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

Friday, September 29, 2023

Technology News and More-Friday Edition...

 Technology News and More...




Evil Genius Sues Netflix Over Canceled Rebel Moon TTRPG


500+Gizmodo / 16h
Today, tabletop roleplaying game publisher Evil Genius filed a lawsuit against Netflix for Breach of Contract. Evil Genius was hired to create a franchise TTRPG for Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon , and alleges that after working alongside Netflix and Snyder, Netflix unceremoniously terminated its contract. Read more...


Billy the Puppet threatens movie phone users in 'Saw'-themed Alamo Drafthouse PSA
100+Mashable / 16h
In honor of Saw X , Jigsaw's spooky sidekick Billy the Puppet has teamed up with Alamo Drafthouse for a new (and extremely threatening) PSA. This creepy clip debuted at 2023's Fantastic Fest, where Saw X played as the festival's fourth and final secret screening. SEE ALSO: Why is everyone using their phones in movie theaters? "I want to play a game," Billy tells audiences. The rules are simple: A


Alaska Airlines Retiring Airbus A321neos, Returning To All-Boeing Fleet
2KOne Mile at a Time / 18h
In the coming days, Alaska Airlines will once again transition to having an all-Boeing fleet… Alaska Airlines completes Airbus jet retirements Historically Alaska Airlines has operated an all-Boeing fleet, which was a point of pride, given that the airline is based in Seattle. That changed in late 2016, when Alaska acquired Virgin America, which operated an all-Airbus fleet. In late 2020, Alaska



Tesla sued by federal agency for racial harassment at California factory
Engadget / 47min
Tesla has been tolerating racial harassment at its factory in Fremont, California since at least 2015 until today, according to the lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The automaker has violated federal law by tolerating the "widespread and ongoing racial harassment of its Black employees," the agency said. Further, affected workers who raised concerns about th


'Totally Killer' review: Fun slasher is basically an R-rated Disney Channel Original Movie
Mashable / 1h
Mix Back to the Future 's parent-centric time travel with Scream 's self-aware slasher sensibilities, and you get Totally Killer . The new film from Blumhouse Television and director Nahnatchka Khan ( Always Be My Maybe ) borrows heavily from both iconic franchises in its tale of a time-traveling serial killer, although it coats these familiar plot points in the sheen of modern-day teen movies to


Ryder Cup 2023 live stream: players, schedule and how to watch golf online, what TV channel
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
The 44th edition of the Ryder Cup gets underway on Friday at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club as Team Europe look to regain the trophy in Italy. Despite losing 19-9 two years ago at Whistling Straits, the omens look good for the Europeans as they have not lost on home soil since 1993. You can watch every drive, chip and putt with our guide to getting a Ryder Cup live stream - no matter wher


The Gamble: Can Genetically Modified Mosquitoes End Disease?
30NYT > Technology / 2h
Working on a remote island, scientists think they can use genetic engineering to block a malaria-carrying species of mosquito from spreading the disease — and do it in just a few months. But governments are wary.


A lifetime subscription to Noiselab is on sale for under £50
Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Noiselab is on sale for £48.50, saving you 83% on list price. There’s more than one entrance to centre stage in the music industry, and you certainly don’t have to be a rock star to get there. Music production is an exciting field that combines your own musical talent with technology. You don’t have to wait for a class to start if you get lifetime access to the N


New ChromeOS update for Chromebooks makes it feel more like Android
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
Google is officially rolling out ChromeOS 117 to a Chromebook near you. With this update, the tech giant is blurring the lines between Chromebooks and Androids as the former now adopts a Material You redesign. The system isn’t getting a total rework as the patch only affects certain areas like the Quick Settings menu. On there, you’ll see items are now encased in large rounded rectangles instead


How to watch The CW for free from anywhere in the world
Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: The CW's upcoming release schedule is full of hit shows and new content. Unblock and watch this streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . It's a busy time over at The CW , with a lot of exciting content on the horizon. In October, The CW is welcoming the arrival of the third season of FBoy Island , alongside Sullivan's Crossing , The Spencer Sisters , Everyone Else Bu


How to watch the 2023 British Open online for free
Mashable / 2h
Snooker is one of those interesting sports that you can watch for hours, without any real drama. There is something beautiful about the game. It's almost meditative. We can't promise any deep spiritual experiences from the British Open, but we can promise a lot of high-quality snooker. If you're interested in watching the 2023 British Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the info


How to watch the Atlanta Falcons vs. Jacksonville Jaguars online for free
Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: Watch the Atlanta Falcons vs. Jacksonville Jaguars for free on ITVX. Access ITVX from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . The 2023 NFL season is underway and we've already got lots to discuss. And no, we're not talking about Taylor Swift . We've already seen injuries, upsets, and incredible individual plays, and we're expecting more of the same in week four. One of the biggest talking


'SPY x FAMILY' Season 2 trailer teases the return of the eclectic, deadly Forger family
Mashable / 2h
The trailer for Season 2 of SPY x FAMILY is here, and it's clear the Forger family are slipping even further into their cover identities. Adapted from the action comedy manga series by Tatsuya Endo, SPY x FAMILY follows Twilight, a secret agent tasked with getting close to a high-profile politician. In order to do so, he creates the false identity of caring family man "Loid Forger," even marrying


How to watch the 2023 Ryder Cup online for free
Mashable / 3h
We're not sure what it is about the Ryder Cup , but it's one of the most special sporting events on the calendar. It never seems to disappoint. Maybe it's the novelty of seeing the best players in the world compete in teams. Maybe it's all the different formats. Or maybe its the simmering rivalry just waiting to explode. Whatever it is, we can't wait to watch. If you're interested in watching the


NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for September 29
Mashable / 4h
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the e


SpaceX’s defense-focused Starshield satellite internet business lands first contract
TechCrunch / 5h
SpaceX won its first contract for Starshield, the defense-focused version of its Starlink satellite internet service, from the U.S. Space Force. The one-year contract has a maximum value of $70 million, a U.S. Air Force representative told Bloomberg. The contract “provides for Starshield end-to-end service via the Starlink constellation, user terminals, ancillary equipment, network management […]


Today’s NYT Connections Hints (and Answer) for September 29, 2023
Lifehacker / 5h
If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Friday, September 29, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for September 29, NYT Connections #110! Scroll down if you want some hints (and then the answer) to… Read more...


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for September 29
Mashable / 5h
You made it! It's Friday, a fresh Wordle awaits, and we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out the answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the end of this article for September 29's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. Where did Wordle come from? Originally


'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for September 29, 2023
Mashable / 6h
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


Where to Stream the Iowa State Vs. Oklahoma Game
Lifehacker / 6h
This Saturday, the Iowa State Cyclones travel to Norman, Okla. to take on the undefeated Oklahoma Sooners in a Big 12 matchup. Both teams are coming off victories: Iowa State thrashed Oklahoma State last week, earning a 34-27 victory at home, and Oklahoma destroyed Cincinnati 20-6 in an away game. While OK’s… Read more...


Disneyland Movie From David Gordon Green Is on Hold for Now
Gizmodo / 6h
Filmmaker David Gordon Green’s Disneyland biopic centering on Walt Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney is currently being held up... for now. Read more...


Mark Zuckerberg Shows Off Wildly Improved Metaverse With Lifelike Avatars
200+Futurism / 6h
Heads Up Mark Zuckerberg's cartoonish metaverse that we all so relentlessly bullied just may be shaping up to be something truly impressive. On Thursday, podcaster Lex Fridman released what he calls the " first interview in the Metaverse ," where he and the Meta CEO have a conversation in VR, using their astoundingly lifelike avatars. Gone are the legless , dumb-looking Mii ripoffs. Here, while F


Quordle today - hints and answers for Friday, September 29 (game #613)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
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 fun, but also difficult. What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keep



The slow and delicate aircraft taking on spy missions
BBC News - Technology / 7h
Light aircraft that can fly and loiter at very high altitudes could provide back-up for spy satellites.


I Guess We’re All Talking to Our Glasses Now
22Wired / 7h
This week, we cover the latest news from Meta: AI-enabled smart glasses, a VR headset, and an army of fresh chatbots.


You Can Try Copilot, Windows 11’s New AI Assistant, Right Now
Lifehacker / 7h
One week after its initial announcement , Microsoft has released its big Copilot update for Windows 11. Now, this isn’t the major Windows 11 update that everyone is waiting on—that’s coming later this year—but it does give us a good look at how Microsoft is incorporating AI-based tools into Windows. Read more...


On TikTok, videos promoting steroids are exploding — and at times targeting teens
TechCrunch / 7h
In a new report, a social media watchdog group details how steroid content is exploding in some TikTok communities, promoting potentially dangerous and often illegal substances while propagating unattainable body image ideals to boys and young men. Researchers with the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found that videos tagged with hashtags promoting the use […]


$5,000 Google Jamboard dies in 2024—cloud-based apps will stop working, too
Ars Technica - All content / 7h
The Google Jamboard was a big, red touchscreen. Even more Google products are getting the ax this week. Next up is Google Jamboard, a $5,000 digital whiteboard (and its $600-a-year fee) and software ecosystem marketed to schools and corporations. Google has a new post detailing the "Next phase of digital whiteboarding for Google Workspace ," and the future for Jamboard is that there is no future.


US may pay 3x more than EU for Moderna’s US-funded COVID shot
24Ars Technica - All content / 7h
Enlarge / Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel during a Bloomberg Television interview on the closing day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on May 26, 2022. (credit: Getty | Jason Alden ) Compared with other countries, the US is again seeing exorbitant prices for a medicine—even one it helped develop. In the current COVID-19 booster campaign, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Argylle, the New Spy Film By Matthew Vaughn, Looks Purr-fect
Gizmodo / 7h
We may not ever see the end of Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman series on film, but his next movie looks like it fits right in. This February, the man who directed Kingsman , Kick-Ass, Layer Cake, and X-Men: First Class returns with his latest spy film, Argylle, and the trailer has to be seen to be believed. Read more...


Check If You Qualify for One of These Student Loan Grants
Lifehacker / 7h
Student loan bills are due once again after a pandemic hiatus (yes, even if the government shuts down). The Biden administration’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan allows many borrowers to lower their monthly payments —some all the way to $0—but some people may also qualify for grants or loan forgiveness… Read more...


Apple asks Supreme court to reverse App Store ruling in Epic case
Engadget / 8h
As expected , Apple is making a last-ditch effort to get the Supreme Court to reverse a ruling that would force it to open up its App Store to third-party payments. The iPhone maker filed a petition with the Court Thursday, arguing that the lower court injunction was “breathtakingly broad” and “unconstitutional.” It’s the latest beat in a long-simmering feud between Cupertino and the Fortnite dev


Federal Lawsuit Accuses Tesla of Racial Discrimination
26NYT > Technology / 8h
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit accusing the carmaker of mistreating Black employees at its factory in California.


Judge upholds $18 minimum pay for NYC delivery workers
32TechCrunch / 8h
In a blow to Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub, a New York judge on Thursday ruled to allow the implementation of the minimum pay rate of $18 per hour for New York City’s food delivery workers. The delivery apps sued the city in July, when the city’s 65,000 delivery workers would have begun seeing hourly payments, […]


You Can Get an Amazon Echo Pop and a Month of Amazon Music Unlimited for $15 Right Now
Lifehacker / 8h
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days are coming Oct. 10–11, offering Prime members exclusive deals on tons of stuff Amazon sells. But some of Amazon’s in-house tech products are already seeing discounts comparable to Prime Day. For example, the Echo Pop, Amazon’s newest and cheapest Alexa-enabled smart speaker, is currently… Read more...


Uber, Grubhub and DoorDash must pay NYC delivery workers an $18 minimum wage
Engadget / 8h
Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub won’t be able to get out of paying minimum wage to their New York City delivery workers after all, following a judge’s decision to reject their bid to skirt the city’s new law. The upcoming law, which is still pending due to the companies’ ongoing lawsuit, aims to secure better wage protections for app-based workers. Once the suit settles, third-party delivery providers


Ahsoka's Composers Break Down Scoring This Week's Big Cameo
Gizmodo / 8h
Balancing the need to bring a new but familiar sound to Star Wars while also playing in the footsteps of John Williams’ legendary music for the saga is a challenge for every composer who joins the franchise. Few have faced it as often as the Kiner family—composer and father Kevin, alongside his children Deana and… Read more...


Where to Stream the Washington Vs. Arizona Game
Lifehacker / 8h
This week five matchup pits the Arizona Wildcats against the Washington Huskies. Washington is hoping to expand its undefeated 2023 record to 5-o, but the Wildcats are not going to roll over. While they’re definitely the underdog, Arizona is coming off a 21-20 win against Stanford, and the team’s 3-1 record is nothing… Read more...


A new Chrome 0-day is sending the Internet into a new chapter of Groundhog Day
Exploitation for Client Execution (Enterprise T1203)•
Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) A critical zero-day vulnerability Google reported on Wednesday in its Chrome browser is opening the Internet to a new chapter of Groundhog Day. Like a critical zero-day Google disclosed on September 11 , the new exploited vulnerability doesn’t affect just Chrome. Already, Mozilla has said that its Firefox browser is vulnerable to the same bug, which is tracked as CV


The Elder Scrolls: Castles is like Fallout Shelter for Skyrim fans
45Engadget / 8h
Bethesda appears to have shadow-dropped (intentionally or not) a new mobile game set in a familiar universe. The Elder Scrolls: Castles is a building management game reminiscent of Fallout Shelter . The title, first spotted by Reddit user u/tracteurman ( via GamesRadar ), is available for Android but not iOS. The Elder Scrolls: Castles tasks you with controlling a castle — and your dynasty. “Over


Epic Games is laying off 16 percent of its workforce and selling Bandcamp
38Engadget / 8h
Fortnite maker Epic Games is laying off 16 percent of its staff — or about 830 employees. CEO Tim Sweeney said in an open letter to sent employees that Epic Games has been spending “way more money” than it earns. “We concluded that layoffs are the only way," he wrote "and that doing them now and on this scale will stabilize our finances.” For those impacted by the layoffs, the company says it wil


Adobe's 'Photoshop on the web' service is now available to all Creative Cloud subscribers
Engadget / 8h
Users will be able to edit, share and receive feedback on their Photoshop projects from anywhere on the web, Adobe announced Wednesday , regardless of whether an Adobe product is installed on their PC or tablet. The company is bringing its Photoshop on the web service out of beta and incorporating a few handy new AI features as well. Adobe first introduced a feature-svelt online version of the po


Looks like NVIDIA got raided by French antitrust authorities
34Engadget / 8h
At dawn on Wednesday, French antitrust authorities conducted a surprise raid on a company in the country that specializes in graphics cards — and according to The Wall Street Journal and Challenges business magazine, that company was NVIDIA. We reached out to NVIDIA for clarification and a spokesperson declined to comment. Here's what we know for sure: The French Competition Authority conducted a



Google will let publishers hide their content from its insatiable AI
Engadget / 8h
Google has announced a new control in its robots.txt indexing file that would let publishers decide whether their content will "help improve Bard and Vertex AI generative APIs, including future generations of models that power those products." The control is a crawler called Google-Extended, and publishers can add it to the file in their site's documentation to tell Google not to use it for those


Google opens its AI-generated search experience to teens
Engadget / 8h
Google is opening its AI-powered search experience to teens. In addition, the company’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is adding new context pages to shed light on generated responses and individual web links within answers. The company is opening its search-based AI tool to US teenagers between 13 and 17. Google says it received “particularly positive feedback” from 18- to 24-year-olds who t


Meta’s metaverse is getting an AI makeover
78Engadget / 8h
Meta’s Connect keynote felt different this year, and not just because it marked the return of an in-person event. It’s been nearly two years since Mark Zuckerberg used Connect to announce that Facebook was changing its name to Meta and reorienting the entire company around the metaverse. But at this year’s event, it felt almost as if Zuckerberg was trying to avoid saying the word “metaverse.” Whi


It’s not clear X CEO Linda Yaccarino knew about Elon Musk’s plan to charge for X
TechCrunch / 9h
In a live chat earlier this month, Elon Musk said X would charge users “a small monthly payment” to use its service — a necessity, he explained, in order to combat the “vast armies of bots” on the platform. But in an interview this week at the Code Conference, X CEO Linda Yaccarino seemed to […]


Federal agency sues Tesla for racial discrimination of Black workers
26TechCrunch / 9h
The EEOC filed suit against Tesla, accusing the automaker of violating federal law by tolerating widespread and ongoing racial harassment of its Black employees.


When European airports and trains are set to strike next
500+The Points Guy / 9h
Editor’s note: This page will be updated as new information emerges. We always hope your travel will be trouble-free. However, there are several strikes to look out for across Europe in the coming weeks. If you plan to travel during these dates and need advice, read our guide to insurance policies and strike coverage . Additionally, find out what you may be entitled to in terms of compensation if


Eufy's all-seeing smart home cams can shoot your videos from multiple angles
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Smart home brand Eufy is introducing a new series of “dual-camera devices” with most sporting a wide-angle and telephoto lens setup powered by artificial intelligence. In total, you have four models: the SoloCam S340, Floodlight Cam E340, IndoorCam S350, and the Video Doorbell E340. Starting with the headliner, the SoloCam S340 is the outdoor camera option capable of shooting video in 3K resoluti


What Upgraded Food In An American Airlines Admirals Club Looks Like
View from the Wing / 9h
With an increase in Admirals Club membership fees and premium credit card annual fee American Airlines is investing more in the food in its lounges. The offerings still significantly lag what you'll find in a Delta Air Lines Sky Club, but they're better than they used to be. The airline's food (whether in lounge or in air) isn't a reason not to book American, and I suppose that's what they're goi


ispace unveils new lunar lander that will fly to the moon in 2026
TechCrunch / 9h
Japanese space company ispace has invested over $40 million in its new U.S. subsidiary to-date, as it looks to take advantage of growing investment from NASA and the Pentagon in technologies for the moon. The level of investment is a mark of ispace’s “strong commitment to the U.S. market,” CEO Takeshi Hakamada said in a […]


The Three Best Kitchen Countertops to Install Yourself
Lifehacker / 9h
If you’re considering a kitchen remodel, or you just need to replace your worn-out countertops, finding the right type of countertop might seem daunting. With costs for materials seemingly ever-increasing, staying on budget is a challenge. Finding a DIY solution can be a great way to save money on your countertop… Read more...


UltraRAM go! Here’s a glimpse at what the future of memory and storage could look like if this UK startup succeeds
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
The company behind the exciting UltraRAM technology has earned significant financial backing to bring its component to the market. Building on its success at the Flash Memory Summit in August 2023, in which the company won the award for most innovative flash memory startup, Quinas Technology has now been awarded a highly coveted grant, according to our sister site Tom’s Hardware . UltraRAM is a t


Scientists want to add broadband technology to your brain — but it’s not what you think
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Scientists have devised a way to let the human brain communicate with computers using a wireless neural implant, in the latest attempt to move the realm of brain-computer interfaces forward. Published in Nature Electronics , the research team with Pursue University have built a wireless communication technique for brain implants – known as biphasic quasistatic brain communication. This transmits


OpenAI is reportedly working on an 'iPhone of AI' — whatever that means
31Mashable / 9h
Apple's former VP of Industrial Design Jony Ive is working with ChatGPT maker OpenAI to make something vaguely described as the "iPhone of artificial intelligence," according to reports from The Information and Financial Times . They reportedly received $1 billion in funding from Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, so this is a serious project, but it's still in the early stages of planning. SEE ALSO: Op


Virgin Atlantic is offering 25% off redemptions from all destinations in all cabins
100+The Points Guy / 9h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Virgin Atlantic has a great new offer to help you save thousands of points on your next redemption. Virgin has discounted the cost of all redemptions on all Virgin-operated routes by 25% for travel from Oct. 1 until Dec. 31. The carrier is following the lead of Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue Promo Reward


Windows Paint Is Adding AI Image Generation From Dall-E
How-To Geek / 9h
One of the biggest surprises reserved for upcoming versions of Windows is the fact that Paint is trying to be more Photoshop-like than ever. After decades being a bog-standard basic image editor, it's now surprising people with new features such as layers, transparency, and a neat option to automatically remove the background of pictures . Now, being a Microsoft product, it can't ship without som


The Spotted Lanternfly Has Invaded Illinois, Squash 'em
Gizmodo / 9h
The Department of Agriculture (DOA) has confirmed that a local sighting of the invasive spotted lanternfly was reported on Sept. 16, marking yet another state it’s migrated to since the colorful insect was first sighted in the U.S. nearly a decade ago. The Department of Agriculture did not disclose the lanternfly’s… Read more...


Watch the First 10 Minutes of Blue Beetle for Free on YouTube
Gizmodo / 9h
Blue Beetle delivered a solid DC superhero adventure with Jaime Reyes’ origin story, and you can now watch the beginning of the film on YouTube. Read more...


Iran Launches Third Military Satellite to Orbit, Raising Tensions on the Ground
Gizmodo / 9h
Iran claims it has successfully placed a third imaging satellite in orbit, a move that will likely garner more criticism from the Western world over fears that the Islamic republic is bolstering its ballistic missile technology. Read more...


Losing subscribers, Disney+ starts fighting password sharing, too
21Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge (credit: Getty ) Like Netflix, Disney+ is getting more stringent about sharing account login information. Disney+'s subscriber agreement already says users can't share account information, but the streaming service on Tuesday informed its Canadian users that it is “implementing restrictions on account sharing.” As spotted by MobileSyrup Wednesday, Disney+ emailed Canadian subscribers info


Meta launches consumer AI chatbots with celebrity avatars in its social apps
Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge / Meta's AI characters feature Snoop Dogg playing a dungeon master that dispenses gaming advice. (credit: Meta) On Wednesday, Meta announced its consumer-friendly entry into the crowded AI chatbot landscape, The Verge reports. During a presentation at Meta Connect 2023, the company said it is launching its own "Meta AI" chat assistant and a selection of AI characters across its messaging



Is the Meta Quest a Wii U-sized flop? Software numbers suggest it might be
Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge / Meta's estimated Quest software sales are worryingly close to those for the Wii U at a similar point in its life. (credit: Ars / Kyle Orland) During Wednesday's Meta Connect keynote presentation, the company announced a new milestone for its line of standalone Quest headsets: $2 billion in lifetime revenue from Quest apps and software since the platform launched back in 2019. On first g


Honda forms largest EV partner network in the US despite not yet selling an EV in the country
TechCrunch / 9h
Honda is touting today that drivers of its EVs will soon have access to the most amount of charging locations in America. This is thanks to just-announced agreements with EVgo and Electrify America, two of the largest EV charging networks in the States. Honda previously signed on with the NACS charging standard, granting access to […]


How to Rejuvenate the Soil in Your Raised Garden Beds
Lifehacker / 9h
It’s the end of the season, and we’re all starting to tuck in our garden beds for winter. The soil in your raised garden bed has worked hard all season to impart nutrients to your vegetables and flowers, which leaves the soil depleted. The long winter sleep is a great time to let your soil build back up the supply of… Read more...


Privacy Fears Abound After Uber Eats Delivery Bot Shares Video Footage With LAPD
Gizmodo / 9h
It’s only been about a year since Uber Eats began deploying food delivery robots throughout select parts of Los Angeles and, already, concerns have been raised that the squat little automatons could become a police surveillance tool. Read more...


Mark Zuckerberg’s Friend Says He Has Three Distinct Personas
75Futurism / 9h
Triple Zuck According to Spotify founder Daniel Ek, there are more Mark Zuckerbergs than meet the eye. In a new interview with Forbes , Ek — a close friend to fellow billionaire and Meta-formerly-Facebook overlord Zuckerberg — explained that Zuck has three distinct personas, at least in the public's imagination. According to Ek, there's the "The Social Network Mark," an awkward, egotistical young


Forget Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. We tested cheaper ones that support ChatGPT.
42Mashable / 9h
"Pfft! I bet this is yet another pair of music-playing smart glasses," I yawned when I saw the AirGo 3 spectacles on display at CES 2023 . I'll admit I was a little jaded. At the annual Las Vegas tech trade show, Paula Abdul was hawking her own pair of audio-emitting smart glasses, and I was unimpressed. They were fragile, uninspired, and quite frankly, plain ol' boring. However, I'm grateful tha


A Silicon Valley Supergroup Is Coming Together to Create an A.I. Device
NYT > Technology / 10h
OpenAI’s Sam Altman, the former Apple designer Jony Ive and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son are teaming up to develop a device that could replace the smartphone.


Gavin Newsom Under Fire From Teamsters Over Veto of Driverless Truck Bill
Gizmodo / 10h
Big tech companies want to put big, driverless trucks on the road, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom is ready to help them reach that goal. Now the Democratic mainstay is taking a beating from unions who say he’s allowed unsafe 10,000+-pound vehicles onto the road without drivers. Read more...


Your website can now opt out of training Google’s Bard and future AIs
TechCrunch / 10h
Large language models are trained on all kinds of data, most of which it seems was collected without anyone’s knowledge or consent. Now you have a choice whether to allow your web content to be used by Google as material to feed its Bard AI and any future models it decides to make. It’s as […]


Alaska Airlines Business Visa Card 50K Bonus Miles Offer
300+One Mile at a Time / 10h
Link: Apply now for the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card We’ve just seen a new welcome offer introduced on the Alaska Airlines Business Visa Card , making it a great time to pick up this card. Alaska Business Visa Card improved bonus The Alaska Business Visa Card is offering the following bonus after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening: 50,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles


A comprehensive list of 2023 tech layoffs
TechCrunch / 10h
Last year’s techwide reckoning continues. In 2023, layoffs have yet again cost tens of thousands of tech workers their jobs; this time, the workforce reductions have been driven by the biggest names in tech like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo, Meta and Zoom. Startups, too, have announced cuts across all sectors, from crypto to enterprise SaaS. […]


ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot
TechCrunch / 10h
ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm. It’s able to write essays, code and more given short text prompts, hyper-charging productivity. But it also has a more…nefarious side. In any case, AI tools are not going away — and indeed has expanded dramatically since its launch just a few months ago. […]


Should VCs back the FTC suit against Amazon?
TechCrunch / 10h
Which do you prefer: Regulators working to contain market power or a potential ceiling being set on exit values for the companies that you back?


Make Super Smooth Mashed Potatoes With a Fine Mesh Strainer
Lifehacker / 10h
Mashed potatoes are easy enough to make, but getting them to that perfect, creamy texture is harder than it first appears. Fans of smooth spuds usually end up purchasing a ricer, which breaks down the spuds into tiny (rice-like) bits by forcing them through little holes. These extruded—but still fluffy—spud flecks are… Read more...



Music, Arts & Literature / 10h



The Best Episode of Lower Decks Season 4 Yet Defies All Your Expectations
100+Gizmodo / 10h
The last time Lower Decks truly surprised me was in season two’s remarkable tri-perspective episode “wej Duj,” a compelling experimental story that examined the plights of lower deckers across all sorts of Star Trek vessels, not just Starfleet. It’s fitting then perhaps that in surprising me this week, it does so by… Read more...


The Animated TV Show You Never See
Wired / 10h
The HBO series Young Love, about millennial parents in Chicago, has the instincts of an old-school Black sitcom but wears the skin of an animated world.


China Uses ‘Deceptive’ Methods to Sow Disinformation, U.S. Says
37NYT > Technology / 10h
The accusations reflect worry in Washington that China’s information operations pose a growing security challenge to the United States.


Review: Tablo DVR gives users a major upgrade with its free ad-supported TV offering
TechCrunch / 10h
Tablo has always been a niche product, Grant Hall, founder and CEO of parent company Nuvyyo, admitted to TechCrunch. However, as more cord-cutters become frustrated with streaming services raising their prices, OTA (over-the-air) DVRs and TV antennas are making a comeback. The Consumer Technology Association reported that 36 million U.S. households own an antenna. Plus, […]


The FDA Says Ozempic Might Block Your Intestines
Futurism / 10h
Ozempic, the uber-popular injectable diabetes drug, has had to update its potential side effect warnings to include intestinal blockage. As CBS News reports , the Ozempic label change reflects updates posted last week by the Food and Drug Administration which acknowledged that some users experienced a condition known as "ileus," which involves a blocking of the intestines. The FDA stopped short,



Breeze CEO David Neeleman doubles down on Breeze’s success, calls sustainable aviation fuel a ‘waste of money’
The Points Guy / 10h
Despite the naysayers, Breeze Airways founder and CEO David Neeleman doubled down on the ultra-low-cost carrier’s long-term viability during a Q&A at the Skift Global Conference in New York City on Wednesday. Breeze, founded in 2021, relies on a business model similar to that of Allegiant and Avelo — it operates routes between underserved destinations and popular leisure ones. Since its founding,


You Can Finally Use iCloud Keychain in Google Chrome
Lifehacker / 10h
There’s a lot to love about Safari, but Google rules so much of the internet that using Chrome is sometimes a necessity. I can live with that, but what always frustrated me was the lack of iCloud Keychain compatibility. If I sign into an account in Safari, I can auto-fill passwords and 2FA codes with Touch ID every… Read more...


Arecibo Observatory Prepares for Life After Astronomy
54Gizmodo / 11h
In December 2020 , the Arecibo Observatory’s radio telescope was destroyed when a catastrophic cable failure caused its 900-ton platform to collapse onto the iconic dish below. Now, the National Science Foundation has named the stewards of the site’s future as an education center, marking the probable end of Arecibo’s… Read more...


Patrick Stewart Wanted to Make Star Trek: Picard on His Own Terms
98Gizmodo / 11h
Star Trek: Picard ended earlier this year, and though the series could be messy at times, leading man Patrick Stewart always made it work. While the future of Jean-Luc and other Next Generation cast members is still up in the air after the show wrapped its three-season run, Stewart’s now reminiscing on how the show… Read more...


X Fires Its Election Team Before a Huge Election Year
50Wired / 11h
The “last man standing” in X’s threat intelligence team has been fired, as the company guts its election integrity response ahead of a year in which more than 50 countries go to the polls.


Report: Apple’s next iPhone SE will be the one to retire the iPhone 6 design
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge / A new report claims that last year's iPhone 14 could be the foundation of a new iPhone SE in 2025. (credit: Apple) I've got a soft spot for Apple's budget phone, the iPhone SE . It has never been technologically impressive, but it has always been a way to get most of what's good about the iPhone ecosystem—an active App Store, Apple services like iMessage, and prompt software updates del


Reddit forces personalized ads, starts X-like user payment program
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge (credit: Getty ) Reddit rolled out some changes this week as its continues its push for revenue and profitability jumpstarted by its API rule changes in July. Among the most controversial, the company will no longer allow users to opt out of ad personalization based on their Reddit activity and started a program that lets users exchange virtual rewards for their posts for real money. On W


Epic Games Is Selling Bandcamp and Having Not-So-Epic Layoffs
200+Gizmodo / 11h
The video game company behind the massive battle royale game Fortnite is also fighting for its life. Epic Games is reportedly laying off 870 employees as well as selling some of its previous acquisitions. Read more...


How 'Simpsons' animator Chance Raspberry achieved his childhood dream
Mashable / 11h
Former Simpsons animator Chance Raspberry breaks down what it took to achieve his dream of becoming an animator on the hit series and what inspired him to aim even higher .


Your complete guide to earning and redeeming with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
100+The Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information. Despite being smaller than the Big Three legacy carriers, Alaska Airlines has gained popularity among American travelers thanks to its loyalty program, Mileage Plan. As a member of Oneworld, the program offers numerous high-value partnerships with airlines like American Airlines, British Airways and Cathay Pac


A food delivery robot's footage led to a criminal conviction in LA
Engadget / 11h
Footage captured by a food delivery robot in Los Angeles was used to arrest and convict two people after a failed attempt to steal it off the street earlier this year, according to 404 Media . Serve Robotics, which works with Uber Eats for last-mile deliveries in the area, shared videos of the incident with the Los Angeles Police Department both proactively and after a subpoena. Serve previously


Apple asks the Supreme Court to reconsider a previous ruling in Epic’s favor
TechCrunch / 11h
Apple has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider a previous ruling in its fight against Epic Games that would change the rules of the App Store. In a cert petition, filed Thursday and embedded below, Apple criticized a prior decision that would force it to allow app developers to point their users toward alternative payment […]


Ask Sophie: What are your top immigration tips from TechCrunch Disrupt 2023?
TechCrunch / 11h
I wasn’t able to make it to TechCrunch Disrupt this year. What were your main immigration takeaways for founders and startups?


Mixin hacked for $200M, Worldcoin eyes greater expansion and Haun Ventures’ execs talk crypto regulation
TechCrunch / 11h
Welcome back to Chain Reaction. We’re gearing up for the highly anticipated Sam Bankman-Fried trial. As for other news, it’s been an interesting and somewhat slower week for the crypto community.


Where to Stream the Oregon Vs. Stanford Game
Lifehacker / 11h
The Stanford Cardinal and Oregon Ducks are facing off this weekend at Stanford in a lopsided Pac-12 matchup. The Ducks are undefeated this season and are heavy favorites to win—the spread is 17.5 points in Oregon’s favor. Read more...


It's Not Just You and Your Friends: Some Elephants Are Better at Puzzle Solving Than Others
Gizmodo / 11h
Just like people, some elephants might have more of a knack for puzzles than others, new research this week suggests. The study of wild Asian elephants at an animal sanctuary found that only some were willing and able to solve a puzzle box that offered food as a reward, and even fewer cracked all three types of… Read more...


These flying origami-inspired robots change shape in mid-air
34Engadget / 11h
Scientists at the University of Washington have developed flying robots that change shape in mid-air, all without batteries, as originally published in the research journal Science Robotics. These miniature Transformers snap into a folded position during flight to stabilize descent. They weigh just 400 milligrams and feature an on-board battery-free actuator complete with a solar power-harvesting


H&R Block, Meta, and Google Slapped With RICO Suit, Allegedly Schemed to Scrape Taxpayer Data
24Gizmodo / 11h
Anyone who has used H&R Block’s tax return preparation services in recent years may have unintentionally helped line Meta and Google’s pockets. That’s according to a new class action lawsuit which alleges the three companies “jointly schemed” to install trackers on the H&R Block site to scan and transmit tax data back… Read more...


How To Apply For Chase Ink Business Credit Cards
One Mile at a Time / 11h
Link: Apply now for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card , Ink Business Cash® Credit Card , or Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Chase has some of the all around best credit cards, in terms of the welcome bonuses, return on spending, and perks. In particular, the issuer has some of the best business credit cards out there. These include the following: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card


Honda's first all-electric SUV has 300-mile range and starts in the 'upper $40,000s'
100+Engadget / 11h
Honda has revealed more details about its all-electric Prologue SUV. The EV will have a listed range of 300 miles when the first deliveries arrive in early 2024. The automaker says the vehicle’s MSRP is “expected to start in the upper $40,000s” before subtracting any available incentives or tax credits. The Prologue’s pricing puts its entry point well above rival SUVs like the Volkswagen ID.4 , H



How Delta Air Lines Will Keep Their Best Customers From Defecting
View from the Wing / 11h
What Delta forgot about its customers, but has since been reminded: if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out immediately. However, if the frog is placed in tepid water that is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. You're the frog. Continue reading ...


Attention S-Mart Shoppers: All 3 Seasons of Ash vs. Evil Dead Are Coming to Hulu
100+Gizmodo / 11h
In a year that already saw a rather entertaining Evil Dead universe entry in the form of Evil Dead Rise , there’s more good news for fans of the Sam Raimi-created cult horror classic: all three seasons of the late, great Starz series Ash vs. Evil Dead are coming to Hulu October 1. Read more...


Cruise line to teens: Stay out of this area on our ships
50The Points Guy / 11h
In response to requests from some of its most loyal cruisers, Royal Caribbean has changed the age limit for the Solarium, the adults-only sun deck and pool area on its ships. The minimum age, which for years has been set at 16, will now be raised to 18. In a statement, Royal Caribbean said the changes will go into effect Oct. 1. “At Royal Caribbean International, a key part of delivering memorabl


Do I need to wear a mask on my cruise? A line-by-line guide
200+The Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information. Since cruising resumed post-pandemic, I’ve been on more than 30 sailings, and I have several more planned. At this point, cruise lines have eased restrictions such that wearing a mask is largely optional. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allowed its voluntary Conditional Sailing Order to expire in January 2022. It


Where to Stream the Penn State Vs. Northwestern Game
Lifehacker / 11h
This Saturday, Penn State is defending its nine-game winning streak when the team travels to Illinois to take on the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten Conference game. Penn State is coming off a shutout victory against the Iowa Hawkeyes, scoring 31 unanswered points in a lopsided week-4 win. Northwestern is even at… Read more...


OpenAI May Be in Big Legal Trouble
71Futurism / 11h
Copyright Conundrum Last week, a number of high-profile authors — including George R. R. Martin of "Game of Thrones" fame and the acclaimed legal novelist John Grisham — filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that its ChatGPT chatbot is infringing their copyright by directly drawing on work. And according to legal experts, they may actually have a decent chance of winning the case. "If anyone i


Twitter/X just fired half of its election integrity team
Mashable / 12h
X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, is making it quite clear that its priorities don't lie in making sure potentially harmful disinformation doesn't spread on its platform. On Thursday, Elon Musk's social media company cut half of its election integrity team, according to a report from The Information . This firings saw X completely gut its Dublin, Ireland-based team, firing all four of it


Medium hints at a nascent media coalition to block AI crawlers
21TechCrunch / 12h
Web publishing platform Medium has announced that it will block OpenAI’s GPTBot, an agent that scrapes web pages for content used to train the company’s AI models. But the real news may be that a group of platforms may soon form a unified front against what many consider an exploitation of their content. Medium joins […]


Relax, Apple’s FineWoven iPhone 15 Case Is Perfectly Fine
49Gizmodo / 12h
If you’re an extremely online Apple user, you’ve probably heard the collective disappointment over the company’s new FineWoven cases for the iPhone 15/15 Pro series. Everyone from Reddit to The Verge to Digital Trends has reasons why you shouldn’t spend $60 on Apple’s case made of recycled materials. It’s a scratch… Read more...


JetBlue becomes the latest airline to guarantee family seating
200+The Points Guy / 12h
Today, JetBlue became the fourth major U.S. airline to guarantee families can sit together when they fly. Following in the footsteps of Frontier Airlines , United Airlines and Alaska Airlines , JetBlue is now in compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s plea that airlines adopt seating policies that allow families to sit together . “We know traveling with young children can add chal


The Hollywood Writers AI Deal Sure Puts a Lot of Trust in Studios to Do the Right Thing
100+Wired / 12h
The Writers Guild of America won important protections, but it's not enough. When the Screen Actors Guild goes to the table, it should fight for more to keep AI from impinging on the work of artists.


An Epic Fight Over What Really Killed the Dinosaurs
21Wired / 12h
A deep learning model has joined a vigorous debate over whether volcanoes began dinosaur doomsday well before the asteroid hit.


Worldcoin doubles down on emerging markets amid wider criticism
TechCrunch / 12h
Naysayers reacted to the hype around Worldcoin with almost the same level of intensity as its backers, but the company is still moving forward with its big plans.


The American War on School Books.
Music, Arts & Literature / 12h
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How to Fix Ugly Nail Pops in Your Walls
Lifehacker / 12h
Drywall is relatively durable and cheap, and looks quite nice if installed and maintained correctly . But it’s also easy to damage while you’re just living your life—and it can even damage itself, most commonly through the appearance of little bumps under the surface known as “nail pops.” (Despite the name, nail pops… Read more...


“Yeah, they’re gone”: Musk confirms cuts to X’s election integrity team
23Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | NurPhoto ) The Elon Musk-owned social network formerly named Twitter has reportedly cut half of its election integrity team just weeks after saying it would expand the group. Now operating under the name X, Musk's firm "is cutting around half of the global team devoted to limiting disinformation and election fraud on the platform, including the head of the group, a


James Cameron Almost Died While Making The Abyss
63Gizmodo / 12h
Whether it’s sinking the Titanic, inventing new technology to make Avatar, or making VFX history with Terminator 2 , filmmaking is never easy for James Cameron. Almost every film he makes raises the bar in some way , usually with wildly successful results. And yet, when that happens no one making the movie is ever… Read more...


Pilot is a social travel hub that uses AI to help you plan, book and share trips
TechCrunch / 12h
Pilot, a Vancouver-based startup, wants to become “the hub of global travel experience” and connect people via travel.


This devious phishing scam makes it look like dodgy emails are actually safe
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Hackers are using the dreaded “zero font” tactic in phishing emails , instilling a false sense of legitimacy in otherwise malicious threats, researchers are saying. Just as the name suggests, zero font is a tactic in which hackers use the size 0 for a font, making certain text invisible to the human eye. At the same time software, and more importantly - antivirus and email protection software - c


Cities: Skylines II will hit PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in spring 2024
42Engadget / 12h
Looks like Cities: Skylines II is truly going to be colossal. The console release of Cities: Skylines II has been delayed to spring 2024, and the game's minimum and recommended PC specs are now slightly more demanding. The PC version of the game will still land on October 24, 2023, as originally planned . Anyone who pre-ordered the game on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S should automatically rec



Book ASAP: Discounted one-way and round-trip flights to Hawaii
35The Points Guy / 12h
Following Southwest’s 50% off sale earlier this week, competitors have launched their own discounted flights to Hawaii . For example, Hawaiian Airlines is now offering one-way flights from the West Coast starting at $62. The Aloha State’s carrier is also selling more expensive yet still discounted flights from major East Coast hubs, including New York . Additionally, round-trip flights from other


Chinese Scientists Ponder Moon Base Inside Ancient Lunar Lava Tube
100+Futurism / 12h
Dig Dug Chinese researchers are investigating the feasibility of having astronauts construct a base inside lava tubes under the lunar surface, an exciting prospect that could one day allow astronauts to establish a more permanent presence on the Moon. Scientists have long suspected that our natural satellite is riddled with intricate systems of hollow, tube-like tunnels, left behind by ancient la


Beyerdynamic releases its first-ever wireless gaming headset
Engadget / 12h
Beyerdynamic is no stranger to the gaming community, as the company’s wired headsets are regularly seen at professional esports events and the like. However, it’s never released a wireless gaming headset, until now. The company just revealed the Beyerdynamic MMX 200 and this headset’s packed with modern features, all without frustrating wires to get in the way. The company says the MMX 200 offers


All the ‘Single-Use’ Household Items You Should Be Re-Using
Lifehacker / 12h
Part of being an adult is feeling the constant need to replenish basic household supplies. One way to combat this loop is to be more mindful about recycling and re-purposing your stuff . But you can go one step further—there are many things we tend to treat as “single-use” that can, in fact, be used more than once.… Read more...


Hyatt enters Airbnb territory with new vacation home booking platform
35The Points Guy / 12h
The hotel industry’s brand-building bonanza continued Thursday with Hyatt adding its latest offering: a short-term vacation rental platform known as Homes & Hideaways by World of Hyatt. The vacation rental platform,