now imagine a robot that can do it for you. That's the simple and slightly strange concept behind Yukai Engineering's new Amagami Ham Ham robot bear, which the company is unveiling at CES 2022 : Stick your finger in its tiny mouth and it will nibble on the digit. The character design is



kcg69 : Washtenaw County, Michigan



Gizmodo / 10min
Fox News spent the better part of 2021 telling its viewers blatant lies about the covid-19 pandemic. The network has claimed covid-19 vaccines are dangerous, that masks don’t help slow the spread of the virus, and that immigrants are worsening the pandemic in the U.S. Tucker Carlson, the most popular host on Fox News,… Read more...



SlashGear / 13min
Image: Miguel Lagoa/Shutterstock[ If you’re looking to pick up a PlayStation 5, you’ll have another chance to do so today. To close out the year, GameStop has announced a PlayStation 5 restock at many of its stores across the United States. As is usually the case, however, there are a couple of caveats you’ll need to consider before driving to your nearest store … Continue reading



SlashGear / 34min
The automotive industry has been hit very hard by the chip shortage plaguing the world. The tight supply of microchips has resulted in delays for many vehicles in production and tight supply for others. Ford has been hit particularly hard during the pandemic and resulting chip shortage, with several of its very popular vehicles being unavailable for most buyers. Those … Continue reading



Engadget / 37min
Don't worry if you didn't get (or give) the latest iPad this holiday season — you can still score one at a discount. Amazon is once again selling the 64GB standard iPad for $299 , or $30 off its usual price. You can also buy the 256GB version at an all-time low price of $449 . You may have to wait a while when the 64GB model isn't due to ship until mid-February, but it could be worthwhile if you'



Ars Technica / 38min
Enlarge (credit: Jason Persoff / Getty Images ) Recently, a network of climate modeling groups showed that it will cost more to overshoot the Paris Agreement temperature goals than it will to stay on a low-temperature trajectory. On the same day, that collaboration also published work showing that additional risks of overshooting come in part via ensuing increases in extreme weather.These studies



Fortnite Epic Hours•
Fortnite experienced one of its longest downtimes this week, with Epic Games promising to make it up to players soon. Gamers logging in to access the relatively new season of the battle royale title were met with the 'Connecting' screen, and nothing else – leaving millions unable to access the game itself. Usually, there's some downtime when a major update is being pushed through. Every new chapt



Gizmodo / 46min
Einstein famously established the relativity of time. But even his elegant theory and the refinements that have followed perhaps fail to capture time’s true elasticity. There is no truer test of what we are tentatively calling the Unified Theory of Relativity than 2021, a year where moments stretched and collapsed… Read more...



Nintendo Switch NS•
Nintendo couldn’t have asked for a better 2021, really. The company saw phenomenal sales of its Nintendo Switch console, which helped it fend off new competition from Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X /S consoles. The Switch has currently sold 92.87 million units , which means it’s now less than 10 million sales from matching the Wii ’s impressive total of 101.64 million. With the software N



Apple Watch Digital•
A new Apple patent suggests the company is developing optical sensors to replace the Digital Crown on future Apple Watch models. In its current state, the physical crown – which has featured on every iteration of the wearable since its debut in 2015 – allows users to navigate the watchOS interface without having to touch their watch screen. This new patent, however (as uncovered by Patently Apple



Over 61 million strong, the wildly diverse U.S. Latinx/Hispanic population continues to grow and flourish. And Latinidad culture can be observed and experienced all around the United States. Through food, art, music, clothing, dance, books, shops and the neighborhoods our diasporas have created, we have found a way to celebrate our culture outside of the homes our parents and elders came from. An



IHG is converting expiring credit card free nights to 25,000 points if you call and ask. If you do not call, you get nothing for certificates set to sunset after December 31, 2021. Continue reading ...



Gizmodo / 58min
We already shared a clip from “Redoubt” —the upcoming fourth episode of The Expanse ’s sixth and final season —revealing how Amos ( Wes Chatham ) reacted to finding out the truth about a certain very big moment in episode three . Now it’s time for Naomi ( Dominique Tipper ) to hear what happened directly from the guy… Read more...



Lifehacker / 58min
You can start a new fitness habit right now , if you want. You can come back to your favorite activities after years away. You can even turn your living room into a gym if you want to work out without leaving the house. And here, with some of our favorite fitness posts from 2021, we’re going to help you do that. Read more...



Xiaomi 12 Pro Snapdragon•
Enlarge / Xiaomi 12 Pro. (credit: Xiaomi ) Xiaomi's looking to put a big smile on shutterbugs' faces with a new, monstrous smartphone camera. On Wednesday, the Chinese company announced the Xiaomi 12 Pro, the first product to use Sony's massive 1/1.28-inch IMX707 sensor. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 1/1.33-inch type sensor for its wide rear camera and a 1/2.55-inch sensor fo



EPA 2026 Standards•
SlashGear / 1h
Lightspruch/Shutterstock It’s not often we equate environmental activism with benefits to our own wallets, but with what’s suggested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s latest release, lower spending on your part might just be the result. The EPA’s new standards for greenhouse gas emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks’ were released this week. These rules will apply t



While I wouldn’t yet take this as fact, I’d sure love for it to be true… Six Etihad Airways A380s could return to service At the start of the pandemic, Etihad Airways grounded its 10 Airbus A380s . The airline made it pretty clear from early on that the planes likely wouldn’t reenter service. That’s not just because of the impact of the pandemic, but rather Etihad was already trying to radically



Creating new Github repositories is a core part of many people’s workflow, especially when starting new projects. Automating this process is possible using Github’s own CLI tool, which allows you to create and manage your account’s repos from the command line. Read This Article on CloudSavvy IT ›



Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it would add mobile games to its service, for some reason. Now, the streaming titan’s first ten games are here, so we checked each of them out. While they’re entertaining enough, you aren’t missing much if you don’t play them. Read This Article on Review Geek ›



Gizmodo / 1h
Guillermo Del Toro draws parallels between Nightmare Alley and his new take on Pinocchio . Moon Knight could have bagged a very interesting director for an episode. Todd Helbing teases the villains to come in Superman & Lois ’ second season. Plus, more looks at Cobra Kai ’s return . Spoilers now! Read more...




Engadget / 1h
Though this year is by no means one to celebrate, there were still some bright spots in the world of tech. It’s with plenty of loathing that we admit this: NFTs somehow won this year. They’ve taken over. Reddit’s day traders also deserve recognition for the way they’ve managed to manifest GameStop’s slogan, “Power to the players.” Also (and this might be the most painful to acknowledge), the Meta



Every year, credit card benefits and offers change and evolve — that’s the nature of the industry. However, we saw vast transformations in card perks with the pandemic as travel suddenly came to a halt (or close to it). We saw even more changes in 2021 as issuers reacted to evolving consumer behavior and trends while the pandemic dragged on. Our new normal continues, but with more people getting



Tesla 3 475000 Model S•
Engadget / 1h
Tesla's recall-filled 2021 isn't over quite yet. Bloomberg reports Tesla has issued recalls for just over 475,000 vehicles to fix defects in camera systems and trunks. To start, the automaker has recalled all Model 3 cars in the 2017 to 2020 model years over a concern repeated use of the trunk may wear down a coaxial cable for the rearview camera — too much use and you may lose the signal entirel



SlashGear / 1h
Via Blitz One of the better sports cars for automotive enthusiasts looking for a lightweight ride suited to the track is the Toyota GR86 and its Subaru BRZ twin. At a time when both rear-wheel drive and manual transmissions are becoming rare in cars, the GR86 offers both. In most areas, you won’t see many GR86 cars on the roads because they … Continue reading



Mobile Data Breach SIM•
A “very small group” of T-Mobile customers in the United States fell victim to a SIM-swapping attack, the telecoms operator has confirmed. In a statement, the company said affected customers were notified of the attack, and the company acted quickly to mitigate the threat. "We informed a very small number of customers that the SIM card assigned to a mobile number on their account may have been il



When Obi-Wan Kenobi met Darth Vader in the original Star Wars, it was undeniably a big deal. After all, this was the moment when Old Ben was reunited with his ex-protégé who turned bad, a chance for a couple of estranged friends to work through a load of unresolved issues and – historically – the first time anyone ever laid eyes on a lightsaber duel. And yet, despite the duo’s alleged mastery of



Etihad Airways parked its 10 Airbus A380s during the pandemic, and its CEO said they'd likely never fly again. That's sad because their best passenger experience was on this aircraft. Indeed, many airlines had their best seats and amenities on the world's largest passenger jet. Despite appearing that the planes would never comes back it now looks like 6 of them will return - though there are othe



This is a surprisingly upbeat story , given that testing positive for coronavirus on a flight, and then quarantining in the airplane bathroom for hours, doesn’t sound particularly fun. Passenger tests positive for COVID-19 on flight On December 20, 2021, Marisa Fotieo was traveling on an Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX flight from Newark (EWR) to Keflavik (KEF). She was traveling with her brother and f



23Wired / 1h
From Keanu Reeves to Batman, here's who you should line up to see at the multiplex—hopefully.



LG Display OLED CES 2022•
SlashGear / 2h
LG LG may have backed out of the smartphone rat race, but it is far from bowing out of consumer electronics, especially those that have screens. From TVs to laptops, LG has been pushing the envelope of its display technologies, including some with non-traditional form factors and designs. Even before it revealed the defunct LG Rollable, the company has been showing … Continue reading



Samsung HDR 2022 Gaming•
HDR10+ Gaming is the latest technology to expand the scope of the HDR10+ standard. It is debuting on Samsung TVs and gaming monitors. But how does it improve your gaming experience, and what do you need to enjoy HDR10+ Gaming? Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



How many New Year’s resolutions have you made over the course of your life? And how many have you kept ? We all know that most grand resolutions, unless accompanied by deep commitment and accountability, stay where they began: in our heads. I don’t know about you, but after two years navigating work, family life, and… Read more...



Mashable / 2h
It’s the same routine each time. The initial feeling of dread that something isn’t quite right down there. The familiar sensation of burning that resonates from the urethra after urinating (or even just sitting down during the worst days). The frequent trips back and forth to the toilet. Half the time we aren’t able to actually pee, and when we can, it’s accompanied with acute pain and discomfort



Gizmodo / 2h
Its ease of use, end-to-end encryption, and cross-platform support have helped WhatsApp rack up a ton of users, and if you use it on the web , there are a growing number of browser extensions you can install to help you get more out of the platform. All of these add-ons are compatible with both Google Chrome and… Read more...



The Year July 2021•
Two years ago, the African tech ecosystem saw newfound attention from global players that translated to the continent’s best year of receiving venture capital. From varying sources, it is estimated up to $2 billion went into African tech startups in 2019. With high-profile visits from the most famous Jacks (Ma and Dorsey), a long-awaited first IPO by e-commerce giant Jumia and massive $100 millio



Airline tickets to & from the Maldives are becoming more costly, regardless of whether you’re paying cash or redeeming miles. The Maldives’ new departure tax Back in July 2021, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih signed into law an amendment that will see a change to the taxes and fees that passengers pay when departing the country. At first there were some questions about the implementation



View of a dining area in an unidentified motor home. Table is set with place settings. Cake on counter next to sink. Label on sleeve: “Interior, make unknown, year unknown.” Mickey McGuire and Jim Northmore Boulevard Photographic Collection. Courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library



Mach-E Ford Mustang•
Engadget / 2h
New York City has purchased 184 all-electric Mustang Mach-Es , and they're all going to be used for law enforcement and emergency response purposes. As Electrek noted, the move is part of the city's plans to buy over 1,250 electric vehicles in 2022. That, in turn, is part of a larger endeavor to "drastically cut citywide climate emissions" with the help of a $420 million investment. In its announ



Wired / 2h
Ready to try your hand at filmmaking? You don't need that much to get going, but these items will give you a bit of a head start.



AMD OnePlus CES 2022•
Gizmodo / 2h
Not even an ongoing pandemic with a brand new ultra-contagious variant can stop the world’s biggest technology trade show. In January, CES will be held in person despite the omicron covid-19 variant rapidly spreading around the globe. Yes, CES 2022 will be a physical event, but only for some. Gizmodo (and various… Read more...




PlayStation 2021 Sony•
2021 has been a mixed bag for PlayStation. Following the hype around the PS5 ’s launch in 2020, this year has been considerably quieter, the calm after a raging storm – and that’s not necessarily been a good thing. While PS5 exclusives like Returnal and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart showcased how powerful the latest PlayStation console is, ongoing PS5 stock issues created an obstacle for people to



Xiaomi 2022 Galaxy•
We’ve seen foldable phones for a while now - after Samsung launched its original Galaxy Fold in 2019, a few companies have made various attempts to make moldable mobiles a serious part of their output. Samsung launched a couple of flexing smartphones since 2019, and Huawei and Motorola have both launched multiple; Xiaomi, Microsoft, Royole and recently Oppo can’t be forgotten about either. But de



It's been drama on a lot of levels because the offer was - unsurprisingly - pulled early and it took some time to sort out getting Mastercard to pay more than budgeted on this bonus offer. And then miles per posting, but not properly for everyone, and then being taken away. There's still no miles earned reflected in my SimplyMiles account. However, miles are posting to AAdvantage accounts , which



Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) When it comes to films in 2021, Ars Technica readers have been more likely to express their feelings about the logistics of seeing new offerings this year than about the films in question. We get it. The past year-plus of world-shaking change has been a stern reminder that some stuff works just fine in our homes, which includes films—a fact that movie studios and m



China Four Data Center•
China is planning to build four “mega clusters” of data centers for cloud hosting , located in the country’s northern and western regions to support the growing data needs of not just Beijing, but coastal cities, as well. If all goes according to plan, Reuters reports, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu and Guizhou provinces will be the location of the new data centers. China chose these four regions



Engadget / 3h
While I didn’t get it in time for our best buys of 2021, I am now the proud owner of an LG C1 OLED TV. It is beautiful, does 4K, HDR, variable refresh rates and more. Everything looks amazing on it. As I bought it, I thought about how I’ve never been at the vanguard of TV tech, and how it would only last a couple of weeks until LG ruins it all with even newer TV models. And like clockwork, here i



The Arizona Cardinals have just acquired a swanky private jet to transport players and staff to away games, rather than relying on charter contracts. Arizona Cardinals flying Boeing 777-200ER The Arizona Cardinals have acquired a Boeing 777-200ER, which has the registration code N867DA (you can track the plane’s movement at this link ). This aircraft entered service in 2002, and flew for Delta Ai



45Mashable / 3h
For many young people, the idea of buying a house feels like an abstract concept far out of reach. In reality, homeownership could be well within their grasp, giving them a solid home base where they can continue building their lives. Owning a home — and one that’s sustainable, affordable, beautiful, and flexible — can be achievable for most anyone, with the right tools and mindset. But too often



If you bought something on Black Friday or Cyber Monday , maybe a little Christmas present, you definitely weren't alone in 2021. Millions of people took advantage of the sales bonanza this year, receiving big deals on loads of things in return. To help make sense of how huge the occasions are, TechRadar Pro commissioned a survey one OnePulse , which asked 500 respondents some questions about the



Apple VR AR 2022 Oculus•
Every few years, an Apple product that's not confirmed by the company, builds momentum in rumor and speculation until it’s impossible to avoid. The iPad had it when it was rumored to be called the iSlate in 2009, while the Apple Watch was thought to be a next-generation iPod nano around 2013. The Apple headset that’s going to introduce VR and AR to its customers is the latest in these rumors of w



Biden China Chinese Trump•
31Wired / 3h
The administration has toned down the anti-China rhetoric, but it has maintained and expanded economic sanctions—and plans a “diplomatic boycott” of the Olympics.



23Wired / 3h
They don't have VC funds. They just thanklessly post all the helpful content people really need.



Wired / 3h
Always looking to the next technical challenge, many high-end timepieces are perpetually undergoing R&D.



41Wired / 3h
Changes small and large—parklets, outdoor restaurants, bike lanes—could remake our relationship to cities (and help fix climate change).



Future Scouts FS 2021•
23Wired / 3h
Trend forecasters want to sell you your own uncertainty—and the more uncertain you are, the more lucrative a crystal ball gets.



Game 2021 Two 2022•
Wired / 3h
In a year of continued stasis, these games brought us a lot of joy.



It’s easy to customize your phone with new wallpaper, but what about the outside of your phone? That’s the part other people see, so why not give it the same personal touch? There are many ways to do it. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Tumblr Apple App Store•
Engadget / 4h
Tumblr has restricted what its users can see on its iOS app in an effort to make sure it doesn't get kicked out of Apple's App Store again. One of the steps it has taken to comply with Apple's guidelines is to limit the results for certain tags or search terms that Tumblr says "may fall under the expanded definition of sensitive content." The website will even completely block some of them — make




Mashable / 4h
My biggest pet peeve in apocalyptic movies and TV shows is when people's hair looks too good. I can believe that society may have collapsed due to a despotic government, alien invasion, or a plague, but I draw the line at characters (mostly women) finding the time to flawlessly style their hair in such scenarios. Thankfully, HBO Max's new drama Station Eleven gets the post-apocalyptic look just r



Update : Miles from the SimplyMiles promotion have now started posting to American AAdvantage accounts (rather than just to the SimplyMiles site). I did three transactions, and all three transactions posted to my AAdvantage account, while only bonuses for two of the transactions posted. Best I can tell, so far only one bonus posted for each day someone took advantage of the offer, so I imagine th



Intel NAND SSD SK SH•
SK Hynix, South Korean memory semiconductor supplier of DRAM chips and flash memory chips, has completed stage one of its acquisition of Intel’s SSD and NAND businesses. This follows recent official Chinese approval of the deal, which will see Intel being paid over $7 billion. To handle its new SSD business, SK hynix formed a new subsidiary, called Solidigm. It will be spearheaded by Rob Crooke,



Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: The SØMLØS G1s Robot Lawn Mower is just $1,119.29 at the Mashable Shop with code CYBER20 as of Dec. 30. The grass may be dormant for the next few months, but as any adult human knows, time freaking flies . Before you know it, spring will have sprung once again — along with all the weeds in your yard. If you dread yard work, now’s the perfect time to snag one of these robot lawn mowers . Th



Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: As of Dec. 30, get a Smart LED Backpack for just $99.99, saving 41% on its regular price of $169. You can go out and buy a new backpack any time your style preferences change. Or, you can get this customizable LED backpack and make whatever statement you want on any given day. The Smart LED Backpack from Moomco reflects whatever message you want in bright, flashy LED lights — and it’s on s



Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: The Dissim inverted lighter is just $31.99 at the Mashable Shop with code CYBER20 as of Dec. 30. Nothing's more annoying than buying those long-stem lighters over and over again because you're too afraid to burn yourself when lighting a candle. It's a total waste of plastic to do it over and over again, not to mention a big waste of money. That's why this Kickstarter-funded lighter solved



Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: The Smartest Streaming Bundle ft. Curiosity Stream is just $39.99 for a one year subscription at the Mashable Shop as of Dec. 30. Streaming services can add up quickly. Instead of paying high prices by the month, this deal lets you stream six different channels for up to a year for a one-time payment that costs less than $40 — and saves you at least 88% compared to subscribing individually



Mashable / 5h
If there's one thing better than getting a new phone, it's getting a bunch of fun new accessories to fully deck it out. In the first half of the year, we were dressing up the iPhone 12 with accessories newly made possible with MagSafe, Apple’s built-in magnet technology. Near the end of 2021, we finally got the iPhone 13 line with cute colors and fancier cameras. If you're looking to jazz up your



Samsung Galaxy S22•
A new report is claiming that the new Samsung Galaxy S22 high-end model - the S22 Ultra - will get a huge 1TB storage option. The news comes from reliable fan site SamMobile , which says it has ‘learned’ that one variant of the Galaxy S22 Ultra will offer the huge storage option. With the launch of Samsung’s new S22 range imminent - likely happening in February - we’re expecting to see more of th



LG Display OLED EX•
LG has announced an upgrade to its OLED TV technology, which the company claims will make its class-leading televisions even better under the name OLED.EX. OLED technology underpins some of the best TVs on the market, yet it can still be darker than some of its counterparts - but by using a new compound in the production of the OLED itself, LG claims it can improve brightness by 30 percent. This



Yes, there’s turmoil in the travel world right now, but many people are still eager to linger over plans for future journeys. These new online tools will help.



Much as I love my running watch (I’ve been lucky enough to try heaps of great running watches, but the Garmin Instinct Solar is still my favorite ), first thing in January I prefer to leave it in a drawer and head out with bare wrists. 3 tips for mindful running Get stress out of your system Before you warm up, take a moment to write down anything that's bothering you so it's not circling around



Oppo A16K India Launch•
The Oppo A16K had launched in the Philippines early in November this year and we had speculated that it would appear in India in the sub-Rs.15,000 category. There is now information floating in that the smartphone would appear on Indian shores in the second week of January. A report published by 91Mobiles quotes tipster Mukul Sharma claiming that the new handset would appear in the first or secon



42Mashable / 6h
We can't believe we just saw this. Australian prime minister Scott Morrison accidentally dropped the c-bomb during a live TV address to the country, explaining the government's revised definition of close contacts amid the Omicron COVID-19 variant outbreak. If you skip to 5:55 in the video from ABC News above, the PM refers to "a close c**tact" instead, and it's blatantly unmissable. Pedestrian's



The post appeared first on Popular Mechanics .



BLUETTI NA300 Solar•
SlashGear / 6h
Bluetti Batteries have become a critical part of everyday life, especially as we become more dependent on electrical devices that run on them, from smartphones to laptops to even electric vehicles. Despite their essential role, batteries haven’t exactly changed by leaps and bounds in the past years. Bluetti, one of if not the most prolific makers of solar generators a.k.a. portable … Continue rea



The photographer's curse is a gnawing feeling that, no matter how good your current kit is, a crucial missing piece is just around the corner. Yes, your camera is better than almost every photographic tool from the past 150 years, but the cameras of 2022? They're destined to hit 'Peak Photography' and elevate your almost-great Instagram feed to new heights. Even when we know it's a mirage that so



Koko Networks , a Kenya-based bio-fuel technology enterprise has extended its business to cover other fast-moving consumer goods, through a new tech platform that will capitalize on its established distribution networks in low-income neighborhoods. Koko Club, its new business-line, will sell the products directly to consumers through the dukas (small shops) that currently serve as the company’s a



Samsung Galaxy Z 3•
Engadget / 7h
The latest foldable Galaxy devices are a hit. Samsung shipped four times more foldables in 2021 than what it did in 2020, the tech giant has revealed . Further, it took only one month after they were released for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 to exceed the total accumulative sales of their predecessors last year. The company also said that it saw a "massive increase" in consumers wh




Metaverse Virtual Reality•
Tech’s biggest companies are joining game makers and start-ups in pursuit of an immersive digital world that some have been working on for years.



Metaverse Dark Assaults•
As Meta and other companies bet big on an immersive digital world, questions about its harms are rising.



Samsung Galaxy Z 3•
Even as the competition for foldable phones is getting keen, the market leader by a mile in this segment, Samsung , has claimed that it shipped 4 times more foldable devices in 2021 than in 2020, "exceeding the three-fold market growth that analysts expected." Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, launched in August, may have had a major say in this statistic. In the first month si
YESTERDAY



Biden NDAA Private•
Despite a significant uptick in high-level cyberattacks this year, a new defense bill signed by President Biden will see the private sector, instead of the US government, tasked with protecting the majority of the nation's critical infrastructure . The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is signed into law each year and addresses a wide range of issues including cybersecurity. The NDAA for



73Engadget / 9h
When it comes to blending in, nearly all true wireless earbuds fail miserably. That's mostly due to predominantly black and white color options, with a few brightly-hued variants tossed in along the way. Even if the buds are tiny, they're still highly visible due to their color. JLab is on a quest to remedy this and the audio company teamed up with nail care brand ORLY to develop a solution. With



Mashable / 10h
TL;DR: The Unreal and Unity Game Development for Beginners Bundle is on sale for £22.65, saving you 97% on list price. With this Unreal and Unity Game Development for Beginners Bundle , which includes six courses and over 50 hours of training, you’ll learn to build your own projects and games from scratch. The training is led by experts at Zenva Academy, as well as game developer Raja Biswas. Bis



32TechCrunch / 10h
For the last two years, many of us have only been able to see our elderly relatives through screens, watching them grow older, trading physical distance for their safety. More than anything else, the pandemic has highlighted the vulnerabilities of aging people. The tech community—founders, investors, journalists—all need to pay more attention to “age-tech.” “Age-tech” isn’t a niche sector, and ag



Didi Revenue China US•
This month the company announced that it would move its share listing from New York to Hong Kong.



Getting your ideas across in Microsoft Teams will soon be even easier as Microsoft is working on a new update for its video conferencing software that will allow users to see messages in chat and participants in a video call at the same time. Back

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