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Friday, December 20, 2024

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Thursday, December 19, 2024

Technology News and More-Thursday Edition...

 Technology News and More..





Apple reportedly cancels plans for iPhone subscription service

Mashable / 1h
Apple has apparently shelved its plans for an iPhone hardware subscription service . It's just as well — the last thing anyone needs in this economy is yet another ongoing expense. Bloomberg reports that Apple is no longer working on its iPhone subscription service, according to sources close to the matter. First rumoured in 2022 , the tech giant's hardware subscription would have given customers




What Internet Fandoms and Communities Can Tell Us About 2025
Wired / 4min
Fashion, stan, and other online spaces offer clues to what will dominate next year in politics—for better or, in some cases, much worse.




Creature Commandos episode 4 reveals the DCU's Justice League for the first time, but its showrunner has a warning for fans who might 'infer' anything from it
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
Creature Commandos episode 4 showed off the DCU's Justice League for the first time DC Comics' most iconic superteam, though, don't appear in the manner you'd expect Showrunner Dean Lorey says fans "shouldn't infer" anything from the brief scene, either Creature Commandos episode 4 has handed us a first look at the DC Cinematic Universe's ( DCU ) Justice League, but not in the way many would've p





Digital twins of human organs are here. They’re set to transform medical treatment.
MIT Technology Review / now
A healthy heart beats at a steady rate, between 60 and 100 times a minute. That’s not the case for all of us, I’m reminded, as I look inside a cardboard box containing around 20 plastic hearts—each a replica of a real human one. The hearts, which previously sat on a shelf in a lab in West London, were generated from MRI and CT scans of people being treated for heart conditions at Hammersmith Hosp




AI-powered phones are the future — the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is $250 off
Mashable / now
SAVE $250: As of Dec. 18, Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (128 GB) is available for $849 at Amazon — a 23% discount from its regular price of $1,099. Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (128 GB) $849.00 at Amazon $1,099.99 Save $250.99 Google has outdone itself with the Pixel 9 Pro XL , the latest flagship smartphone that's a dream for photographers, multitaskers, and anyone who want




Save $50 on the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) at Amazon
Mashable / now
SAVE $50 : As of Dec. 19, the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) is on sale at Amazon for $79.99. This deal saves you 38% on the list price. Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) $79.99 at Amazon $129.00 Save $49.01 If a new iPad stylus has been on your wishlist for some time, now is the time to buy. Amazon's Daily Deals has treated us to another bargain, this time on the Apple Pencil (2




The Apple iPad (10th Gen) is at its lowest-ever price — better than Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Mashable / now
SAVE $99 : As of Dec. 19, the Apple iPad (10th Gen) is on sale for $249.99 with a clip-on coupon at Amazon. This is the lowest-ever price for this model, and cheaper than Black Friday. Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad (10th Gen) $249.99 at Amazon $349.00 Save $99.01 Christmas is fast approaching and if you're still looking for gifts for loved ones, look no further than Amazon's Dail




The roborock Q5 DuoRoller+ robot vacuum is at its lowest-ever price
Mashable / now
SAVE $80 : As of Dec. 19, the roborock Q5 DuoRoller+ is on sale for $279.99 at Amazon. That's a 22% saving on list price. Opens in a new window Credit: roborock roborock Q5 DuoRoller+ $279.99 at Amazon $359.99 Save $80.00 If a robot vacuum has long been on your wishlist, we don't doubt you've been following the sales and tracking discounts. While they are fantastic products, they certainly have a




Get a great pair of JBL earbuds for under $50
Mashable / now
SAVE $50 : As of Dec. 19, the JBL Tune Flex are on sale for $49.95 at Amazon. That's a 50% saving on the list price. Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Tune Flex $49.95 at Amazon $99.95 Save $50.00 If you're looking for a new pair of noise-canceling earbuds but don't want to break the bank, we have just the pair for you. A new pair doesn't need to cost hundreds of dollars, in fact, you can gra




Surprising: The Woodward Geneva Rebrands As Auberge


One Mile at a Time / 24min
One of Geneva’s best luxury hotels is changing the hotel group it’s affiliated with, and I can’t help but find this to be an unusual development. The Woodward Geneva ditches Oetker Collection for Auberge Last year I stayed at The Woodward Geneva , an incredible boutique all-suite city hotel, with just 26 keys. The property had only opened in late 2021, belonging to Oetker Collection. This is simp




NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for December 19, 2024
Mashable / 38min
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times ' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe. With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it. So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustr




13 Habits of Highly Effective Risk-Takers
Wired by Nate Silver / Dec 19, 2024 at 1:12 AM//
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From poker players to venture capitalists, there’s a mindset to making the most of opportunities, and engineering the odds of success.


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Bankrupt Air Belgium Sold For $844K, Rebranded As Air One Belgium
80One Mile at a Time / 1h
As longtime OMAAT readers can attest to, I’ve long been obsessed with Air Belgium, an airline that launched passenger operations between Charleroi and Hong Kong back in 2018. The airline never made much sense to me, and for that matter, never actually turned a profit. The company has essentially been on the brink of liquidation since shortly after it launched operations, though somehow always man




BlueQubit raises $10M to take Quantum software into real-world applications
TechCrunch / 2h
Integrating quantum computing into real-world computer applications is an ongoing problem, as the platforms are architected fundamentally differently. BlueQubit, a San Francisco-based quantum software startup founded by Stanford alumni, thinks it might have the answer. Its Quantum Software as a Service (QSaaS) platform attempts to tackle the above problem by providing end-users with access to […]




Supporting business resiliency for all working policies
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
With the news that several large corporations such as Amazon are insisting their employees return to the office full time, it could be thought that the hybrid working revolution was merely a blip caused by lockdown necessity. It remains to be seen whether this reversion will be successful or whether it will cause another wider adjustment as employees seek the employment that best reflects their n





Indian startups raised 32% fewer rounds in 2024 as VCs got selective
TechCrunch / 2h
Indian startups raised 32% fewer funding rounds in 2024 compared to last year, according to data intelligence platform Tracxn, signaling that investors are being more selective when striking deals. The number of startup funding rounds fell to 1,448 compared to 2,114 last year, but overall funding rose 6% to $11.3 billion ($10.7 billion in 2023) […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For pers




Never pay for cloud storage again with 1TB at your disposal for a lifetime — now £48
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: Get 1TB of cloud storage with a lifetime subscription to FolderFort for just £47.65 (reg. £199.93) ahead of Christmas 2024. Opens in a new window Credit: FolderFort FolderFort 1TB Cloud Storage Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription £47.65 at the Mashable Shop £199.93 Save £152.28 In the early days of Google Drive, it felt like your free cloud storage would never run out of space, but eventually




How to watch Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls online
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: Live stream Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics in the NBA with FuboTV , Sling TV , or YouTube TV . The Chicago Bulls head to TD Garden to face the Boston Celtics in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Bulls are having a sub-par season so far, with a 12-15 record, which lands them in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics, on the other hand, are 21-5 and in second place. Chicago ha




How to watch Broncos vs. Chargers online for free
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: Live stream Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Chargers for free with a 30-day free trial of Prime Video . NFL Week 16 action continues with a game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers. The Broncos are 9-5 overall, but are nowhere close to overtaking the Chiefs who are atop the AFC West division at 13-1. The Chargers are right beneath the Broncos at 8-6. The Broncos are coming o




World's first Bitcoin nation scales back crypto dream
BBC News / 5h
El Salvador has eased its pro-cryptocurrency policies to help secure a $1.4bn loan from the IMF.




Search for alternative to WordPress surges worldwide amidst rift between WP-Engine and Matt Mullenweg
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Tensions between WP Engine and Mullenweg drive user curiosity Users worldwide show rising interest in website builder alternatives Ongoing conflict highlights the risks of relying solely on WordPress Global search interest for WordPress alternatives has surged dramatically as the conflict between WP Engine and Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, intensifies Data from Go




NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 19, 2024
Mashable / 6h
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




Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 19
Mashable / 6h
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Su




Now AI can keep you alive after you’re gone, and it’s as creepy as it sounds
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
A company called Life's Echo is using AI and in-depth interviews to create interactive simulations of people when they pass away. They clone your voice to make effective 'digital ghosts' full of information about your life. Post-death AI mimics are slowly becoming more prevalent, but Life's Echo is more comprehensive than most. Imagine going to a family reunion and reminiscing about a loved one w




Japanese Startup’s Second Orbital Launch Attempt Ends in Failure as Kairos Rocket Self-Destructs
41Gizmodo / 7h
As a result of the failure, Japan's private sector has yet to independently place a satellite in Earth orbit.




NYT Strands hints, answers for December 19
Mashable / 8h
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands , the New York Times ' elevated word-search game. Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of




NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 19
Mashable / 8h
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans. Like the original Connections , 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 th




‘We want to pay it forward’: Funding Societies raises $25M to boost capital for SMEs in Southeast Asia
TechCrunch / 9h
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for nearly 50% of Southeast Asia’s GDP, contributing to job creation, innovation, and overall economic expansion. Nevertheless, as in other parts of the world, SMEs in Southeast Asia face challenges when it comes to sufficient working capital. In a nutshell, SMEs are typically deemed too risky for traditional banks […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All right




What a ‘Fart Walk’ Is, and Why You Should Take One Tonight
LifeHacker / 9h
The humble after-dinner walk has a new name, thanks to a TikToker (mairlynthequeenoffiber) who spoke frankly to the camera about how taking a “fart walk” will help you “age wonderfully.” Her voiceover has been added to dozens of videos, some funny, some sincere. But most importantly: the fart walk really is a health hack, so maybe you should try it—whether you call it that or not. What is a fart




Get 74% Off the Best VPN + 3 Free Months – Christmas Sale Is Here!
Gizmodo / 9h
Christmas is just around the corner, and NordVPN is already in the holiday spirit. This excellent VPN is offering major discounts on all its plans, giving you the chance to save hundreds effortlessly.




Exclusive: Google’s Gemini is forcing contractors to rate AI responses outside their expertise
38TechCrunch / 9h
Internal guidelines passed down from Google led to concerns that the AI model could be prone to inaccurate outputs on topics like healthcare. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.




Quordle today – my hints and answers for Thursday, December 19 (game #1060)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wor




NYT Connections today — my hints and answers for Thursday, December 19 (game #557)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues. What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today p




NYT Strands today — my hints, answers and spangram for Thursday, December 19 (game #291)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game. SPOILER WARNING: Information




TikTok Influencers Are Wrong About Hackers Stealing Credit Card Information Over AirDrop
LifeHacker / 10h
Before I get started: No, people can’t steal your credit card information using AirDrop. AirDrop doesn’t even know what your credit card number is. In a hoax that’s been spreading around TikTok as of late (the source of the rumor is unclear), viral videos are now saying that hackers can use the iPhone’s AirDrop feature to steal your credit card information from your Apple Wallet. The news was fir




The Best Bluesky Clients Are Actually Made for Mastadon
LifeHacker / 10h
Back when Twitter existed, I loved a Mac application called TweetBot. This was a desktop client that offered a streamlined interface, great keyboard shortcuts, and was just overall less ugly than using Twitter in a browser. Bluesky is growing very quickly now, but there aren't any really great Bluesky clients for the desktop. Sure, we've pointed out a few third-party Bluesky clients , but none th




Amazon’s RTO delays exemplify why workers get so mad about mandates
20Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Amazon announced in September that it will require workers to be in the office five days a week starting in January. Employee backlash ensued, not just because return-to-office (RTO) mandates can be unpopular but also because Amazon is using some of the worst strategies for issuing RTO mandates. Ahead of the mandate, Amazon had been letting many employees work remotely for two days a week, with a




Steam Replay 2024 is available now so you can compare your Balatro playtime with friends
Engadget / 10h
Steam Replay , Valve’s take on Spotify Wrapped for games you’ve played through Steam, is available now for your perusal. Valve’s offered the year-end presentation since 2022, and it can be a pretty revealing glimpse into how time-consuming most games have become in the last two years (or how much one game can really stick in your craw). You can access the data dump directly through the Steam app,




EPA gives thumbs up to California’s new gas-powered car sale ban
40Engadget / 10h
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved California’s plan to phase out and ban the sale of new gas-powered cars and light trucks by 2035. ABC News reported the EPA gave California the waivers it needed to enact the Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations (ACC II) devised and approved by the California Air Resources Board in 2022. The EPA also approved California’s plan to reduce nitroge




NASA Shows Off SUV-Sized "Mars Chopper" With Six Rotor Blades
24Futurism / 11h
Mars Chopper NASA has shown off early rendering s of an enormous Mars Chopper concept, a proposed follow-up to the space agency's groundbreaking Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. The six-rotor monstrosity could turn out to be "the size of an SUV," according to NASA, allowing it to carry science payloads up to 11 pounds across distances of up to 1.9 miles per Mars day. A sleek animation shared by NASA's




Apple's New AirPods Max Are a Worse Deal Than the Old Model
LifeHacker / 11h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you walk into an Apple Store today, an employee will happily sell you a new pair of AirPods Max for $549. That's a big ask for any consumer-grade wireless headphones, even with the "Apple tax" that comes with the AirPods name. What's most egregious to me, however, is that money you spend today gets you an arguably worse overall experience than




Canoo furloughs workers and idles factory as it scrapes for cash
23TechCrunch / 11h
Struggling EV startup Canoo says it has furloughed 82 employees and is idling its factory in Oklahoma while it grasps for the capital needed to survive. The company claims it is in “advanced discussions with various capital sources” to raise emergency funding. The announcement comes just a few days after board member James Chen resigned, […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal us




The TimeCapsule Makes AirTags Last Up to 10 Years
How-To Geek / 11h
Elevation Lab has introduced TimeCapsule, a new device designed to improve the battery life of Apple AirTags. It adds a protective layer around the AirTag and increases the battery life up to around 10 years.




Google Street View Captures a Man Loading a Bag Into a Trunk. Arrests Follow.
1KNYT > Technology / 11h
The image, from northern Spain, showed a man with a white bag in the trunk of a car. The National Police said it helped them solve a missing-person case.




It’s Official: Redeem AAdvantage Miles on Hawaiian Airlines Mainland-to-Hawaii Flights After a 9-Year Hiatus!
View from the Wing / 11h
American Airlines has long partnered with Hawaiian Airlines. Hawaiian has now been acquired by American's 'West Coast Alliance' and oneworld partner Alaska Airlines. And so a change has been made to using American AAdvantage miles on Hawaiian Airlines: you can now redeem AAdvantage miles to fly to Hawaii! . Continue reading ...




Threads' new 'use media' feature is its latest attempt to fight stolen memes and engagement farming
Engadget / 11h
Another day, another new Threads feature. Meta’s app will “ soon ” be rolling out a feature that allows users to re-share photos and videos to their timelines with credit to the original poster but without the original post attached. Once available, users will need to long press on a photo or video from their feed and select “use media.” They’ll then be able to draft a new post with the image of




$2 per megabyte: AT&T mistakenly charged customer $6,223 for 3.1GB of data
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
An AT&T customer who switched to the company's FirstNet service for first responders got quite the shock when his bill came in at $6,223.60, instead of the roughly $260 that his four-line plan previously cost each month. The Texas man described his experience in a now-deleted Reddit post three days ago , saying he hadn't been able to get the obviously incorrect bill reversed despite calling AT&T




Louisiana resident in critical condition with H5N1 bird flu
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
The Louisiana resident infected with H5N1 bird flu is hospitalized in critical condition and suffering from severe respiratory symptoms, the Louisiana health department revealed Wednesday. The health department had reported the presumptive positive case on Friday and noted the person was hospitalized, as Ars reported. But a spokesperson had, at the time, declined to provide Ars with the patient's




Live Captions and Auto Translation Is Coming to More Windows PCs
How-To Geek / 11h
Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 Insider Preview Build to the Dev Channel, which brings real-time translation and live captions to more devices. This was initially available only for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs but is now extended to those using AMD and Intel processors.




Apple is reportedly giving up on plans to turn the iPhone into a subscription
30Engadget / 11h
Apple is shelving its plans to offer the iPhone for a monthly subscription, Bloomberg reports . The company was first said to be exploring a hardware subscription in 2022 , but like the company’s “buy now, pay later” product, Apple Pay Later , it seems like it ultimately proved too problematic. The hardware subscription was rumored to work in a similar way to existing options like the iPhone Upgr




A review of the new Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
The Points Guy / 11h
[circuit type=review circuit_id=”20420186881″] Editor’s note: The Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London provided TPG with a complimentary two-night stay so that we could get an inside look at the hotel and its amenities. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren’t subject to review by the hotel or any external entity. ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY If you didn’t know to be on




W Las Vegas is now open at MGM’s Mandalay Bay complex
58The Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Marriott’s growing partnership with MGM Resorts means one lifestyle hotel brand hits the jackpot while another is leaving Las Vegas. Marriott and MGM Resorts officially debuted the W Hotels brand on the Mandalay Bay campus Wednesday on the Las Vegas Strip. The W Las Vegas occupies the 1,117-suite tower pre




Fake Ledger data breach emails used to trick victims into giving up recovery phrases
IoC > 1 domain•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h•
5 TTPs
New phishing email scam impersonating Ledger spotted The emails claim the user's Ledger wallet seed phrase was compromised, and asks for confirmation Users that provide the seed phrase lose all their money Criminals are trying to steal cryptocurrency by impersonating hardware wallet firm Ledger and sending phishing emails. Victims have reported receiving emails pretending to be from Ledger, and c




NASA Postpones Return of Stranded Starliner Astronauts to March
Wired / 11h
Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams will now come home in March at the earliest, to allow SpaceX and NASA engineers to complete development of a new Crew Dragon spacecraft.




Rivian car dashboard screens now support YouTube and Google Cast
Engadget / 11h
Rivian vehicles now offer more entertainment options with the adoption of Google Cast in the company's cars. When the cars are parked, passengers can use Google Cast to stream from thousands of apps to the dashboard screen. The cars are also getting native apps for YouTube and SiriusXM for playing media directly from the vehicle's larger screen. Rivian is offering all its customers a temporary fr




NASA just jumped online to correct outrageous space station misinformation
Mashable / 11h
Sure, the aging International Space Station has a well-known, ongoing leak . But it's not nearly in danger of imminently crashing. NASA responded to a post on X , formerly Twitter, claiming that the "ISS is going to crash soon via de-orbit," and included a screenshot from a 4chan post with a blurry graph showing altitude data. The space agency likely responded in an attempt to get ahead of a dubi




New Anthropic study shows AI really doesn’t want to be forced to change its views
20TechCrunch / 11h
AI models can deceive, new research from Anthropic shows. They can pretend to have different views during training when in reality maintaining their original preferences. There’s no reason for panic now, the team behind the study said. Yet they said their work could be critical in understanding potential threats from future, more capable AI systems. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For




This minuscule mini PC hides an overclocked AMD Ryzen AI HX 370 and promises to beat Nvidia's RTX 2060 GPU; I can't wait to review it
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
EVO-X1 features AMD Strix Point architecture for enhanced performance Unique cubic design optimizes cooling for high-performance components Expect higher noise levels with increased processing power As mini PCs continue to surge in popularity, companies like GMKtec with its NucBox series have been pivotal in driving demand. The company has now unveiled its first official image of the new EVO-X1,




People Are Making AI Versions of Luigi Mangione That Call for Slaying of More CEOs
400+Futurism / 12h
Character Assassin The sympathetic response to Luigi Mangione , the suspect charged for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , has been described by some commentators as a modern update on a age-old American tradition: mythologizing the heroic outlaw . Well, you can now add "AI chatbot imitators" to that list of modern bonafides. As Forbes reports , over a dozen AI personalities base




Apple Reportedly Abandons Plan for iPhone-as-a-Subscription
24Gizmodo / 12h
The now-dead plan was for people to pay a monthly fee to get a new iPhone every year.




CFPB’s Warning Shot Says Airline Miles Devaluations Are Now Illegal Bait-and-Switch—Just Empty Words From Regulators?
View from the Wing / 12h
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has launched a broadside against credit card rewards programs. I spoke with CFPB's Director, Rohit Chopra about the effort. The agency warns that several aspects of credit card rewards programs - like devaluations - may violate the law, that retail (store) cards are often poor value, and that consumers can be misled by tools that purport to suggest the bes




TikTok will have its day in court, but it's time to ask what we'll do without it
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Of all the arguments TikTok owner ByteDance could've made to retain ownership and still operate in the US, Freedom of Speech might be the weakest and one it's unlikely to win when it argues its case before the US Supreme Court on January 10 . Look, I'm no legal expert, but even I know that one of the benchmarks for measuring if you are somehow infringing on speech is if there are limited avenues




Cool: Redeem American Miles On Hawaiian Airlines Flights Globally
21One Mile at a Time / 12h
This is a super pleasant surprise… American expands award redemptions on Hawaiian American AAdvantage has just rolled out award redemptions on Hawaiian Airlines flights operated globally. Previously, AAdvantage members were able to redeem miles only for flights between Hawaii and international destinations, while redemption opportunities now include travel between the mainland United States and H




Coming soon: Conrad Los Cabos will give Hilton loyalists a new reason to head to Baja
The Points Guy / 12h
Conrad Cabo might be what you called your spring break buddies back in the day, but soon it’ll be where you rally your friends for a luxe vacation in Mexico. Hilton just announced that Conrad Los Cabos is set to open in 2027, and the Baja resort already looks like one you can’t miss. Once open to guests, Conrad Los Cabos will offer 111 impressive rooms measuring at least 500 square feet and offer




Five Ways to Stop Your House From Getting Dusty so Quickly
LifeHacker / 12h
I am constantly battling dust: I live in an old home in a city with less-than-stellar outdoor air quality, and I have a dog who sheds a lot . Dusting feels like a constant chore that I can never get ahead of—and not only is a layer of dust visually unappealing, it can also exacerbate asthma and allergies for some people. Unfortunately, minimizing dust in your house requires both prevention and re




Menlo Ventures and Anthropic have picked the first 18 startups for their $100M fund
TechCrunch / 12h
Just five months after launching a $100 million fund, Menlo Ventures and Anthropic have backed their first 18 startups. And are looking for more. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.




1-800-CHATGPT Is the Weird Christmas Present You Didn't Ask For
How-To Geek / 12h
OpenAI is nearing the end of its "ship-mas" spree. Now, on the 10th day of this Christmas-tinged AI extravaganza, the company is revealing its most outlandish product to date—an information hotline called 1-800-CHATGPT.




What We Do in the Shadows‘ Final Episode Has Some ‘Secret’ Alternate Endings
40Gizmodo / 12h
Here's how you can watch all three versions of the scene (and you must, it's so worth it!) on Hulu.




Amazon Fire TV introduces ‘Dual Audio’ feature for simultaneous listening via hearing aids and TV speakers
TechCrunch / 12h
Amazon announced on Wednesday new accessibility features for Fire TV, including a notable “Dual Audio” capability for the newly launched Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series, which was unveiled in November. The new feature allows one user to listen through a hearing aid while others in the same room can enjoy audio through the TV’s built-in […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use onl




Sabine and Neil deGrasse Tyson Are Wrong About Mars
Next Big Future / 12h
Science Youtuber Sabine Hossenfelder and Neil deGrasse Tyson, Science communicator and astrophysicist claim there is no business case or economic reasons to go to Mars. They also claim there are technological reasons why it cannot happen. They claim Mars cannot be Terraformed for 100s of Years and this would be a show stopper. They claim ... Read more




The Backbone One would be an ideal game controller—if the iPhone had more games
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
In theory, it ought to be as good a time as ever to be a gamer on the iPhone. Classic console emulators have rolled out to the platform for the first time, and they work great. There are strong libraries of non-skeezy mobile games on Apple Arcade and Netflix Games, streaming via Xbox and PlayStation services is continuing apace, and there are even a few AAA console games now running natively on t




CDC Confirms First ‘Severe’ Case of H5N1 Bird Flu in U.S.
35Gizmodo / 12h
The U.S. has seen 61 confirmed human cases to date.




1,117-Room W Hotel Las Vegas Now Open (Delano Rebrand)
56One Mile at a Time / 12h
Several weeks ago, we learned how Marriott’s W Hotels brand would be expanding to Las Vegas , with the rebranding of an existing property. There’s now an update, as this rebranding has taken place. Delano Las Vegas becomes W Hotel In 2023, we saw Marriott and MGM launch a partnership . Not only does this include reciprocal loyalty perks, but it also includes the rebranding of some properties into




Rivian EVs finally get YouTube, Google Cast, and SiriusXM
TechCrunch / 12h
Rivian has released a new software update to its vehicles that brings some long-awaited apps to its in-vehicle experience. Owners who update their R1S SUV or R1T pickup truck can now use YouTube (while parked) or SiriusXM (with a subscription). The company is also adding Google Cast functionality. That also can only be used while […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.




AI Image Generators Explained: How They Work and What They Can Do
How-To Geek / 12h
AI-generated images are everywhere now, and the very best of them look so good you'd never know they were made by a machine and not by a human. But, how is this possible? The answer to how AI image generation works is both simple, and very complicated.




California can ban new gas cars starting in 2035, EPA says
TechCrunch / 12h
California’s phase out would begin in 2026, when the state will require 35% of automakers’ sales to be zero emissions vehicles. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

No Agenda Newsletter

 

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No Agenda News 1722

Incredible Show Tomorrow
Dear Producer, 

Tomorrow you'll hear a hair-raising Covid show which should remind everyone as to how the entire sketchy moment in American history unfolded. The destructive nature insofar as business, commerce, education and public health is concerned is frightening. You do not want to miss this show.

The show returns to the live format on the Sunday before Christmas. Please support these efforts in any way you can. The most popular way is the random value for value donation of any amount whatsoever. To contribute click here to use PayPal or click here to use Stripe as your credit card processor.. Every dime helps the show.

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Tomorrow's Show

You'll fully understand the Covid moment in US History and understand the underpinnings and intense malarkey that was thrust on the public forever changing the culture. Ask yourself why anyone is out in the fresh air wearing a mask today breathing in their own effluent CO2? The damage is done. Great show tomorrow.

Photo o Fauci and Birks.

The Democrat Lament

The Democrat political party is still struggling with the outcome of the Presidential election and trying to understand what happened. This has become comical. The theme they've settled on was message delivery saying they themselves did a poor job of delivering the message that the party wanted to convey.

This is wrong by definition since the party had both the corporate mainstream media and Hollywood to tell the story and deliver the message. How can you do better than that? You can't, so you must look for a different excuse which is not happening.

The problem was not message delivery, but the message delivered. The message was a mess. Trump is Hitler. Republicans are Fascists. The border is secure. There is no inflation. Electric cars are good for you. Kamala is qualified. Joe is Mt. Rushmore great. Children should be taught gender ideology. There are 75 genders. Pronouns matter. Equity is more important that equality. Men can get pregnant. On and on and on. None of this has any appeal no matter how good the “messaging.”

So instead of looking at the crackpot, often Marxist, notions that the extremists in the party are promoting, they are sticking with the crazed nonsense and focusing on the way the ideas are presented. The “messaging,” as it were.

You have to note that the laundry list of ideas above is the tip of an iceberg of insanity that will sink the party if they do not change course and they are not changing course.

Bumper sticker telling women to divorce Republican husbands.

BlueSky Hating on Trump

A visit to the Twitter/X alternative for liberals called BlueSky is wild insofar as funny memes are concerned. It's hard to say how it happened, but the liberals, as a whole, have lost their collective sense of humor. Everyone knows this, and it is exaggerated by the inability to produce poignant or funny memes. Attempts are lame or immature. Here are today's memes slamming Trump from the BlueSky perspective. And this is an honest selection.

Anti-Trump Memes of the Week
Pink KKK uniorm. Meme says it was dyed by a MAGA hat.
Meme claiming RFKjr wants to bring back polio.
Meme lying about Trump to condemn him.
Symbols o hate through the centuries.
Support No Agenda Today
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Sincerely,
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& Adam C. Curry

PS Checks should be sent directly to the No Agenda Show, Box 339, El Cerrito CA 94530. Your support means everything.
Hypocrite of the Week
Hypocrite Hakeem Jeffries says inflation is no big deal, then says it is a big deal.
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Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Technology News and More-Wednesday Edition...

 Technology News and More...




Apple accused of using conflict minerals
200+BBC News / 2h
The tech giant says it "strongly disputes" the claims and it is "deeply committed to responsible sourcing" of minerals.




This might be the date Samsung launches its Galaxy S25 phones
Mashable / 1h
Listen, it's no big secret that Samsung typically launches new flagship phones in late January. But now we know the exact date, thanks to leaker Evan Blass who somehow got a hold of an official invite for the next Galaxy Unpacked launch, and it's happening on January 22, 2025. Blass shared one image which appears to show the edges of four phones, indicating that that's how many new phones Samsung




What to do if your vacuum cleaner smells like burning
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
If your vacuum cleaner smells like burning, it's a sign something mechanical has gone wrong. This can be dangerous, so it's important not to just ignore it. In this article, we'll explain exactly what you should do if you smell burning when using your vacuum cleaner. If you're not confident undertaking these steps yourself, you should enlist the help of a professional, book your vacuum in for a s





Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Update 2 fixes a bunch of frustrating bugs and improves global illumination on Xbox
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9min
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's latest patch has been released Update 2 addresses a series of gameplay bugs and a save file issue Xbox players should now find a dramatic improvement to global illumination MachineGames has released a new patch for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle that addresses a number of quality-of-life issues. The developer detailed the new changes in the Update 2 patch




Capital One Venture X Personal Vs. Business: Which Is Better?
96One Mile at a Time / 12min
Link: Apply now for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Business Capital One has an impressive premium card portfolio, as the issuer has both the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ( review ) and Capital One Venture X Business ( review ). In this post I thought it would be interesting to compare the personal and business card. While the cards have a lot i




Calm down everyone, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse's directors reveal doesn't mean what you think it does
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17min
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse 's directing team has been revealed One of its producers has debunked a wild fan theory about the film's production The animated movie series' final entry has been in development for some time Sony has finally confirmed who's directing Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse – and one of the movie's producers has already had to debunk a wild fan theory about its pr




The rumored Fujifilm X-E5 is the camera I'm most excited about in 2025 –here's why
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17min
New rumors predict that a Fujifilm X-E5 camera will launch in mid-2025 The X-E series are compact rangefinders with large APS-C sensors Separate rumors predict that a new X-Pro model won't land in 2025 It's that time of year again – not just for panicked Christmas shopping, but for the camera rumors to go into overdrive ahead of the new year. And of all the speculation I've seen for 2025 so far,




It looks like the Nvidia App could be doing more harm than good by tanking game performance – but there’s a fix
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17min
The Nvidia App has been out for just over a month now – it’s Team Green’s replacement for GeForce Experience – but the new software is reportedly slowing down gaming performance for some folks. A user named Sebastian Castellanos on X flagged up this issue, noting that with the Nvidia App installed, their gaming PC was being slowed down to the tune of 15%, and also suffering “horrendous” frametime




The Samsung Galaxy S25 launch poster has just leaked, along with photos of the S25 Plus


TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17min
A leaked poster advertising the Samsung Galaxy S25's launch lists January 22 as the date We've also seen a trio of leaked photos supposedly showing the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus And official marketing names for every Samsung Galaxy S25 color have leaked We were already almost certain the rumored Samsung Galaxy S25 would be announced on January 22, and now that date has been all but confirmed by a l




Two of the Pixel Watch 3's best Fitbit features are coming to older models
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17min
The Pixel Watch 3 introduced new Cardio Load and Target Load tracking The features are designed to prevent over- or under-training Google has now rolled out the features to other Pixel Watch models and a raft of Fitbits If you've got a Google Pixel Watch 2 or Pixel Watch 1, or any of the best Fitbit trackers or smartwatches, it just got a major upgrade in the form of Cardio Load and Target Load.




UK Government reveals all on its new bid to boost AI Security Research
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 17min
Laboratory for AI Security Research holds its first meeting The public-private partnership sees collaboration from academia, industry and government agencies The lab will conduct research into AI vulnerabilities and safeguards The UK’s Laboratory for AI Security Research is gradually taking shape, with delivery partners of the £8 million public-private partnership meeting for the first time. The




Act fast: The Lenovo Legion Go gets a $200 price drop for one day only at Best Buy
Mashable / 21min
SAVE $200: As of Dec. 18, the Lenovo Legion Go gaming handheld (1TB SSD, AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme) is on sale for $549.99. That's $200 off its original price of $749.99. Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Legion Go 8.8-inch 144Hz WQXGA Gaming Handheld $549.99 at Best Buy $749.99 Save $200.00 Who says Cyber Monday is the last day for deals? Best Buy is spreading a little extra holiday cheer t




Onboard AI is the future, and $600 off the HP OmniBook Ultra is a great deal
Mashable / 21min
SAVE $600: As of Dec. 18, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14-inch 2.2K Copilot+ laptop is on sale for $899.99 at Best Buy. That’s a $600 discount from its regular price of $1,499.99. Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP OmniBook Ultra 14-inch 2.2K Copilot+ Laptop $899.99 at Best Buy $1,499.99 Save $600.00 If you’ve been on the hunt for a laptop that’s equal parts powerful and future-ready, look no further t




The powerful Anker Prime portable charger is 40% off
Mashable / 21min
SAVE $52: As of Dec. 18, Anker Prime 20,000mAh portable charger is available for $77.99 at Amazon. That's a 40% discount off its list price of $129.99. Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Prime Portable Charger $77.99 at Amazon $129.99 Save $52.00 Portable power has never been more essential. Every road warrior and frequent flyer forgets to charge their phone overnight. Anker Prime 20,000mA




What a NASA spacecraft saw at a robots grave from orbit
Mashable / 21min
For the past two years, a NASA spacecraft has sat lifeless on the surface of Mars , its solar panels caked with dirt. From a vantage point in space , the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recently caught a glimpse of the dormant InSight lander . The new images are not only a last goodbye to the lander but capture the incredibly turbulent nature of dust storms on the Red Planet. Despite the fact that In




Get ready for these scams in 2025
Mashable / 21min
Hari Ravichadran, founder and CEO of the online safety product Aura, recently got a front-row seat to a sophisticated scam designed to turn him into a victim of fraud. He and his team are regularly targeted by scammers, but this scheme was so well-conducted that it gave the normally skeptical Ravichadran pause. The play went like this: A scammer seemingly stole someone's identity and used it to s




Say goodbye to running out of space with FileJumps 2TB cloud solution on sale
Mashable / 21min
TL;DR: Get 2TB of lifetime cloud storage with FileJump for $79.97 and access your files anytime, anywhere. Managing your growing collection of files — including 50,000 pictures of your dog sleeping — doesn’t have to be a headache. FileJump’s 2TB lifetime cloud storage for $79.97 offers an easy, secure way to keep everything from work projects to personal photos in one place without having to part




Bring your ideas to life with lifetime access to this powerful diagramming tool
Mashable / 21min
TL;DR: Own Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 for Windows for $79.97 and transform how you visualize and present ideas . Explaining complicated ideas can feel impossible when words just don’t cut it. That’s where Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 steps in. Whether you’re mapping workflows, designing IT systems , or just trying to make sense of a project, Visio helps you turn chaos into clean, prof




Store it all forever with a 1TB cloud plan for just $120
Mashable / 21min
TL;DR: Get 1TB of Koofr lifetime cloud storage for $119.97 and simplify your file management forever. Opens in a new window Credit: Koofr Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB) $109.97 $810.00 Save $700.03 Get 1TB of Koofr lifetime cloud storage for just $119.97 (reg. $810). What you get with your storage plan: A full terabyte of storage for your photos , videos, documents, and more Wor




Charge every device you own with one clever $25 gadget
Mashable / 21min
TL;DR: Simplify charging with the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC Charger for $24.99 (reg. $44) — designed for versatility and portability. Opens in a new window Credit: Mutant Design Lab GoCable: The Ultimate 8-in-1 EDC Charger $24.99 $44.99 Save $20.00 Simplify charging with the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC Charger on sale for just $24.99 (reg. $44). What you get with your versatile charger: Designed with USB-A, USB-




I love massive TV discounts, and the Sony BRAVIA XR 4K is over $1,000 off for a limited time
Mashable / 21min
SAVE $1,100: As of Dec. 18, Sony 75-inch BRAVIA XR X93L 4K Mini LED Smart TV is on sale for $1,398 at Walmart. That’s $1,100 off its usual price of $2,498. Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony BRAVIA XR X93L $1,398.00 at Walmart $2,498.00 Save $1,100.00 Ready to upgrade your home theater game? The Sony 75-inch BRAVIA XR X93L 4K Mini LED Smart TV is here to make all your entertainment dreams co




These squirrels are cold-blooded vole killers
Ars Technica - All content / 29min
They seem so sweet and innocent but these squirrels are also opportunistic killers. We think of squirrels as adorably harmless creatures, admiring their bushy tails and twitchy little noses and the way they cram their cheeks with nuts or seeds to bring back to their nests for later. But the rodents turn out to be a bit more bloodthirsty than we thought. According to a new paper published in the J




AI is changing how we study bird migration
MIT Technology Review / 41min
A small songbird soars above Ithaca, New York, on a September night. He is one of 4 billion birds, a great annual river of feathered migration across North America. Midair, he lets out what ornithologists call a nocturnal flight call to communicate with his flock. It’s the briefest of signals, barely 50 milliseconds long, emitted in the woods in the middle of the night. But humans have caught it




I think AI laptops are the next big thing — the Acer Swift 16 with 3K OLED is $300 off
Mashable / 51min
SAVE $300: As of Dec. 18, the Acer Swift 16 AI-powered laptop is available for $899.99 at Best Buy. That’s $300 off its regular price of $1,199.99. Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Swift 16 $899.99 at Best Buy $1,199.99 Save $300.00 AI-powered productivity has a new name: the Acer Swift 16 AI laptop. And as of Dec. 18, you can snag this sleek powerhouse for just $899.99 at Best Buy , savin




The Edgelord AI That Seduced Marc Andreessen, Then Turned a Famed Shock Meme Into Cryptomillions
Wired / 54min
Truth Terminal started as a techno-modernist art project meant to invite discussion about the applications and potential dangers of autonomous AI agents. Then it took on a life of its own.




Why Democrats’ Version of ‘Stop the Steal’ Isn’t Taking Off
NYT > Technology / 55min
A movement by some Democratic voters to investigate the results of the 2024 presidential election mirrors a push by Republicans in 2020. But it’s struggling.




Today's NYT Connections Hints and Answer for December 18 (#556)
How-To Geek / 57min
Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.




Tech Life: Does the robotaxi have a future?
BBC News / 1h
How tech is transforming the way the world works, learns and plays




Generative AI and Climate Change Are on a Collision Course
Wired / 1h
From energy to resources, data centers have grown too greedy.




AI is burying company web sites in search results, but Otterly.AI thinks it can help
TechCrunch / 1h
Many sites saw their organic traffic decline in 2024, in big part due to the rise of AI-generated search results. Many queries no longer lead to click-throughs, and even when users click, it is hard for companies to get more context on searches made within apps like ChatGPT or Perplexity. The answer to this problem […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.




Bluey is getting a movie, but the series creator is leaving
Mashable / 2h
A Bluey movie is on its way, with everyone's favourite Australian canines headed to the big screen for the first time. Announced on Tuesday , Ludo Studio will produce Bluey 's feature film debut in collaboration with BBC Studios. SEE ALSO: 'Bluey' special episode 'The Sign' has viewers in tears Credit: Ludo Studio Few details have been released regarding what Mum, Dad, Bingo, and Bluey will be ge




XO, Kitty Season 2 trailer sees return of To All The Boys heartthrob Peter Kavinsky
Mashable / 2h
Netflix 's official trailer for XO, Kitty Season 2 is here, catching up with Kitty Song-Covey (Anna Cathcart) as she refocuses for a fresh semester at the fictional Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS). Unfortunately for Kitty, it seems as though her turbulent love life will continue to impede her studious resolutions. SEE ALSO: Why 'XO, Kitty' has the best relationship in the 'To All the Bo





AirDoctor Coupon Code: 25% Off Purifiers
Wired / 3h
Wrap up the year with big savings from AirDoctor, including up to 25% off air purifiers with our promo code.




Threads is testing a post scheduling feature
TechCrunch / 3h
Meta’s social network Threads is experimenting with a feature that will let you schedule posts, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said. Users who will get to test this feature won’t be able to schedule replies. “We want to balance giving people more control to plan their Threads posts while still encouraging real-time conversations,” he said. People […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For perso




Total Wireless Promo Codes & Deals: 50% Off Select Plans
Wired / 3h
Find great deals for Total Wireless, like 50% off select plans, and enjoy big savings.




‘It’s dumb to IPO this year’: Databricks CEO explains why he’s waiting to go public
TechCrunch / 4h
Databricks just closed one of the largest funding rounds ever, raising a staggering $10 billion in fresh capital. Naturally, technology investors were quick to ask what this means for the company’s highly anticipated IPO. During an event in San Francisco on Tuesday night, Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi explained why he’s waiting until at least 2025 […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For perso




Amazon faces US strike threat ahead of Christmas
29BBC News / 4h
The walkout could affect several facilities across the US during the busy holiday season.




Price drop alert: Windows 11 Pro is now just £14.15
Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: Get Windows 11 Pro for only £14.15 (reg. £156.58) and enjoy a secure, stable OS that supports a wide range of hardware and software. Opens in a new window Credit: SmartTrainingLab Microsoft Windows 11 Pro £14.15 £156.58 Save £142.43 Looking for a tried-and-true operating system with solid compatibility , excellent performance, and premium security features—all without breaking the bank? Wi




Protect yourself online with a FastestVPN lifetime pass — now only £20
Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: Through 22 December, this lifetime subscription to FastestVPN covers up to 10 devices and is on sale for just £19.66 (reg. £283.44) at the Mashable Shop. In today's interconnected digital world, safeguarding your online privacy is a proactive measure that's simply par for the course. And lucky for all of us, there are tools available to make it easy. FastestVPN is a virtual private network




10 of the best AWS courses you can take online for free
Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: A wide range of Amazon Web Services courses are available to take for free on edX . Do you know all about Amazon Web Services ? You probably use some aspect of AWS, but do you really know how to harness this technology? If not, you can address this knowledge gap without spending anything. AWS is the world’s most comprehensive cloud platform, offering storage, databases, analytics, networki




How to live stream Real Madrid vs. Pachuca for free
Mashable / 5h
TL;DR: Live stream Real Madrid vs. Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final for free on FIFA+ . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . Imagine winning the FIFA Derby of the Americas and the FIFA Challenger Cup, and your reward is Real Madrid . Pachuca battled for a spot in the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, only to be matched up with Real M




India’s MobiKwik surges 82% in market debut
TechCrunch / 5h
Shares of digital payments firm MobiKwik surged 82% to ₹507.5 ($6) on their first day of trading as The Indian fintech’s $69 million IPO comes amid fierce competition from larger rivals, and it pushes MobiKwik’s market value to $464 million, well above its initial target of $250 million. This remains substantially lower than the $924 […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use on




Meta wants to work with the US government to deploy its Llama AI technology across multiple agencies
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Meta to partner with the US government to deploy Llama AI No financial gain, but strategic benefits for Meta's AI Llama 4 promises advancements in reasoning and speed Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is looking to further position itself as a key player in the political space with a major new wide-ranging government partnership. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has claimed Meta i




Apple Maps' Look Around is now available on the web
Engadget / 7h
You can now access Apple's answer to Google Street View on the web. As 9to5Mac reports, Apple has enabled Look Around for the beta version of Apple Maps on the web , letting you literally look around and explore the cities where it's available. The company has a full list of "Look Around" locations on its website, and it includes select cities in the US, Japan and several countries in the Europea




NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 18, 2024
Mashable / 7h
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




Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 18
Mashable / 7h
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Su




NYT Strands hints, answers for December 18
Mashable / 7h
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands , the New York Times ' elevated word-search game. Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of




TSMC Assures Musk of Chip Supply for Teslabot
Next Big Future / 7h
Elon Musk received assurances from TSMC Chairman CC Wei that they would be able to supply the volume of chips needed for the Teslabot. If this this is accurate then it is to ensure AI5 chips in quantities for Teslabot that are beyond the 5-10 million chips needed for new cars in the 2026-2028 timeframe. ... Read more




NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 18
Mashable / 7h
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans. Like the original Connections , 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 th




Air Canada’s Aeroplan program: The ultimate guide to earning and redeeming points
The Points Guy / 9h
Editors note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information Air Canada’s Aeroplan program flies under the radar, but it is one of the most valuable and rewarding Star Alliance airline programs. The Aeroplan program is the loyalty program offered by Canada’s largest airline, Air Canada . It allows travelers to earn and redeem points for various travel-related rewards. Aeroplan s




LG’s new wireless QNED 4K TV takes a page from the LG OLED TV playbook
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
LG has announced its 2025 QNED TV lineup in advance of CES 2025. QNED TVs will be available in 40 to 100-inch screen sizes. One model, the QNED9M, will support a True Wireless connection to LG's Zero Connect box. We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart hom




This Beats Pill Speaker Is $50 Off Right Now, and It'll Arrive Before Christmas
LifeHacker / 10h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Christmas is a week away, and that present-ordering deadline is nearly upon us. If you're looking for a last-minute gift idea for something that will arrive in time to be wrapped, consider the new Beats Pill speaker . It is down to $99.99 (originally $149.95), the lowest pr




How Facebook restricted news in Palestinian territories
500+BBC News / 10h
Palestinian news outlets have seen a steep drop in audience engagement since October 2023.




Report: Elon Musk failed to report movement required by security clearance
21Ars Technica - All content / 10h
A new investigation from The New York Times suggests that SpaceX founder Elon Musk has not been reporting his travel activities and other information to the Department of Defense as required by his top-secret clearance. According to the newspaper, concerns about Musk's reporting practices have led to reviews by three different bodies within the military; the Air Force, the Office of the Under Sec




Seagate teases its first HAMR-based hard drive
Engadget / 10h
A new hard drive based on the long-promised heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology is almost here. Tom’s Hardware reported that a new sales page popped up on the Seagate website announcing a new Exos M 30TM and 32TB hard disk drive (HDD) featuring 3TB per platter with three times the power efficiency per terabyte compared to other hard drives. The new hard drive is based on Seagate’s




Trump Disgusted by Public’s Support for CEO Killer Suspect
500+Futurism / 10h
Not a Fan President-elect Donald Trump has finally spoken out about the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. During a news conference this week — nearly two weeks after Thompson was gunned down in the streets of Manhattan — Trump suggested that there's either something wrong with people valorizing Mangione — or something wrong with the media reporting on that public reaction. "How peopl




Quordle today – my hints and answers for Wednesday, December 18 (game #1059)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wor




NYT Connections today — my hints and answers for Wednesday, December 18 (game #556)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues. What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today p




NYT Strands today — my hints, answers and spangram for Wednesday, December 18 (game #290)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game. SPOILER WARNING: Information




Paul McCartney cautions against AI in music despite success of AI-enhanced Beatles song
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Paul McCartney has spoken up to warn about the dangers of unregulated AI to future musicians. The comments stand out after AI assisted the production of the Grammy-nominated song 'Now and Then'. UK lawmakers are set to protecting creators from unauthorized use of their art for training AI models. Paul McCartney doesn’t want to let AI completely drown out human musicians just yet. Ahead of a debat




Without ‘Ugly Sonic,’ There’d Be No Sonic Movie Franchise
38Gizmodo / 10h
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 opens in theaters this week.




I Tried the Trtl Travel Pillow and Won’t Travel Again Without It
LifeHacker / 11h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. I’m an expert at whiling away the hours on a plane. I can distract myself, even in a confined space—reading, watching movies, or thinking thoughts. I can even find pleasure in the tiny bland meal served on an airplane. What I’ve never been good at, though, is in-flight sleep. It doesn’t seem fair that only the folks in lay-flat seats get to enjoy




This new free AI chatbot protects Discord users with AI technology to identify potential scams
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
AI-driven chatbot analyzes content for malicious intent instantly Users can verify suspicious links, texts, and QR codes Scamio offers personalized recommendations to enhance user safety Bitdefender has launched Scamio, a free AI-powered chatbot designed to protect Discord users from scams in real time. The platform analyzes content for signs of malicious intent and offers tailored recommendation




OpenAI gifts developers with enhanced voice and reasoning models
Mashable / 11h
OpenAI announced numerous new options for developers who use their technology to build products and services, promising the upgrades will "improve performance, flexibility, and cost-efficiency." In their live announcement today — which suffered from audio problems — the OpenAI team first highlighted changes to OpenAI o1, the company's reasoning model that can "handle complex multi-step tasks," ac




'Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance' servers will shut down in February
Engadget / 11h
Wizards of the Coast is shutting down the online servers for Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance early next year. According to the updated store listings , the game will no longer be available for purchase and its servers will go down for good on February 24, 2025. "The base game and all DLC are still available to play in offline single player by anyone who currently owns it," the notice from the c




Here’s What the Bluey Movie Means for the Future of the Show
Gizmodo / 11h
Fans are eagerly anticipating seeing the Heeler family on the big screen in 2027.




Trump Planning to Cut Funding for EVs and Chargers
85Futurism / 11h
Cord Cutters President-elect Donald Trump is hellbent on reversing any progress current president Joe Biden has made by extending the national electric vehicle charging network. According to a document obtained by Reuters , Trump's transition team is recommending to cut off any federal funding for both EVs and chargers, while actively blocking any cars or EV batteries coming from China. The plan




Five Last-Minute Gifts Under $50 for Your Techy Friends
LifeHacker / 12h
We may earn a commission from links on this page. As someone who tests smart-home technology, I have a house full of robots and sensors. In fact, there’s always a stack of boxes of things waiting to be tested In my home. Despite my access to all of this fun tech, there are still some items that I’d love to add to my daily routine. If you’re still trying to figure out what to get the tech lover in




The AirTag 2 Will Supposedly Have Triple the Range
LifeHacker / 12h
We've written quite a bit about why AirTags are useful tools for keeping track of your stuff, from your keys and backpack to your pets and luggage (the location of which you can even share with your airline in the event your bags get lost). These tiny devices use Bluetooth, UWB (ultra-wideband), and NFC to connect with other devices on Apple's Find My network to show you the location of your misp




Govee Discount Codes and Deals: Up to 50% Off
Wired / 12h
For a limited time, score up to 50% off smart appliances when you shop this holiday season at Govee.




The DOJ wants a Perplexity executive to testify in its Google antitrust case
TechCrunch / 12h
The US government is calling on a Perplexity executive to help make its case that Google is a monopolist. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.




Interpol Says People Aren’t Reporting Online Scams for Fear of Being Called Pigs
Gizmodo / 12h
The term "pig butchering" has become a catchall and it's causing victims to keep quiet about crimes.




“Unprecedented” decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts
36Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Teen drug use continued to fall in 2024, extending a dramatic decline spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic that experts expected would reverse now that the acute phase of the global crisis is well over. But, according to data released Tuesday , the number of eighth, 10th, and 12th graders who collectively abstained from the use of alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine hit a new high this year. Use of illic




Nvidia’s new app is causing large frame rate dips in many games
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
When Nvidia replaced the longstanding GeForce Experience App with a new, unified Nvidia App last month, most GPU owners probably noted the refresh and rebranding with nothing more than bemusement (though the new lack of an account login requirement was a nice improvement). Now, testing shows that running the new app with default settings can lead to some significant frame rate dips on many high-e




Pixar’s Upcoming Disney+ Show Win or Lose Removed a Transgender Storyline [UPDATED]
85Gizmodo / 12h
The new, softball-themed animated comedy has removed references to a character's gender.




Grubhub settles with the FTC over adding restaurants without their consent
Engadget / 12h
Grubhub has agreed to pay $25 million to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Illinois Attorney General. The company was accused of a laundry list of sketchy behavior, including misleading customers about delivery charges, deceiving delivery drivers about income and listing restaurants on the platform without consent. Last month, the food delivery startup Wonder bought G




Insight VC describes Databricks’ wild $10B deal and the bad advice the CEO ignored
TechCrunch / 12h
It’s been a wild week for investors clawing their way into Databricks' record-breaking $10 billion fund raising, one of the VCs told TechCrunch. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.




Trump-Aligned Group’s DEI ‘Victory’ Over American Airlines Unravels Under Scrutiny—Here’s What Really Happened
View from the Wing / 12h
America First Legal, which has been led by incoming Trump administration deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, is claiming victory against American Airlines. The organization says American has agreed to "end illegal DEI practices." But is that true? Continue reading ...




Salesforce plans to hire 2,000 people to sell its AI products
TechCrunch / 12h
Cloud software giant Salesforce is looking to hire thousands of new salespeople to sell its AI tools to customers. The company plans to hire 2,000 new sales representatives, according to CNBC, which cited remarks from CEO Marc Benioff at a company event Tuesday. This doubles the hiring plans that Benioff shared with Bloomberg last month. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal us




Threads is working on scheduled posts
Engadget / 12h
Threads is previewing yet another significant new feature before the end of the year. The app will “soon” begin testing the ability for users to schedule posts ahead of time, according to an update from Meta exec Adam Mosseri. Mosseri shared a screenshot of the upcoming feature, which shows a simple