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

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Technology News and More-Wednesday Edition...

 Technology News and More...



Finnair Plus Adopting Avios As Rewards Currency In 2024


37One Mile at a Time / 27min
Some major changes have just been announced to the Finnair Plus program. While details remain limited, this could potentially be decent news, at least for some. Finnair Plus making major changes in 2024 In early 2024, the Finnair Plus program will be completely overhauled: Finnair Plus will adopt Avios as its rewards currency, which is the same currency used by transatlantic joint venture partner


Tesla supplier CATL unveils battery that can add up to 400km of range in 10 minutes
TechCrunch / 42min
CATL, the Chinese battery giant and a major supplier to Tesla, has unveiled its latest product that aims to solve electric vehicles’ charging and range limitations. The battery, dubbed Shenxing or “god-like movement”, is able to refuel up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) of range in 10 minutes, Gao Han, chief technology officer of CATL’s e-car division, said at a launch briefing on Wednesday. That m


Tweetdeck now requires a paid subscription
Engadget / 13min
Tweetdeck (now called X Pro), a version of Twitter (X) used by social media pros, journalists and others, has become part of the paid Blue subscription, TechCrunch has reported. Multiple users reported that they were prompted to subscribe when attempting to log on to the service. "Blue subscribers with a verified phone number will get a blue checkmark once approved," the message reads. The news i



Finnair Will Adopt Avios As Its Frequent Flyer Currency Next Year
View from the Wing / 1h
Finnair will adopt Avios as its frequent flyer currency next year. That's the same currency as IAG airlines British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Vueling, and also that Qatar Airways adopted last year . This will occur "in 2024" and no additional details are provided. That's great, since some of you bought a whole lot of Finnair points . Continue reading ...


January 6th riot investigators obtained Trump's Twitter DMs and deleted posts
27Engadget / 1h
Despite having trouble obtaining former President Donald Trump's records from Twitter (now X), the special counsel investigating the events of January 6th, 2020 was ultimately able to get his hands on vast amounts of information from the website. Based on the newly unsealed court filings (PDF) shared by Politico , though, it took a a lot of back and forth and a massive amount of effort before the


Paid users of X, formerly Twitter, gets a new tab to highlight their posts
TechCrunch / 2h
X, formerly Twitter, has started rolling out a new feature for paid users to show off some of their posts through a new ‘Highlights’ tab. The social network updated its Blue/ X Premium support page to include details about the highlights feature. “Feature your best posts by Highlighting those posts and they’ll appear on your profile in a dedicated tab,” the description of the feature said. Over t


X (formerly Twitter) makes X Pro (formerly TweetDeck) a subscriber-only product
100+TechCrunch / 3h
Elon Musk-owned social network X, formerly Twitter, has made X Pro — which was previously known as TweetDeck — a subscriber-only product. Several users noted on the platform that while trying to access TweetDeck they were shown a popup prompting them to buy a Blue subscription. welp tweetdeck finally went bye-bye for me and this popped up and lmao no. pic.twitter.com/z2sWXz18nx — russ bengtson (@


Buy LifeMiles With A 145% Bonus (1.35 Cents)
3KOne Mile at a Time / 3h
Buying miles & points strategically can represent a great value , especially for first & business class travel. The Avianca LifeMiles program has just launched its latest promotion on purchased miles, and there’s an exclusive value proposition for OMAAT readers who register . If you’re frustrated by the recent United MileagePlus devaluation and want a great value transatlantic premium cabin award




Snapchat's My AI chatbot posted a Story then stopped responding. Users freaked out.
Mashable / 4h
Snapchat users have reported that the messaging app's AI chatbot had a few issues on Tuesday night. Specifically, My AI posted a mysterious Story to its profile and no longer responded as usual in text chats, causing more than a few users unease. Rolled out to all users globally earlier this year, Snapchat's My AI chatbot is designed to respond to users' messages like a friend. It should typicall


This new YouTube Music feature could be the best way to discover new artists
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
YouTube Music is implementing a Samples tab on mobile in an effort to introduce new artists to potential fans via “short-form video segments”. Basically, it’s TikTok. The announcement states Samples will have their home in the bottom navigation bar in between Home and Explore. Selecting it launches the personalized feed where the algorithm will display “the latest release from an up-and-coming ar


This cybersecurity developer and IT skills bundle is on sale for 94% off
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: The Complete 2023 Cybersecurity Developer and IT Skills Bundle is on sale for £55.06, saving you 94% on list price. If you are looking to make a career jump into a growth industry, look no further than the world of cybersecurity. This is a complex field that's on the rise. And if you'd like to test the waters, this Cybersecurity Developer and IT Skills Bundle is an affordable way to do it.


The best free Harvard University courses you can take for free this month
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: Find a wide range of free online courses from Harvard University on edX. Learn about AI, Python programming, game development, and much more without spending anything. You can become a student of Harvard University without leaving the comfort of your own home. That's because edX hosts a wide range of online courses from this famous institution . And better yet, some of the best courses are


New “International” Delta Sky Club Opens In Boston
300+One Mile at a Time / 5h
Delta Air Lines sure is on a roll lately when it comes to opening Sky Clubs. In the past several months, the airline has opened new Sky Clubs in Kansas City (MCI) , Minneapolis (MSP) , and New York (JFK) . You can now add Boston (BOS) to the list. Delta Sky Club Boston Terminal E now open Delta has formally opened its new Sky Club in Terminal E, which is intended for international passengers. Thi


Prioritize Your To-Do's With the ABC Method
Lifehacker / 5h
Prioritizing your to-do list is key to getting everything done. You need to make sure you’re allocating enough time to the difficult and important tasks but saving space for the little ones, too. Try the ABC method for categorizing your responsibilities for the day. Read more...


Capital One Adds 48-Month Bonus Eligibility Rule
300+One Mile at a Time / 5h
Capital One has updated its language regarding eligibility for welcome bonuses on cards, as flagged by Danny the Deal Guru . I’d view this as being positive clarification more than anything else. Capital One limits bonuses to every 48 months Every credit card issuer has rules regarding who is eligible for the welcome bonuses on cards. Along those lines, in the “view important rates and disclosure


VinFast: Vietnam EV maker valued at more than Ford or GM
200+BBC News - Technology / 5h
The share sale on the Nasdaq values VinFast at $85bn compared to Ford's $48bn and GM's $46bn.


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for August 16
Mashable / 7h
It is Wednesday, my dudes, which means there's a new Wordle ! We're here for you, as we are every day, with some tips and tricks to help you figure out the solution. If you just want today's answer delivered to you straight up, you can scroll to the end of this article for August 16's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategie


Ahsoka Headlines Latest RSVLTS Star Wars Fashion Drop
Gizmodo / 8h
With Disney+ and Lucasfilm’s Mandalorian universe expanding in Ahsoka , the fandom style experts over at RSVLTS have released a new drop just in time for the new series’ premiere. Read more...


Let the review begin—SpaceX takes another step toward launching Starship again
44Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge / SpaceX's Starship rocket lost control a few minutes after launch from South Texas on April 20. (credit: Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images ) The Federal Aviation Administration is now reviewing a mishap investigation report submitted by SpaceX regarding the company's April test flight of its giant Starship rocket, a spokesperson for the regulatory agency said Tuesday.


FDA issues safety alert on pregnancy tests after bust on illegal medical lab
39Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge / A picture of containers taken from the illegal UMI lab in Reedley, California. (credit: FCDPH ) The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use any at-home tests made by Universal Meditech, Inc. (UMI), the company behind an illegal medical lab hidden in a warehouse in the small city of Reedley, California. The lab was shut down earlier this year by local, state, and fed



Maui truthers are so dumb they’re using a Falcon 9 photo as wildfire evidence
100+Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge / Typically a marine layer shrouds launches from here in fog or clouds. (credit: SpaceX) I noticed an uptick in traffic to an old SpaceX news article a few days ago. First, a few dozen visitors. Then, a few hundred. And today, thousands. What the heck? The article itself is extremely lackluster. It was an excuse to run a photo gallery depicting a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Air Force


Firm regrets taking Facebook moderation work
100+BBC News - Technology / 8h
The chief executive of Sama says it will no longer take work involving moderating harmful content.


Harrison Ford Reacts to New Species Being Named After Indiana Jones' Least Favorite Animal
Gizmodo / 9h
Harrison Ford has earned the right to be curmudgeonly —but the 81-year-old star of so many iconic films is known for tempering his grouchiness with sly humor and heart. That came through 100 percent in a statement he shared after scientists discovered a new species of snake in Peru’s Otishi National Park and named it Ta … Read more...


Quordle today - hints and answers for Wednesday, August 16 (game #569)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's good fun, but also difficult. What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also


Superconductor Scientist Faces Investigation as a Paper Is Retracted
39NYT > Technology / 9h
The University of Rochester will examine the work of Ranga Dias, who was an author of a materials science paper unrelated to his superconductor research that was retracted on Tuesday.


Samsung is bringing newer One UI features to older devices
48Engadget / 9h
If you have an older Samsung foldable phone, tablet or watch, you may soon see some new features trickling down from the latest devices. The company announced today that the One UI 5.1.1 update — Samsung’s latest custom UI sitting atop Android — will roll out soon, bringing enhancements from the Galaxy Z Fold 5 , Z Flip 5 , Tab S9 series and Watch 6 series to pre-2023 gear. The features will supp


Samsung Galaxy Watches and Foldables Are Getting New Features
How-To Geek / 9h
Samsung is one of the best Android manufacturers as far as updates go right now. The company not only offers up to four major Android updates on its latest smartphones, but also strives to release them promptly most of the time. Case in point: it's currently testing One UI 6 , based on the upcoming Android 14 , on a range of its flagship smartphones. If you're not ready to try beta software, thou


Superconductor Scientist Faces Investigation as a Paper Is Retracted
NYT > Technology / 9h
The University of Rochester will examine the work of Ranga Dias, who was an author of a materials science paper unrelated to his superconductor research that was retracted on Tuesday.


ND Stevenson Wants to Embrace the Messiness
Gizmodo / 10h
ND Stevenson is still processing. About two weeks after the release of Nimona , the animated feature based on the webcomic he wrote in college, Stevenson and I were able to chat about the journey that Nimona has been on for nearly a decade . Not just going from page to screen, but going from studio to studio, and how… Read more...


'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for August 16, 2023
Mashable / 10h
If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need. What is Quordle ? Quordle is a five-letter word guessing gam


A Non-D&D Player's Guide to Baldur's Gate 3's D&D-Ness
Gizmodo / 10h
Dungeons & Dragons might be bigger than ever, but the release of Baldur’s Gate 3 has catapulted the fantasy world and mechanics of the world’s biggest TTRPG into the hands of a whole eager new audience of players looking to gather a party and venture forth. If BG3 is your first proper encounter with D&D , it throws a… Read more...


MacBooks and iMacs could get one of the iPhone's best features - Face ID
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
A newly released patent revealed that Apple plans to incorporate its Face ID biometric authentication system into its MacBook Pros and iMacs line. The patent titled “Light Recognition Module for Determining a User of a Computing Device” details the how and why of this tech. The reasoning behind having this technology embedded in these Apple devices is twofold: the first and most obvious reasoning


Ford CEO Goes on Road Trip in Electric F-150, Runs Into Trouble
52Futurism / 11h
Road Warrior Ford's lucrative line of trucks, the F-Series, was the number one best selling vehicle in America last year — even topping roadway regulars like Toyota's Camry — and Ford aims to remain on the top of the leader board with its F-150 Lightning, introduced last year . But first, the automotive company likely needs to iron out a few wrinkles, especially when it comes to charging up the t


WGA and AMPTP Are Apparently Inching Forward in Strike Negotiations
Gizmodo / 11h
It’s been over 100 days now that Writers Guild of America members have been striking for a fair contract in Hollywood —and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is finally, seemingly, willing to negotiate . According to Deadline , the two groups are scheduled to talk again today, following up on last… Read more...


Hilton and Accor’s development partner in China has problems threatening the global economy
The Points Guy / 11h
Country Garden, what was once the largest real estate developer in China, spectacularly tumbled from its lofty position in recent weeks amid reports the company lost billions of dollars and racked up a similarly seismic load of unpaid debt. The developer’s problems have economists on edge as they weigh whether this will have a contagion effect on the broader global economy. While Country Garden’s


Google’s AI Can Now Summarize an Article Directly in Search Results
23Lifehacker / 11h
ChatGPT may be the first name that comes to mind when you think of AI, but Google deserves to be up there as well. The company is constantly iterating on its artificial intelligence products, as recently evidenced by upgrades to both its AI chatbot Bard and its AI music generator . Read more...


Electrify America–backed 75MW solar farm kicks off operations
21TechCrunch / 11h
Electrify America, the EV charging company created by Volkswagen in the aftermath of its diesel emissions scandal, said on Tuesday that a new, 75 megawatt solar farm in Southern California is now up and running. Electrify America isn’t operating this solar farm. Instead, the company struck a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with renewable energy developer Terra-Gen. It’s the latest


Ongoing scam tricks kids playing Roblox and Fortnite
81Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge (credit: Savusia Konstantin | Getty Images ) Thousands of websites belonging to US government agencies, leading universities, and professional organizations have been hijacked over the last half decade and used to push scammy offers and promotions, new research has found. Many of these scams are aimed at children and attempt to trick them into downloading apps, malware, or submitting pers


Elon Musk Is Throttling Twitter Links to Sites That Have Vexed Him
83Gizmodo / 11h
“ Free Speech Absolutist ” Elon Musk appears to have hit a new low by standing in the way of website traffic flowing from X, formerly known as Twitter, to websites he doesn’t like. The social media app targeted news sites including The New York Times and Reuters as well as competing social media platforms such as Faceboo… Read more...


Air India looks for fresh identity: New paint, new seats just the beginning
60The Points Guy / 11h
Air India is getting a head-to-toe makeover. The carrier unveiled a new livery, logo and cabins last week, part of an attempt to refresh the airline after years of losing money under government ownership. Air India’s first plane with the new look is expected to take off in December when Air India begins flying its first Airbus A350. The airline did not give specifics on how long it would take to



Not Just Guest Tipping: Hotel Wants Local Businesses To Cover Housekeeper Wages, Too [Roundup]
View from the Wing / 11h
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 ...


These Cruises Are Allowing You to Bring Two Extra Guests for Free
50Lifehacker / 11h
Cruises are better with more friends or family onboard—especially if they can travel with you for free. For a limited time, you can book a seven-day Princess cruise with a partner and bring a second and third guest for free. Here’s what you need to know about how to claim this travel deal. Read more...


Dell fits game-changing 50-year-old tech into its latest touchscreen monitor
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
Dell is pitching its latest monitor as a game changer in the battle to banish notspots, letting home workers connect to the internet with an Ethernet cable. A LAN port is something of a rarity for a monitor fitted with touchscreen capabilities, with Dell’s 24in P2424HT monitor geared to users who want the fastest speeds without the potential for their Wi-Fi connection cutting out . It’s also Dell


Astronomers confirm Maisie’s galaxy is one of the oldest observed
100+Engadget / 11h
Astronomers have used advanced instruments to calculate a more accurate age of Maisie’s galaxy, discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in June 2022. Although the star system isn’t quite as old as initially estimated, it’s still one of the oldest recorded, from 390 million years after the Big Bang — making it about 13.4 billion years old. That’s a mere 70 million years younger than JA


X, formerly Twitter, slowed down access to Threads, The New York Times, Bluesky and more
500+TechCrunch / 11h
X, formerly known as Twitter, was throttling traffic to websites that the social network’s owner Elon Musk publicly dislikes. The platform slowed down the speed it takes when accessing links to a handful of websites, including The New York Times, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, Reuters and Substack. The platform appears to be reversing the slow access to news sites on Tuesday afternoon. Al


X Reverses Slowed Access to News Outlets, but Rival Sites Still Affected
42NYT > Technology / 11h
Elon Musk’s social media service “throttled” access to sites such as Substack and Facebook, according to an analysis, but began reversing the slow access to news sites.


Republican Congressman Says China Hacked His Emails Thanks to Microsoft Bug
Gizmodo / 12h
Nebraska Republican Congressman Don Bacon says his emails were hacked as part of a suspected Chinese espionage campaign exploiting a “vulnerability” in Microsoft software. The China-skeptical representative believes his hawkish views towards the Chinese Communist Party and public support for Taiwan made him a prime… Read more...


Scientists Say New Tool Makes Images Worthless for Training AI
100+Futurism / 12h
Krispy Kreme Good news, human artists! Scientists at the University of Chicago are claiming to have invented a tricky new tool, dubbed Glaze, to protect the work of human artists from being used to train AI systems. Designed to "protect human artists by disrupting style mimicry," as the project's website reads , the tool works by using machine learning to compute "a set of minimal changes to artw


Four Ways to Use Up Your Travel Rewards Before They Expire
Lifehacker / 12h
Let’s say you’ve accumulated travel rewards into an airline or hotel loyalty program account but the remaining balance doesn’t cover a flight (or part of a credit toward a flight) and you don’t have any way of earning more points or miles any time soon. Read more...


Apple Card iPhone Financing Now Requires an Active Mobile Plan
64How-To Geek / 12h
The Apple Card just became a lot less useful, at least for some shoppers. New iPhones purchased on the Apple Card Monthly Installment Plan must be connected to AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile cellular service during checkout. In other words, the Apple Card no longer offers financing for SIM-free iPhones.


ISPs complain that listing every fee is too hard, urge FCC to scrap new rule
69Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | anyaberkut) The US broadband industry is united in opposition to a requirement that Internet service providers list all of their monthly fees. Five lobby groups representing cable companies, fiber and DSL providers, and mobile operators have repeatedly urged the Federal Communications Commission to eliminate the requirement before new broadband labeling rules take


Requiring ink to scan a document—yet another insult from the printer industry
200+Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge / Don't bother hitting the scan button if you're out of ink. How much ink does an all-in-one printer need in order to fax a document? Or to scan one to your computer? The obvious answer is "none." But if you own certain printers from companies like HP and Canon, you won't be able to use core features unless the device has ink—even if those features have nothing to do with ink. Unfortunate


X's $100 million a year 'Promoted Accounts' ad feature is no more
Mashable / 12h
Are you still advertising on X, the Elon Musk-owned social media platform formerly known as Twitter? If so, you might have received an email about the company sunsetting one of its oldest advertising features: Promoted Accounts. As first reported by Axios on Tuesday, X's advertising clients were informed via email that the Promoted Accounts feature, also known as "Follower Objective" ads, is bein


Ultimate guide to the Citi travel portal
31The Points Guy / 12h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information. Citi is a TPG advertising partner. The new Citi travel portal launched earlier this year , offering an enhanced user experience, more hotel options and a new feature for booking activities and attractions. Citi Travel with Booking.com is powered by Rocket Travel by Agoda, utilizing the features and booking ava


WhatsApp is about to get its first AI trick – and it could be just the start
100+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
WhatsApp is taking its first steps into the world of artificial intelligence as a recent Android beta introduced an AI-powered, sticker generation tool Revealed in a new report from WABetaInfo , a Create button will show up in chats whenever some app testers open the sticker tab in the text box. Tapping Create launches a mini-generative AI engine with a description bar at the top asking you to en


Google Photos Gets New Scrapbook Memories and AI Tools
How-To Geek / 12h
Google Photos has introduced a new Memories tab in the app and on the web, along with an all-new Scrapbook view to relive your favorite photos and videos. Available starting today in the U.S., the feature makes it easy to create scrapbook memories or let Google Photos do it for you with a timeline of favorite trips, moments with friends or family, and more.


Lamborghini teases a fully electric supercar ahead of its August 18th reveal
200+Engadget / 12h
Only a few months after pulling back the curtain on its Revuelto plug-in hybrid , Lamborghini is just about ready to debut its first fully electric supercar. The automaker offered a glimpse of the vehicle's upper body in a teaser image, albeit in silhouette form. You won't have to wait long to learn more about this mysterious EV, though. Lamborghini will show off what's expected to be a concept o


When to Snitch on a Coworker (and When Not To)
Lifehacker / 12h
Deciding whether to squeal on a colleague is not something to take lightly. In the best situation, it could protect you, others, or the company from an employee’s wrong-doing. You could come out looking like a hero if the circumstances are right. But, more often than not, it will likely lead to little change, possibly… Read more...


Verizon’s 5G Network Is Getting Better, With a Catch
How-To Geek / 12h
The three-way race for which carrier has the best 5G network has been officially going for a long time, but until now, the carrier that has the lead here is widely considered to be T-Mobile. But that doesn't mean that other carriers aren't competing. Verizon , as it turns out, just got a big win with its own 5G network, as it just got an important boost in several parts of the country.


Elemental's VFX Crew Explains How They Crafted a Character Made of Water
Gizmodo / 12h
On paper, Elemental is a classic opposites-attract tale, in the most literal sense: the two main characters are the personification of fire and water. But when it came to animating the pair, the creative team behind Disney and Pixar’s box-office hit faced unique challenges —one of which being, how do