Technology News and More-Thursday Edition...

 Technology News and More...

Earn cashback from Quidco when you plan your next holiday
200+Mashable / 5h
A great anecdote to the winter doldrums? Planning a getaway to somewhere special. By using Quidco , one of the UK's leading cashback sites, users can enjoy earning automatic rewards when making purchases with over 5,000 retailers, potentially saving up to £300 per year. These rewards can build up quickly when you're booking a trip, whether a quick weekend getaway or a long-haul flight to a countr

AI-powered romantic chatbots are a privacy nightmare
100+Ars Technica - All content / 6h
Enlarge (credit: iStock via Getty Images) You shouldn’t trust any answers a chatbot sends you . And you probably shouldn’t trust it with your personal information either. That’s especially true for “AI girlfriends” or “AI boyfriends,” according to new research. An analysis of 11 so-called romance and companion chatbots, published on Wednesday by the Mozilla Foundation , has found a litany of secu


‘I didn't know this existed’: Samsung Galaxy S24 owners have spotted the phone's hidden microphone
23TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Today’s best phones feature more external ports, notches and sensors than you can shake a stick at, so there’s no shame in stumbling on an orifice (sorry) in your device that you didn’t know existed. The best Samsung phones are covered in hard-to-spot openings, and one of the most well-hidden is a camera-specific microphone that’s been a feature of every Samsung Galaxy phone since the Samsung Gal



4 Xbox games are on the way to other platforms, Phil Spencer confirms
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2min
It’s been confirmed that four games that were previously released as Xbox-exclusive titles are on the way to other platforms, although it’s not been explicitly confirmed which ones they are. The news was revealed during the latest Official Xbox Podcast episode today (February 15), in which head of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, president of Xbox, Sarah Bond, and head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt B


Intuitive Machines IM-1 Lunar Lander on 8-Day Journey to the Moon
Next Big Future / 2min
Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander had a good launch today on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The NASA payloads aboard the lander aim to help us learn more about terrain and communications near the lunar South Pole.


Diablo IV will be the first Activision Blizzard title on Xbox Game Pass
Engadget / 2min
The first Activision Blizzard game to join Xbox Game Pass will be Diablo IV , and it's due to land on March 28. The move means Diablo IV will be playable on Xbox and PC at no extra charge to Game Pass members — of which there are 34 million, Xbox announced today. This is just the first step in Xbox's broader plan to offer Activision Blizzard titles in its monthly subscription service, now that Mi


Avelo launches 3 new routes, adds a new city in New York
The Points Guy / 4min
Avelo Airlines has unveiled three new routes which will see the budget carrier double down on one of its crew bases and add a new destination to its route map. The ultra-low-cost carrier, which commenced operations in 2021, will launch a new route this spring from North Carolina’s capital region to New York’s. Starting in May, the carrier will fly twice a week from Raleigh-Durham International Ai


TPG’s 10 commandments of credit card rewards
The Points Guy / 4min
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information. Whether you’re a credit card rewards novice or a full-on expert, there are key tenets to follow. As the saying goes, “Everyone makes mistakes,” and the points and miles game is no exception. Whether you’re brand-new to the hobby or a seasoned pro, the potential for errors is always there. In this guide, I’m sharing m


Xbox will bring four mystery games to other consoles, won't stop making hardware
Mashable / 7min
Well, that was weird. Xbox's big, much-awaited "business update" came to pass on Thursday afternoon in podcast form. After a couple weeks of rumor-mongering alleging that certain Xbox-exclusive titles would start appearing on consoles like PS5 and Switch, Xbox head Phil Spencer confirmed as much in the podcast. However, he didn't confirm exactly what we expected him to confirm. SEE ALSO: Xbox, Sp


OpenAI announces Sora, a wild AI text-to-video model. See it in action.
Mashable / 7min
First text, then images, now OpenAI has a model for generating videos. On Thursday, the makers of ChatGPT and DALL-E announced Sora , a text-to-video diffusion model. As of today, Sora is available to red teamers, or experts who adversarially test the model for harms and risks. Per the announcement, it is also available to a select group or visual artists, designers, and filmmakers "to gain feedb


'Rat Dck' Among Gibberish AI Images Published in Science Journal
Gizmodo / 8min
This week, the scientific journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology published research featuring bogus imagery made with Midjourney, one of the most popular AI image generators . Read more...


AMD and Intel have revealed a host of major security errors — make sure you patch immediately, as it includes a fix for Zenbleed at last
Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (Enterprise T1068)•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9min
AMD and Intel have both released a host of patches fixing some serious security issues affecting their respective hardware offerings. First up, AMD has found and fixed four vulnerabilities that were plaguing different versions of its Zen-based CPUs. The vulnerabilities allow threat actors to, among other things, run malicious code on the targeted devices - but while the company did address the fl


Microsoft says it’s taking four unnamed Xbox games “to the other consoles”
Ars Technica - All content / 17min
After weeks of rumors regarding its strategy regarding Xbox console exclusives, Microsoft announced today that it is "going to take four games to the other consoles." But the company stopped short of announcing what those now non-exclusive games would be, but said that neither Starfield nor Bethesda's upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle would be appearing on other consoles. "The teams tha


Nginx core developer quits project in security dispute, starts “freenginx” fork
Ars Technica - All content / 17min
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) A core developer of Nginx, currently the world's most popular web server, has quit the project, stating that he no longer sees it as "a free and open source project… for the public good." His fork, freenginx , is "going to be run by developers, and not corporate entities," writes Maxim Dounin , and will be "free from arbitrary corporate actions." Dounin is one of th


The Cast of Dune: Part Two Is Bene Gesserving at Its London Premiere
Gizmodo / 26min
No one reads io9 or Gizmodo for any type of educated insight into the world of high fashion. We’re nerds, which is why you come here to learn about the latest and greatest in the world of science fiction . But once in a while, those worlds collide in such a fun way that we just have to expand our boundaries and go full… Read more...


OpenAI Reveals Impressive AI That Generates Photorealistic Video
Futurism / 26min
OpenAI is teasing the capabilities of its new video generator — and honestly, it looks pretty impressive. In a post on X-formerly-Twitter , CEO Sam Altman introduced the text-to-video model, which he said can "create videos of up to 60 seconds featuring highly detailed scenes, complex camera motion, and multiple characters with vibrant emotions." It's unclear what emotions are supposed to be on d


Rumors Swirl That Russia Plans to Launch Space-Based Nuclear Weapon
Futurism / 26min
Cryptic Passage This week, representative and chairman of the House Intelligence Community Michael Turner (R-OH) made cryptic comments calling for president Joe Biden to declassify information about a space-based nuclear weapon, warning of a "national security threat" that's related to a "destabilizing foreign military capability." Sources told ABC News on Wednesday that the comments were likely


You Don’t Need to ‘Eat the Frog’ to Be More Productive
LifeHacker / 27min
A popular productivity method encourages you to start your day by “ eating the frog ”—that is, tackling your biggest, most important task of the day first, then moving through the lesser ones in turn. For many, structuring their to-do list around their greatest responsibility is a good way to stay motivated and ensure top priorities are handled expediently. But not every person works best that wa


Lawmakers revise Kids Online Safety Act to address LGBTQ advocates’ concerns
TechCrunch / 29min
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is getting closer to becoming a law, which would make social platforms significantly more responsible for protecting children who use their products. With 62 Senators backing the bill, KOSA seems poised to clear the Senate and progress to the House. KOSA creates a duty of care for social media […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Deal: Singapore Airlines business class from New York to Frankfurt for just 56,700 miles or 17,500 miles in economy
1KThe Points Guy / 32min
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information. While Singapore Airlines has a reputation for offering an exceptional product, booking long-haul premium-cabin awards isn’t easy. You’ll find some award availability using Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan or Air Canada Aeroplan , but you’ll usually find more availability through Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer . Kris


Google Gemini 1.5 Can Use Entire Movies As Data Input
How-To Geek / 37min
Google has been rapidly updating its Gemini AI, previously known as Google Bard, over the past few months. Today, the company revealed an updated Gemini 1.5 model currently in testing, with the ability to process more information at once and use videos as input.


Xbox confirms four of its games are coming to more popular consoles
Engadget / 38min
Times are a-changing at Xbox. The brand's leaders have confirmed plans to bring more Xbox games to other platforms — that almost definitely means PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Both of those consoles have a far larger install base than Xbox Series X/S, which are estimated to have shipped a combined 27 million units, compared with 54.8 million PS5s and nearly 140 million Switches . On the late


OpenAI’s Video Generator Sora Is Breathtaking, Yet Terrifying
Gizmodo / 38min
OpenAI introduced Sora , its premier text-to-video generator, on Thursday with beautiful, shockingly realistic videos showcasing the AI model’s capabilities. Sora is now available to a small number of researchers and creatives who will test the model before a broader public release, which could spell disaster for the… Read more...


What You Should Look For When Buying a Desktop
Gizmodo / 38min
The struggle is real. Computer buying is a hassle for the uninitiated, and even those who can count off the names of the different Intel chip generations on their fingers and toes might still fall for a lousy deal now and then. I’m here to tell you not to beat yourself up and do the best research possible. We should… Read more...


We Finally Know How Much of That Asteroid OSIRIS-REx Grabbed in Space
Gizmodo / 38min
After opening up that stubborn sample canister, NASA was finally able to weigh the full amount of asteroid bits snagged by its spacecraft more than three years ago. As it turns out, there is plenty of space rock that made its way to Earth. Read more...


How to Turn a Terrible Couch Into a Comfortable Couch
LifeHacker / 41min
Buying furniture is like buying shoes: What feels right for 30 seconds in the store often becomes an uncomfortable mistake once you get it home. A couch is a fundamental part of the living space—it’s where we relax , read, watch TV, even eat dinner. There’s nothing more comforting than being able to drop into a comfortable couch that envelopes you and supports you through whatever activity you’ve


The 11 Most In-Demand Job Skills of 2024 (and How to Develop Them)
LifeHacker / 41min
According to a new report from LinkedIn , some of the most in-demand job skills of 2024 are so-called "people skills," which have become increasingly important as the roles of AI, automation, and other technological advancements continue to expand. While specific skillsets will vary from job to job, those identified in the report are broadly applicable across industries and professions. But knowi


14 of the Best Documentaries to Watch With Your Kids
LifeHacker / 41min
My seven-year-old is obsessed with anything non-fiction, whether it's reality shows about creating things with LEGO or books about shark attacks. To help nurture his interest in real life, I've started looking for documentaries to show him the world around us and keep his attention. Luckily, there are plenty out there to choose from—here are some of my favorites. Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) Given


University of Michigan Is Selling Student Data to AI Companies
Gizmodo / 44min
Wanna buy some student data for your AI? The University of Michigan can help. It seems representatives for the school or its partners are cold-emailing tech workers at Google and other companies, offering data on University of Michigan students to train large language models. The data includes recordings of lectures,… Read more...


A different kind of upgrade: US airports get $1 billion in federal infrastructure funds
The Points Guy / 47min
Airports around the country are about to clear the upgrade list. Nearly $1 billion in grants were awarded by the federal government to 114 U.S. airports on Thursday, part of a push to modernize U.S. infrastructure. The money comes from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure act, which sets aside five years of grant funding to modernize the country’s air travel infrastructure under the Airport Termina


Alaska Airlines MVP elite status: What it is and how to earn it
100+The Points Guy / 47min
In addition to being rewarded with valuable miles, when travelers choose to fly Alaska Airlines and its partner airlines and credit flights to the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan loyalty program , they may qualify for MVP elite status. You can access exclusive and valuable benefits and perks by achieving elite status, enhancing your overall travel experience. Depending on which MVP elite status is a


Spyware startup Variston is losing staff, some say it’s closing
TechCrunch / 51min
In July 2021, someone sent Google a batch of malicious code that could be used to hack Chrome, Firefox, and PCs running Windows Defender. That code was part of an exploitation framework called Heliconia. And at the time, the exploits used to target those applications were zero-days, meaning the software makers were unaware of the […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Crypto VC exits were low in Q4 2023, Phantom MAU’s reach new highs and spot bitcoin ETF volumes are still rising
TechCrunch / 51min
Welcome to TechCrunch Crypto, formerly known as Chain Reaction. This is our fifth edition with of course, regularly scheduled news bits, but also some recurring segments and features. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex 5 Free Nights Welcome Offer
500+One Mile at a Time / 1h
Link: Apply now for the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card We’ve just seen an incredibly lucrative new welcome offer rolled out on the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card , so if this card has been on your radar, now is the time to apply… Earn free night awards with Marriott Amex Business Card The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex has a limited time welcome offer for applic


OpenAI’s new Sora model can generate minute-long videos from text prompts
Engadget / 1h
OpenAI on Thursday announced Sora, a brand new model that generates high-definition videos up to one minute in length from text prompts. Sora, which means “sky” in Japanese, won’t be available to the general public any time soon. Instead, OpenAI is making it available to a small group of academics and researchers who will assess harm and its potential for misuse. “Sora is able to generate complex


First state-level look at long COVID reveals the seven hardest-hit states


Ars Technica - All content / 1h
Enlarge / A woman with Long COVID who is completely bedridden, requiring the use of a wheelchair to move between rooms of her home. (credit: Getty | Rhiannon Adam ) Over four years after SARS-CoV-2's debut, researchers still struggle to understand long COVID, including the ostensibly simple question of how many people have it. Estimates for its prevalence vary widely, based on different study met


Nvidia passes Google’s market cap, now world’s fourth most valuable company
Ars Technica - All content / 1h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Nvidia used to be a gaming GPU company, but the company's value has absolutely skyrocketed thanks to the AI craze and a GPU's value in accelerating AI workloads. A few purpose-built chips later, like the H100 Tensor Core GPU (with a price of $25,000-$40,000!) and A100, and Nvidia's stock is up 50 percent this year. At press time, Nvidia's market cap is now $1.8 tril


Sheraton Still Awful After All These Years, Hilton And Marriott Strategic Moves Revealed In Government Filings
View from the Wing / 1h
Both chains report that 78% of their revenue comes from the U.S. Their international footprints are smaller than you'd think! Marriott has more than twice as much booked liability for hotel award night redemptions as Hilton. But that does not mean "Marriott’s loyalty program generated a far higher total volume of rewards for members than Hilton’s did" since Hilton pays hotels less when members re


New KLM 777 Business Class: Good, But Not Amazing
56One Mile at a Time / 1h
Hello from Johannesburg! I just flew KLM’s new Boeing 777-300ER business class on the 10 hour daytime flight from Amsterdam to Johannesburg. While I’ll have a full trip report soon, in this installment I wanted to share my initial thoughts. I was looking forward to this flight, given that KLM has been retrofitting its Boeing 777s with new business class seats featuring doors. I hadn’t flown a KLM


Apple Vision Pro now has a native TikTok app
Engadget / 1h
The Apple Vision Pro is officially two weeks old, and the apps are starting to roll in. TikTok was conspicuously absent on launch day, but now our long national nightmare has come to an end. The Vision Pro has a native TikTok app. This isn’t just the iPad app with a new coat of paint. There are some neat features here that take advantage of Apple’s well-regarded and prohibitively-expensive headse


OpenAI’s newest model Sora can generate videos — and they look decent
TechCrunch / 1h
OpenAI, following in the footsteps of startups like Runway and tech giants like Google and Meta, is getting into video generation. OpenAI today unveiled Sora, a GenAI model that creates video from text. Given a brief — or detailed — description or a still image, Sora can generate 1080p movie-like scenes with multiple characters, different […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal u


Apple confirms it’s breaking iPhone web apps in the EU on purpose
TechCrunch / 1h
Well, it turns out it’s not a bug that broke iPhone web apps, also known as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), in the EU. Following developer complaints and press reports about how PWAs were no longer functional in the EU after installing the most recent iOS betas, Apple has updated its website to explain why. No […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


The most unusual new cruise ship of the decade: Why Sea Cloud Spirit is a vessel you’ll want to try
The Points Guy / 1h
It might just be the most spectacular show in all of cruising. Standing on the teak-lined top deck of Sea Cloud Spirit, the glorious new sailing ship from Sea Cloud Cruises, I am watching 18 sure-footed deckhands scurrying about high in the rigging to unfurl the sails — or sheets, as they like to say on vessels like this. From my perch, the crew members look like frenzied ants bumping around a re


Hugos Apologize for 'Damage' Caused by 2023 Awards Controversy
Gizmodo / 1h
You’d think the biggest headlines surrounding an annual celebration of sci-fi and fantasy writing would be applauding the winners — but that’s not always the case with the Hugos. Its latest controversy involves works being deemed “not eligible” for consideration at the 2023 event , which was presented by Chengdu Worldcon… Read more...


Someone took Nvidia's fastest CPU ever and built an absurdly fast desktop PC with no name — It cannot play games but comes with 576GB+ of RAM and starts from $43,500
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
GPTshop.ai has unveiled the world's first Nvidia GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip-powered supercomputer, and it’s an absolute beast. Housed in a sleek, compact desktop form it currently holds the title as the fastest ARM desktop PC in existence. The PC is optimized for memory-intensive AI tasks, particularly inference and fine-tuning of LLMs, and HPC applications like genome sequencing. It can functi


Man Threatens to Destroy Priceless Rembrandt and Picasso Paintings With Acid If Julian Assange Dies
Futurism / 1h
Acid Trip In an art stunt, a Russian artist is planning to lock away a treasure trove of art pieces that includes a Picasso and a Rembrandt into a large vault that's rigged to destroy its contents if Wikileaks founder Julian Assange dies in prison, The Guardian reports . The artist is Andrei Molodkin, and he's reportedly put together $45 million worth of art work for this project, meant to highli


TikTok wants you to care about your face's 'visual weight.' Should you?
Mashable / 1h
Beauty trends on TikTok are a revolving door . Last year's entries included: the clean girl aesthetic, strawberry girl, rat girl, latte makeup, and more. The app's latest favorite phenomenon is something called "visual weight." It's a dedicated filter that slices your face in two, applying heavier makeup on the left and lighter, more natural makeup on the right. But visual weight is much more com


Why is TikTok obsessed with 'Linger' by The Cranberries?
Mashable / 1h
The Cranberries dropped "Linger" more than 30 years ago. Yet, for one reason or another, it is now having a moment on TikTok . But not how you might think. It seems like everyone and anyone is covering the song on TikTok right now. There are so many beautiful covers floating around. It is legit a trend to cover a wonderful, decades-old song. There are a number of variations of covers. But for the


Google announces Gemini 1.5, a flashy upgrade to its flagship AI model
Mashable / 1h
Google has just announced (but not released) Gemini 1.5, an update to its flagship language model — the model used in the chatbot once known as Bard, but synergistically renamed Gemini a week ago. The big claim with this release is "a breakthrough in long-context understanding across modalities." It's also meant to be a step-up in terms of efficiency, having been built on an architecture type kno


Chromebooks Finally Use Sound to Indicate Charging Status
How-To Geek / 1h
One of the unspoken oddities of ChromeOS is its lack of system sounds. Your Chromebook doesn't make a "woosh" noise when you move a file, for example. But Google is finally on the right path, as ChromeOS now uses system audio to indicate charging and battery status.


Music a millennium old
Music, Arts & Literature / 1h
houghtonlib : Fragment of a missal, a book containing the texts for celebrating Mass, from approximately 1000 CE. The smaller text is a passage of Gregorian chant with neumes, an early form of musical notation. MS Typ 773 Houghton Library, Harvard University


British Airways deal: Book Europe flight-and-hotel packages for just $179
The Points Guy / 2h
Good news for Brits and those eager to fly between the United Kingdom and other European destinations: British Airways Holidays is currently running some great deals on European city breaks. Prices start at 142 British pounds (about $179) for both hotel accommodations and flights when booking two-night stays in destinations like Paris; Prague; Nice, France; Stockholm; and Copenhagen. BRITISHAIRWA


OpenAI Wants to Eat Google Search's Lunch
Gizmodo / 2h
OpenAI is reportedly developing a search app that would directly compete with Google Search, according to The Information on Wednesday. The AI search engine could be a new feature for ChatGPT , or a potentially separate app altogether. Read more...


Is Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status worth it?
200+The Points Guy / 2h
Marriott is a popular hotel chain beloved by many (including me) because of its incredibly large global footprint and wide variety of properties. During the last two weeks of 2023, I found myself checking in to many Marriott hotels, but not for work or vacation like most travelers. So, what was the reason for doing what points and miles enthusiasts like myself call “ mattress runs “? Well, it was


Jumia reduces losses by over 90% in Q4 amid focus on restoring order and GMV growth
22TechCrunch / 2h
In 2023, Jumia revised its adjusted EBITDA loss guidance thrice: $100 million to $120 million in Q1; $90 million to $100 million in Q2; and $80 million to $90 million in Q3, aiming for a 57% to 61% year-over-year reduction if met. The company exceeded these expectations and significantly outperformed in that regard. It ended […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Cash App takes on Apple with a 4.5% APY for savings accounts (with direct deposit)
TechCrunch / 2h
Apple’s recent move to boost the interest rate for its Apple Card Savings Account to 4.5% is now prompting a competitor to do the same. Cash App today announced it will now offer “up to” a 4.5% APY (annual percentage yield) for its Cash App Savings customers, with a few caveats. While Apple’s Savings account […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


TikTok Now Has a Dedicated App on the Apple Vision Pro
LifeHacker / 2h
When Apple officially released the Vision Pro on Feb. 2, it launched with over 600 apps optimized for visionOS . However, while apps like Microsoft Word and Disney+ were available to bridge the gap between a typical Apple device and Vision Pro, plenty of other "standard" apps were not. Some companies, like Netflix and Spotify, announced their apps are very much not coming to Vision Pro, which doe


You Can Get Producti's AI Writing Assistant for $50 Right Now
LifeHacker / 2h
You can get Producti on sale for $49.99 right now (reg. $647.64). Producti is an all-in-one AI tool powered by OpenAI that can generate writing, sales copy, marketing emails, images, graphics, voice-overs, and text transcriptions. You just enter some information and keywords and let the AI do the rest. You could also use Producti as a virtual assistant since it can help organize tasks, schedule m


OpenAI teases an amazing new generative video model called Sora
55MIT Technology Review / 2h
OpenAI has built a striking new generative video model called Sora that can take a short text description and turn it into a detailed, high-definition film clip up to a minute long. Based on four sample videos that OpenAI shared with MIT Technology Review ahead of today’s announcement, the San Francisco-based firm has pushed the envelope of what’s possible with text-to-video generation (a hot new


Amazon unveils the largest text-to-speech model ever made
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
Researchers at Amazon have introduced the largest text-to-speech model to date, which is set to have enhanced qualities that allow it to better articulate complex sentences. The model, BASE TTS ( text-to-speech ), which stands for Big Adaptive Streamable TTS with Emergent abilities, could set the foundation for more human-like interactions. According to the research, it looks like extensive train


The Worst Thing About Madame Web
42Gizmodo / 2h
Make no mistake. Sony’s latest attempt at a Spider-Man spinoff, Madame Web, is bad. Pretty much everything about it is bad : the script, the acting, the cinematography, and more. But, in our mind, one thing towers over the rest. The king of all things Bad-ame Web. But, to talk about it, we have to dive into spoilers. Read more...


Do I Need a 120Hz+ Monitor? 6 Aspects to Consider
How-To Geek / 2h
High refresh rate (HRR) screens of 120Hz or more are becoming commonplace on devices like laptops and smartphones, while HRR computer monitors abound. However, do you really need one?


Twitter front-end Nitter dies as Musk wins war against third-party services
Ars Technica - All content / 2h
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) An open source project that let people view tweets without going to Twitter.com has shut down, as Elon Musk's changes seem to have closed off all possible ways to access the Twitter network without a user account. Nitter provided an alternative front-end to Twitter but has been struggling for months. Nitter.net, the official Nitter instance, went dow


OpenAI Hiring Detective to Find Who's Leaking Its Precious Info
100Futurism / 2h
OpenAI is looking to hire an "insider risk investigator" to "fortify our organization against internal security threats." According to the company's job listing , first spotted by MSPowerUser , the gumshoe is supposed to help the company safeguard its assets by "analyzing anomalous activities, promoting a secure culture, and interacting with various departments to mitigate risks." Per the Wayback


BYD's monster U8 SUV could come to Europe, complete with 1,184bhp and an ability to float
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
This year’s Geneva Motor Show is going to be a comparatively quiet affair, with most of biggest automakers in the world boycotting the format following its recent move to Qatar. But Chinese EV giant BYD will be there, complete with the equally gargantuan Yangwang U8. Boasting four electric motors - one for each wheel for true all-wheel-drive - as well as a 49kWh battery pack, the opulent U8 also


YouTube TV Now Lets You Build a Sports Multiview
How-To Geek / 2h
YouTube TV has tons of channels and plenty to offer, and that's especially true with Multiview for sports fans. Being able to stream four different games simultaneously is a big deal. To make that experience better, Google will now let YouTube TV subscribers customize and build their own Multiview.


OpenAI Unveils Sora, an A.I. That Generates Eye-Popping Videos
68NYT > Technology / 2h
The start-up is sharing the new technology, called Sora, with a small group of early testers as it tries to understand the potential dangers.


The best hotels in New York City, from luxury stays to points properties
25The Points Guy / 2h
Travelers headed to New York City are spoiled for choice when it comes to booking a hotel stay. After all, the city is home to an almost unfathomable number of hotels, ranging from budget-friendly hostels to iconic luxury properties frequented by dignitaries and celebrities. And, in a city that feels larger than life, there are dozens of neighborhoods spread across the five boroughs to choose fro


12 credit cards that can get you $1,000 or more in first-year value
The Points Guy / 2h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Many credit card newbies are skeptical of anything with an annual fee. It’s a valid question to ask: Why pay money to use a card when there are so many options without annual fees ? The truth is that most rewards cards with annual fees provide far more value than they charge, assuming you use the benefits.


Google's Gemini 1.5 Pro is a new, more efficient AI model
Engadget / 2h
On Thursday, Google unveiled Gemini 1.5 Pro, which the company describes as delivering “dramatically enhanced performance” over the previous model. The company’s AI trajectory — viewed internally as increasingly critical for its future — follows the unveiling of Gemini 1.0 Ultra last week, alongside the rebranding of the Bard chatbot (to Gemini) to align with the new model’s more powerful and ver


OpenAI’s Sora Turns AI Prompts Into Photorealistic Videos
71Wired / 2h
OpenAI's entry into generative AI video is an impressive first step.


OpenAI terminates accounts of confirmed state-affiliated bad actors
Mashable / 2h
OpenAI has confirmed that state-affiliated bad actors are using the company's tech for malicious purposes, a validation of what many have feared since the company's rise to prominence in the generative AI race. The discovery comes as part of a collaboration with Microsoft Threat Intelligence , a community of thousands of security experts, researchers, and threat hunters that analyze and detect cy


Slash $200 off the Asus ROG Ally and take your game on the go
Mashable / 2h
SAVE $200: The Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming system is on sale for $399.99. That's $200 off its regular price of $599.99 and a discount of 37%. Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Asus ROG Ally $399.99 at Best Buy (save $200) Love playing PC games on the go, but don't want to buy a Steam Deck ? You've got a couple of alternatives, including the Asus ROG Ally. While the Nintendo Switch is a fun


YouTube Shorts now lets you chop up and remix music videos
Engadget / 2h
YouTube just released a new feature that lets users remix music videos and turn them into Shorts. This allows you to adjust various parameters from a full-length music video to create something wholly unique. Does this sound like TikTok? It definitely sounds like TikTok. Here’s how it works. Just tap “remix” on a music video. You’ll be presented with four options: Sound, Green Screen, Cut and Col


Unlock 250,000 Points In Value: The Game-Changing Marriott Business Card Offer
View from the Wing / 2h
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card has a new limited time offer to earn five Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of cardmembership. Since each certificate can be used for redemption nights up to 50,000 points (and you can top off redemptions with up to 15,000 points per night from your account), this offer


Hello is building a platform toward more home robots
20TechCrunch / 2h
The road to the home robot is one fraught with peril. The number of success stories it’s delivered can be counted on a single hand. The reasons for this massive disconnect are nuanced and complex — much like the insides of our homes. Twenty-years after the first Roomba arrived, the robot vacuum has begun to […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


How to Access Google Gemini AI on Android
How-To Geek / 2h
Google Bard was replaced by Gemini, the company's latest and greatest AI tool, and it's much more than just a chatbot. Eventually, Gemini will replace Google Assistant on Android, but you don't have to wait to try it for yourself right now. We'll show you how to get started.


Android users are still defecting to Apple, but the numbers are falling
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
The exodus of Android phone users to iPhone and Apple’s iOS ecosystem could be slowing. According to a report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), based on data from US consumers from the past five years, showed that the proportion of iPhone buyers who were former Android users fell to 13% last year, from 15% in 2022; however, that’s still a higher proportion than in 2020 and 2021 w


Six Ways You’re Guaranteed to Annoy Your New Neighbors (and How to Avoid Them)
LifeHacker / 3h
Moving to a new house and a new neighborhood can be stressful. There’s all the work required in packing up your stuff and making all the arrangements, then all the work involved in unpacking all your stuff and getting your new space set up and squared away . So many logistical things can go wrong it’s no wonder that moving to a new house is one of the most stressful things people can go through.


Traveling in 2024? These 10 apps and websites make award redemptions easier to find
100+The Points Guy / 3h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information. We get it — mastering points and miles is no easy feat. You may have already seen our guide to getting started with points and miles , but what happens once you are ready to cash those points in for a trip? Maximizing points and miles to travel luxuriously without breaking the bank doesn’t need to be laborious


Evil, the Wildest Show You're Not Watching, Will End With Season 4
Gizmodo / 3h
It’s a day of excitement and sadness for Evil fans. The Paramount+ horror series about a trio of paranormal investigators engaged by the Catholic church, which already has three delightfully twisted seasons in the bag, will end after season four . But! Season four has an arrival window (this May) and the show will soon… Read more...


Kong gets some “minor augmentations” in latest Godzilla x Kong trailer
Ars Technica - All content / 3h
There's a new trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire , coming to theaters next month. Warner Bros. has released a new trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire , directed by Adam Wingard. It's the fifth feature film in the rebooted franchise, which also includes the animated series Skull Island and Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters . (Spoilers for Godzilla vs. Kong below.) As previou


Nvidia’s “Chat With RTX” is a ChatGPT-style app that runs on your own GPU
Ars Technica - All content / 3h
Enlarge (credit: Nvidia) On Tuesday, Nvidia released Chat With RTX, a free personalized AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT that can run locally on a PC with an Nvidia RTX graphics card. It uses Mistral or Llama open-weights LLMs and can search through local files and answer questions about them. Chat With RTX works on Windows PCs equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 or 40 Series GPUs with at least 8GB


How a musician accused of fraud got his music back on Spotify, iTunes
Ars Technica - All content / 3h
Enlarge / Musician Benn Jordan, who performs under the alias The Flashbulb, successfully defended his music against streaming fraud allegations. Last Friday, musician Benn Jordan assumed his phone was glitching when he tried to pull up one of his albums and couldn't find it on Spotify. Then he noticed all the notifications he'd gotten from fans asking why he'd removed his music on all the streami


Get prepped for spring break with these luggage deals at Amazon from brands like Samsonite and American Tourister
Mashable / 3h
Destination research? Check. Flights booked? Check. Beach attire purchased? Check. If the last thing on your list to prep for spring break is replacing luggage that no longer rolls through the airport, Amazon has great deals on options that'll leave you with plenty of time to pack. Today's best luggage deals at Amazon Best hard-side luggage deal American Tourister Airconic (2 pack, deep ocean) $1


"Illegal to break encryption," the European Court of Human Rights rules
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
The European Court of Human Rights banned all legal efforts of weakening encryption of secure communications in Europe. Encryption ensures the enjoyment of fundamental rights such as privacy and freedom of expression, the judgment reads , while helping citizens and businesses to defend themselves against abuses of information technologies. Hence, the ruling to outlaw legislations that could open


Invincible season 2 part 2 trailer teases bloody action, new characters, and a big Mark Grayson twist
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Full spoilers follow for Invincible season 2 part 1. The official trailer for Invincible season 2 part 2 is here, and it promises to deliver a typically violent and epic end to the hit Amazon superhero show's latest entry. Released online today (February 15), the R-rated animated Prime Video series' next batch of episodes look like they'll be the most action-packed and heart-wrenching yet. Indeed


This commonly-used Ubuntu tool can be hijacked to spread malware
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Hackers can abuse Ubuntu’s “command-not-found” package suggestion system to deliver malware to users, researchers are saying. The attack surface is relatively large, and there are multiple ways threat actors can abuse the feature. This is according to a new report from cybersecurity researchers Aqua Nautilus, which notes how when a Ubuntu user wants to run a specific program that’s currently not


Google Pixel 8 drops to just $399 at Mint Mobile - here's how to get the deal
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
The prepaid carrier Mint Mobile is currently offering a whopping $300 off the latest Google Pixel 8 - bringing the device down to $399 upfront . This is, so far, the lowest price we've seen on the Pixel 8 without the usual trade-in rebate that's commonplace at most retailers. As you'd expect, however, you do still need a plan at Mint Mobile to be eligible - and your new phone will be locked to Mi


Knock takes the pain out of building notification workflows
20TechCrunch / 3h
Notifications may seem like a solved problem. You’re probably getting more than you want already, after all. The two founders of Knock, Sam Seely and Chris Bell, argue that while a lot of companies have solved the “last-mile delivery problem,” there is more work to be done. While products like Twilio and SendGrid may offer […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


‘Odie’ Lander Begins Its Journey to the Moon. Here's What's Next
Gizmodo / 3h
Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander has begun its eight-day voyage to the Moon. The mission is fraught with peril, as every previous attempt by private companies to land softly on the Moon has ended in failure. Here’s what needs to go right for this Houston-based company to enter into the history books. Read more...


Apptronik Apollo Humanoid Robot
Next Big Future / 3h
Apptronik has been around for 7 years. They are looking to make a $50,000 humanoid bot. There robot has hands and they have actuator development.


Facebook £3bn legal action given go-ahead in London
23BBC News / 3h
A mass legal action alleges Facebook abused its dominance to monetise 45 million UK users' personal data.


Chrysler announces a bold electric future with stunning Halcyon concept
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Despite being close to its 100th birthday, the Chrysler brand has been somewhat mothballed by parent company Stellantis in recent years. Once offering the gorgeous Windsor of the 1940s, the luxuriously long Imperial and New Yorker, as well as the more recent and more divisive Crossfire, Chrysler now only really deals in the aging 300 sedan and the Pacifica minivan. It’s not exactly the most scint


Google’s new AI hub in Paris proves that Google feels insecure about AI
TechCrunch / 3h
This morning, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai inaugurated a new hub in Paris dedicated to artificial intelligence. This hub is located in a newly renovated building near Google’s main office in Paris. It will host around 300 researchers and engineers. But if you pay close attention to Google’s whereabouts in Paris, you may think that Google […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use


Amazon AGI Team Say Their AI Is Showing "Emergent Abilities"
Futurism / 3h
Training Day A new Amazon AI model, according to the researchers who built it, is exhibiting language abilities that it wasn't trained on. In a not-yet-peer-reviewed academic paper , the team at Amazon AGI — which stands for "artificial general intelligence," or human-level AI — say their large language model (LLM) is exhibiting "state-of-the-art naturalness" at conversational text. Per the examp


NASA Detects Water on Surface of Asteroids
Futurism / 3h
Eau de Asteroid For the first time, an international team of scientists has discovered water molecules on the surface of asteroids. Using data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a wide-body Boeing 747-based telescope that NASA and the German Aerospace Center jointly operated between 1996 and 2022, researchers discovered the distinct mid-infrared signatures of water


Your Chromebook now comes with new charging sounds - here’s how you can enable them
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
If you’re a user of one of the best Chromebooks , you’ve probably been aware of the lack of sound systems in ChromeOS. However, Google quietly added charging sounds and a low-battery tone to Chromebooks last year, and you can access them now. Google has announced that the charging sounds are now live , and can be enabled in the Chromebook settings menu. The new sounds were added to Chromebooks la


Some People Actually Kind of Love Deepfakes
36Wired / 3h
AI fakes are a disinformation menace. But some politicians, executives, and academics see them as a way to extend their reach.


lisamarie-vee :
Music, Arts & Literature / 3h



Guardrails AI wants to crowdsource fixes for GenAI model problems
22TechCrunch / 3h
It doesn’t take much to get GenAI spouting mistruths and untruths. This past week provided an example, with Microsoft’s and Google’s chatbots declaring a Super Bowl winner before the game even started. The real problems start, though, when GenAI’s hallucinations get harmful — endorsing torture, reinforcing ethnic and racial stereotypes and writing persuasively about conspiracy theories. […] © 202


SocialCrowd raises $1.6M pre-seed as venture interest in work software remains high
TechCrunch / 3h
Launched in 2020, SocialCrowd is a SaaS platform that provides performance management software. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Vancouver Island road trip: Victoria, British Columbia, and the Gulf Islands
The Points Guy / 3h
A wonderland of azure bays, rippling lakes, old-growth forests and lofty mountain peaks, Vancouver Island lies just off the coast of mainland British Columbia, but in many respects it feels like its own distinct province. Although British Columbia’s capital city, Victoria, lies at its southeastern tip, most of Vancouver Island is virgin wilderness. At 12,079 square miles, it’s nearly six times la


Ayaneo's NES-inspired mini PC is more than a retro tribute
Engadget / 3h
The mini PC is misunderstood. Easily dismissed as underpowered, over-priced or just plain ugly; we intuit that a computer with a tiny footprint has to mean a compromise. Ayaneo, best known for its Windows gaming handhelds , has branched out into tiny desktops with retro-inspired designs. Thankfully Ayaneo’s AM01 and AM02 mini PCs have more to offer, but their initial draw over rivals, I won’t lie


Movie Piracy App Surpassed Netflix and Disney+ on App Store Before Apple Killed It
Gizmodo / 3h
The piracy app Kimi, which let users watch stolen movies and TV shows on their iPhones, briefly surpassed streaming heavyweights on Apple’s App Store rankings before being removed by the company for violating its rules. Read more...


Invincible Season 2 Part 2 Looks Completely Mad in a Brand New Trailer
Gizmodo / 3h
Season two of Prime Video’s awesome, R-rated animated superhero show Invincible is returning March 14 —and by comparison, this wait has been a cakewalk. Don’t forget, we had to wait two and a half years between seasons one and two. Four months for the second half of season two? Pfft. That’s nothing. Especially when a… Read more...


Gate Checking Madness: Why Bigger Overhead Bins Aren’t Solving the Airline Carry-On Crisis
View from the Wing / 3h
You're allowed to carry bags onto the plane - but only if there's enough space on board. That's the main reason it's better to board planes early, rather than being last onto the plane. Priority boarding is a benefit to ensure you get access to carry on bin space - even though no one wants to spend more time on board the aircraft than they have to. Overhead bins are stuffed full, and passengers a


How to Open Links in a Specific Browser on a Mac
How-To Geek / 4h
Clicking a link on your Mac opens it in the default web browser. However, if you want to access a certain link in a different browser, you need to copy the link and paste it into the browser manually. If this is something you often do, you can use the app Velja to make the process a lot easier.


VR sickness happens. Here’s how to avoid and treat it.
TechCrunch / 4h
Over the past week, a number of people have reported returning their Vision Pros for a number of reasons, including issues around headset comfort and sickness. Returns are par for the course with any nascent technology. No matter how polished a first-generation product is upon release, there’s a very real sense in which it serves […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


DuckDuckGo drops a major update: sync your valuable information across devices without selling your soul
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
DuckDuckGo is best known for making a search engine that prioritizes user privacy, ditching fine-tuning and personalization of search results. You may not be aware, but it also released a browser back in 2021 and now the DuckDuckGo browser is getting a major upgrade. DuckDuckGo browser users will now be able to sync information like bookmarks and saved passwords privately across devices with its


Netflix’s Stolen might look like a sweet Swedish drama with reindeers but something horrific is happening
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
Netflix has announced the premiere date for Stolen , its dramatisation of the award-winning YA novel by Ann-Helén Laestadius. The film, which comes to the the best streaming service in April 2024, comes with promo images of wintry tropes such as snowmobiles and cute reindeer, but there's nothing cute about this wintry chiller. It may be coming out in the coming months, but this is a drama to make


T-Mobile Sets a New Record for Sub-6 5G Upload Speeds
How-To Geek / 4h
A new technology called "UL Tx switching" may provide a massive leap in 5G upload speeds. Tests of UL Tx switching, which were conducted by T-Mobile, resulted in 345 Mbps uplink speeds on the Sub-6 5G band. The previous record was just 275 Mbps.


Meta says it will pass on the Apple tax to advertisers paying to boost posts on Facebook and Instagram
32TechCrunch / 4h
Meta is looking to leverage advertiser outrage in its battle with Apple over in-app purchase fees by announcing that it will soon pass on Apple’s 30% service charge to its customers. In an announcement, the social networking giant explains that starting later this month, advertisers who want to pay to boost a post in the […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


The 3 reasons people are sending back their Apple Vision Pro headsets
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
Apple Vision Pro owners are announcing they’re returning their headsets because they’re disappointed by the experience offered by the $3,500 mixed-reality gadget. We’ve highlighted the positives and negatives of using the device in our Apple Vision Pro review , but if you’re still on the fence then the reasons people are giving for returning could help you decide if the headset is the right fit f


Walmart's massive Presidents' Day sale is live - here are 19 deals worthy of your time
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
Walmart just launched its official Presidents' Day sale, and dare I say, it might be the best sale we've spotted this week. The retailer has record-low prices on a wide range of products, including TVs, kitchen appliances, vacuums, Apple devices, mattresses, and more. I've gone through the sale and hand-picked the 19 best deals worthy of your time. • Shop Walmart's full Presidents' Day sale I'm s


Watch Phil Spencer discuss the future of Xbox at 3PM ET
Engadget / 4h
This week’s edition of the Official Xbox Podcast is likely to have far more eyes and ears on it than usual. That’s because three top Xbox executives are set to lay out what's ahead for the brand . Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, Xbox President Sarah Bond and President of Game Content and Studios Matt Booty will “share updates on the Xbox business,” following rumors that several major games cou


Elon Musk Is Moving SpaceX to Texas After Spat With Delaware Judge
96Gizmodo / 4h
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is so done with Delaware, packing up his business incorporations from the mid-Atlantic state after a judge came for his paycheck. Read more...


You’ve tried plant-based meat, but here come meat-based plants
Engadget / 4h
A team of South Korean researchers at Yonsei University have developed a hybrid rice variant that’s quite literally filled with beef. The lab-grown rice grains were infused with cow muscle and fat cells, so they are one part plant and one part meat. The rice is also an appetizing shade of bright pink, which tends to happen when flesh enters the picture. The team hopes to eventually offer a cheape


200,000 Facebook Marketplace user records were leaked on the dark web
21Mashable / 4h
Personal data from 200,000 Facebook Marketplace users were leaked to a hacker forum. Leaked data reportedly includes names, phone numbers, email addresses, Facebook IDs, and Facebook profile information. According to Bleeping Computer, the data was shared on a dark web forum by known leaker IntelBroker who says the data was hacked by someone who goes by "algoatson" on Discord. "In October 2023, a


Get 40% off your first GrubHub order of $40 or more as a new customer
Mashable / 4h
SAVE 40%: As of Feb. 15, new GrubHub+ members with Amazon Prime can save 40% off their first $40+ order by signing up for an account by Feb. 18. Opens in a new window Credit: GrubHub GrubHub+ Save 40% on first $40+ order with subscription signup before Feb. 18 and promo code LOVE40 Sometimes you just want a piping hot bag of food delivered to your door . Whatever your reason for ordering takeout,


How to use your AARP discount on travel
58The Points Guy / 4h
When AARP — the 38-million-strong organization for people over 50 — starts contacting you about becoming a member, you may freak out. My first reaction was, “I am not that old.” But after I got over my initial consternation, I realized that becoming an AARP member might open up a treasure trove of travel savings for me, including some that are always available and others that come and go periodic


Adapt This Japanese Productivity Model to Get More Done
LifeHacker / 4h
So many great productivity hacks come from the world of Japanese manufacturing. The 5S technique helps you keep your workspace clean so you can get more done, kaizen helps you improve the processes and workflow of your job, and kanban helps you schedule your tasks in the most efficient way. These are helpful even if you’re not working within the famed Toyota Production System; they’re adaptable t


AI May Be Atrophying Our Brains, Professor Warns
46Futurism / 4h
Barely Functional Just like smartphone GPS has harmed our sense of spatial cognition and memory , artificial intelligence may soon impair our ability to make decisions for ourselves — an outcome that would be, one expert warns, "catastrophic." In an interview with PsyPost , neuropsychology expert Umberto León Domínguez of the University of Monterrey in Mexico said that his new research shows that


YouTube now lets you integrate music videos into your Shorts
TechCrunch / 4h
YouTube is introducing the ability for users to incorporate or “remix” a music video in their short-form videos, called Shorts, as the company continues to challenge TikTok. Given that YouTube has something that TikTok doesn’t, which is a vast library of official music videos, it makes sense for the platform to leverage it to advance […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use on


Turn up the volume with $50 off Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones at Amazon
Mashable / 4h
SAVE $50: As of Feb. 15, Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are on sale at Amazon for $379, which is down from their normal price of $429. That's a discount of 12%. Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones $379 at Amazon (save $50) Listening to your favorite album can be a much more exciting experience with the right pair of headphones . Whether you love dance pop o


State-sponsored hackers are having a blast with LLMs — Microsoft and OpenAI warn new tactics could cause more damage than ever before
Phishing (Enterprise T1566)•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
Hackers are increasingly turning to LLMs and AI tools to refine their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) in their campaigns, new reports have warned. A new research paper released by Microsoft in collaboration with OpenAI has revealed how threat actors are using the latest technical innovations to keep defenders on their toes. Microsoft and OpenAI have detected and disrupted attacks from Ru


How to Make Linux Look Like Windows 10
How-To Geek / 4h
Want to use a Linux desktop but don't want to lose Windows 10's familiar look and vibe? Most desktop environments come with unique layouts and themes by default, but with a bit of effort, you can convert it to a spitting image of the Windows 10 desktop.


LineageOS 21 Brings Android 14 to More Phones and Tablets
How-To Geek / 4h
LineageOS is a community-developed custom Android ROM that brings clean and privacy-respecting Android builds to dozens of phones and tablets. The Lineage team has now released LineageOS 21, based on Android 14.


Meta will make advertisers cover Apple's 30 percent fee on boosted Facebook and Instagram posts
Engadget / 4h
Meta says it will start making businesses and influencers cover the cost of a 30 percent fee Apple is charging when they pay to promote their posts on the Facebook and Instagram iOS apps. In 2022, Apple updated its App Store policy to apply the 30 percent cut it takes from digital purchases to boosted posts, claiming that they were effectively in-app purchases. Meta is now passing that additional


Elon Musk’s X Will Give Blue Checks to Anyone, Even Terrorist Leaders
45Gizmodo / 4h
Elon Musk’s “free speech” app, X, will give a platform to almost anyone, and that includes the leaders of terrorist groups. Several leaders of Hezbollah, a designated terrorist group by the United States , are X Premium customers receiving paid services such as verification, boosted content, and longer posts, according… Read more...


X-Men '97's First Trailer Is a Wild, Weird Looking Throwback
81Gizmodo / 4h
After what has felt like years of waiting since Marvel first confirmed it would be returning to one of its all time classics—the ‘90s X-Men animated cartoon—we finally have our first look at X-Men ‘97 in action , and... hmm. Hmm. Read more...


Tired of Googling? OpenAI’s rumored rival could soon change how we search
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
The evidence is mounting that we're going to see some big changes to Google Search in 2024 – and this could include the arrival of a big new challenger from ChatGPT maker OpenAI, according to a new report. According to The Information , OpenAI is "developing a web search product" that would bring the Microsoft-backed company into "direction competition with Google". This apparently comes from som


Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex review: Valuable perks for the Bonvoy loyalist
The Points Guy / 4h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card overview The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is a solid small-business card for Marriott Bonvoy fans. It comes with useful perks such as an annual free night at hotels (up to 35,000 points) and the ability to boost your Marriott elite status b


Why So Many People Are Returning the Apple Vision Pro
LifeHacker / 4h
It's still too soon to say whether the Vision Pro is the game-changing mixed-reality product Apple wants it to be. However, recent headlines aren't promising: It seems there are many customers returning their headsets , potentially a bad sign for the company's big bet on XR. I'm not convinced the returns are damning for the Vision Pro, but there are also some clear reasons why Apple's latest gadg


You Can Grow Mushrooms Indoors Using Smart Home Automation
LifeHacker / 4h
I've been growing mushrooms on logs outside my house in the Pacific Northwest for a few years now. While tons of people do this successfully, I generally do it poorly, because while mushrooms are mostly hands off, you do have to make sure they get enough moisture and keep them out of the way in a spot with dappled sunlight, which means I often forget about them. I've had much better luck growing


Tigran Sloyan from CodeSignal talks closing the talent gap and mitigating bias in hiring
21TechCrunch / 5h
This week Becca and Dom are joined by Tigran Sloyan, the co-founder and CEO of skills assessment platform CodeSignal. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Arch has a plan to help HVAC contractors install more heat pumps
20TechCrunch / 5h
The startup is relying on automation to speed design and quoting of residential heat pump installations. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Bulletin is a new AI-powered news reader that tackles clickbait and summarizes stories
23TechCrunch / 5h
After the shutdown of the buzzy AI news app Artifact from Instagram’s founders, a new app called Bulletin is also now turning to AI to help remove clickbait and summarize the day’s news. Except in this case, users can customize news sources the app features, as you could in any other RSS reader, instead of […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


The Shark Detect Pro cordless vacuum is back down to its lowest price ever
Mashable / 5h
SAVE $100: The Shark IW3511 Detect Pro cordless vacuum with auto-empty system is just $349.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $449.99. That's a 22% discount and matches the lowest price we've ever seen. Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark IW3511 Detect Pro with auto-empty system $349.99 at Amazon (save $100) The world of cordless vacuums is constantly upgrading and innovating with


Apple Vision Pro is good for many things but drawing is not one of them
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Apple Vision Pro is a glimpse of an immersive computing future. It's possible to get real work done and, of course, enjoy hours of 360-degree entertainment. But, the more time you spend in Apple's Spatial Computing, they more you also come to understand its limits, and I've found a big one. I've been drawing on virtual every computing platform since the late 1970s. First, I did it in BASIC on a T


LockBit claims cyberattack on Indian broker Motilal Oswal
TechCrunch / 5h
The prolific ransomware gang LockBit has claimed responsibility for hacking one of India’s top brokerage firms, Motilal Oswal. Indian authorities say they are aware and investigating the incident. On Tuesday, LockBit added the Indian brokerage giant Motilal Oswal to its dark web leak site, according to the listing seen by TechCrunch. Cybercriminal groups often use […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All right


Chinese Influence Campaign Pushes Disunity Before U.S. Election, Study Says
60NYT > Technology / 5h
A long-running network of accounts, known as Spamouflage, is using A.I.-generated images to amplify negative narratives involving the presidential race.


Current passport processing times reach pre-pandemic estimates
30The Points Guy / 5h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information. If you are in the market to renew your passport in the coming weeks or months, the U.S. Department of State currently estimates six to eight weeks for both new passports and renewals, down from nine to 11 weeks. Expedited service is currently expected within two to three weeks, decreased from five to seven weeks. “Th


Star Trek: Picard's Showrunner Says There's Still No Word on a Spinoff Yet
Gizmodo / 5h
Smile 2 rounds out its cast. M3GAN 2.0 is going to take a lot longer to come out than planned. Simu Liu is teaming up with James Wan for a new sci-fi series. Doctor Who teases a mysterious new alien. Plus, what to expect on the rest of Halo season 2. To me, my spoilers! Read more...


Lenovo's transparent laptop concept is something else
Mashable / 5h
Lenovo is reportedly working on a transparent laptop, and it's bringing a concept device to this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This is according to leaker Evan Blass , who shared some images of the device on Twitter. Tweet may have been deleted Blass first shared the news of the device's existence last week, together with a couple of images, shared on Windows Report . The images show


The best C-suite execs are on board with open source - are you?
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Over the years, open source software has become integral to every organization's technology stack. It is a core part of many an IT leader’s strategy for boosting agility, cost-efficiency and innovation. Recent research shows that 80% of IT managers using enterprise open source plan to increase their use in the next two years, seeing business benefits including improved ability to take advantage o


Starbreeze says its ‘absolute priority’ is making sure Payday 3 ‘lives up to expectations’
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Starbreeze, the developer of the co-op first-person shooter Payday 3 , has revealed that although the game’s sales and player activity “are currently at significantly lower levels than we would like,” its “absolute priority” is making sure it “lives up to expectations.” This was revealed in the company’s 2023 end-of-year report , which was published today (February 15). In his “CEO’s message,” St


Windows 11 Widget Board Is Getting Much-Needed Improvements
How-To Geek / 5h
Windows 11 marked the return of widgets, and Microsoft is still slowly but surely making improvements. And now, in the latest Windows 11 Insider Build 26058, we see some big changes to the Widgets board, weather lock screen options, a new cursor, and more.


Netflix's The Umbrella Academy prepares for its apocalyptic end as season 4 release date revealed
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
After five wonderfully rain-soaked years, it's almost time to bid farewell to Netflix's beloved superhero show The Umbrella Academy – and now we know when we'll do so. Per a Netflix press release, the final season of the hit series will launch on the world's best streaming service on Thursday, August 8 . That date marks the latest date that a season of The Umbrella Academy has launched on the pla


Samsung's Presidents' Day TV sale is live: $1,000 off 4K, QLED and OLED TVs
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
It's almost Presidents' Day weekend, which means Samsung has kicked off its Presidents' Day TV sale with massive savings on best-rated 4K, QLED and OLED displays. I've rounded up the best deals from Samsung's Presidents' Day sale below, with over $1,000 in savings and prices starting at just $549.99. • Shop Samsung's full Presidents' Day TV sale Presidents' Day TV sales are a fantastic opportunit


AI will help fill the cybersecurity skills gap in 2024
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
The UK’s growing cybersecurity skills gap poses a potential threat to both businesses and society at large. According to a recent government report, while security -related job posts have risen by 30% versus last year, employers found more than a third of positions hard to fill. When looking at existing workforces, the report also found that 50% of all UK businesses have a basic cyber security sk


BMW security error left valuable private company data exposed online
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Automotive giant BMW kept a cloud storage server hosting sensitive data such as private keys and internal information unprotected on the internet, and available to anyone who knew exactly where to look. Security researcher Can Yoleri approached TechCrunch claiming to have found a Microsoft Azure bucket that was misconfigured, and thus set to be public instead of private. Yoleri explained that the


Bookmobile - Sally K. Smith , 2022 .
Music, Arts & Literature / 5h
certifiedlibraryposts : huariqueje : American , b. 1966 - Oil on linen , 97 x 137 cm. Certified Library Post


Google makes more Gemini models available to developers
TechCrunch / 5h
Google is expanding the range of Gemini large language models it is making available to developers on its Vertex AI platform today. Gemini 1.0 Pro (which was still known as Gemini Pro 1.0 only a week ago — because Google is very good at branding) is now generally available after being in public preview for […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Google’s new Gemini model can analyze an hour-long video — but few people can use it
TechCrunch / 5h
Last October, a research paper published by a Google data scientist, the CTO of Databricks Matei Zaharia and UC Berkeley professor Pieter Abbeel posited a way to allow GenAI models — i.e. models along the lines of OpenAI’s GPT-4 and ChatGPT — to ingest far more data than was previously possible. In the study, the […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Why Sequoia is funding open source developers via a new equity-free fellowship
TechCrunch / 5h
Sequoia Capital plans to fund up to three open source software developers annually, as a continuation of a program it debuted last year. The Silicon Valley venture capital firm announced the Sequoia Open Source Fellowship last May, but it was initially offered on an invite-only basis with a single recipient to shout about so far. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Responsible technology use in the AI age
MIT Technology Review / 5h
The sudden appearance of application-ready generative AI tools over the last year has confronted us with challenging social and ethical questions. Visions of how this technology could deeply alter the ways we work, learn, and live have also accelerated conversations—and breathless media headlines—about how and whether these technologies can be responsibly used. Responsible technology use, of cour


Google’s new version of Gemini can handle far bigger amounts of data
76MIT Technology Review / 5h
Google DeepMind today launched the next generation of its powerful artificial intelligence model Gemini, which has an enhanced ability to work with large amounts of video, text, and images. It’s an advancement from the three versions of Gemini 1.0 that Google announced back in December, ranging in size and complexity from Nano to Pro to Ultra. (It rolled out Gemini 1.0 Pro and 1.0 Ultra across ma


7 Reasons Buying A Timeshare Is The Worst Decision You Can Make
View from the Wing / 5h
Owning a timeshare often leads to unforeseen expenses, restrictive use conditions, and significant resale difficulties, making it a questionable financial commitment. Continue reading ...


Google’s Flagship Gemini AI Model Gets a Major Upgrade
62Wired / 5h
Just two months after Alphabet made its Gemini AI model public, it’s rolling out a new version that can handle several times as much audio, video, and text input as GPT-4.


Is the Delta Platinum Amex worth the annual fee?
The Points Guy / 5h
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is a mid-tier card with a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees ). When getting into the $300-plus range for annual fees, you start to question whether the benefits and perks make the annual fee worth it. So, let’s dive in and see if the Delta Platinum card is worth its annual fee. Welcome offer The Delta SkyMiles Platinum card offers 90,000 bonus


Bose's new QuietComfort headphones are $100 off right now
Engadget / 5h
Beyond the sound's quality, we want two things when it comes to headphones: a lightweight design and noise canceling. Bose's aptly named QuietComfort wireless headphones make a case for both and, right now, do so at a record-low price. The 2023 QuietComfort headphones are currently available for $249, down from $349 — a 29 percent discount. The sale applies to all colors: Cypress Green, Moonstone


Scribe raises $25M Series B to automate internal knowledge capture
TechCrunch / 5h
Back in the 90s, the notion of knowledge management was born, the idea that there is corporate memory locked inside employees, who know the ins and outs of various systems. The problem was recording and updating that knowledge. Scribe, a San Francisco-based startup, has figured out a way to easily capture and document internal processes […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use


These open-ear earbuds are the wildest looking headphones I’ve seen in some time, and I’m hooked
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Tech company Baseus has launched the AirGo AS01, a pair of open-ear earbuds that put an interesting spin on the design of traditional style we're used in the best earbuds .The AirGo AS01 headphones aren’t inserted into your ear canal for stability like most true wireless earbuds on the market. But they don’t fit around your ear with a hook or head with a band like other alternative designs that y


A History of Mac Viruses (and Why People Thought They Didn't Exist)
LifeHacker / 6h
There are certain questions you get asked a lot once people find out you write about tech for a living. Which smartphone should I buy? Can you come and fix my wifi? And of course the perennial classic: Do I need to install antivirus software on my computer? That last one has always been tricky to answer, because it really depends how much risk you're prepared to put up with, and how careful you a


Zoom patches critical security flaws across its Windows apps — update now to stay safe
System Information Discovery (Enterprise T1082)•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Zoom has fixed a major vulnerability in its Windows apps that allowed threat actors to escalate privileges remotely. The company’s offensive team recently found an improper input validation flaw in Zoom Desktop Client for Windows before version 5.16.5, Zoom VDI Client for Windows before version 5.16.10 (excluding 5.14.14 and 5.15.12), Zoom Rooms Client for Windows before version 5.17.0, and Zoom


Marvel's X-Men 97 gets an official Disney Plus release date and exciting, nostalgia-fueled trailer
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Marvel Studios has finally revealed when its X-Men 97 TV series will debut on Disney Plus – and its arrival isn't far off. Confirmed at the end of the Disney Plus show's official trailer, which was released today (February 15), Marvel revealed its spiritual successor to X-Men: The Animated Series will launch on Wednesday, March 20 . At the time of writing, that's just over a month – 34 days, to b


Three terms sure to grab attention: Russia, nuclear, anti-satellite weapon
Ars Technica - All content / 6h
Enlarge / President Vladimir Putin visiting the Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia in Korolyov, outside Moscow, on October 26, 2023. (credit: GRIGORY SYSOYEV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) When you think about the prospect of Russia putting nukes in space, you can understand why some people might fill in the blanks and envision a surprise apocalyptic bombardment from orbit. That is the nightm


Driving the Road to Hana vs. flying: Which Maui option is right for you?
The Points Guy / 6h
Editor’s note: The Hana-Maui Resort provided TPG with a complimentary one-night stay and plane transportation to write about the experience of flying to Hana. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren’t subject to review by the hotel or any external entity. The Road to Hana is one of the most popular — and some would say treacherous — tourist activities on the island


If You Run Hot, the Fitbit Charge 6 Is Great for Tracking Body Temperature
Gizmodo / 6h
Aging is rough. I often joke to my friends that I’m perimenopausal, though I don’t have an official diagnosis. I do have all these new symptoms that have shown up since birthing my child four years ago that have been confirmed by my primary care physician as being part of the journey, as they say. My constantly… Read more...


Umbrella Academy Season 4 Finally Has a Premiere Date
59Gizmodo / 6h
Who’s ready for another apocalyptic summer? Fans haven’t seen The Umbrella Academy’s Hargreeves family since season three’s space-time chaos arrived in June 2022—but we now know the fourth and final season will finally hit Netflix globally on August 8. Read more...


Passenger Skips TSA ID Check, Boards American Airlines Flight Without A Ticket
View from the Wing / 6h
A woman skipped the TSA ID checker at the Nashville airport, since she didn’t have a boarding pass to fly that day. She went through regular screening, and proceeded to an American Airlines gate – where she got on a flight to Los Angeles without a boarding pass. Continue reading ...


Scientists Desperately Studying How to Hack Climate
28Futurism / 6h
Climate Boogaloo We are at the throw-the-kitchen-sink stage of our climate change crisis as researchers, backed by big money, are increasingly researching drastic, large-scale geoengineering methods that were once considered taboo because they involve tinkering with natural processes and their consequences are largely unknown, The Wall Street Journal reports . One project that is kicking off this


Netflix's 'One Day' portrays the politics of privilege in relationships
28Mashable / 6h
The Netflix adaptation of beloved David Nicholls novel One Day has hit the public (read: online) consciousness so hard, it’s like we’re bleeding sentimentality and nostalgia. A bestselling book, film, and now smash TV show , One Day follows the story of Emma and Dexter (played in the series by Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall), who meet at university and develop a close, perhaps unlikely, friendship. A


Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review: Function meets fashion
Engadget / 6h
Last month, Bose took an interesting approach to debuting a new product when it launched its Ultra Open Earbuds exclusively through a collaboration with fashion company Kith. Now, Bose is back with its own version, nixing the co-branding while keeping the same price. For both varieties, the $299 Ultra Open Earbuds sit outside of your ear canal and clip onto the ridge of your ear to stay in place.


Thousands of DoD personnel may have had their private data leaked — US government admits 20,000 could be affected
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
A year after a cybersecurity incident, the US Department of Defense (DOD) has begun notifying affected individuals about exactly what happened. In February 2023, cybersecurity researcher Anurag Sen discovered a US government email server that sat without a proper password to protect its content - essentially, leaking sensitive information to anyone who knew where to look. The exposed email server


What it’s like staying at IHG’s Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro
The Points Guy / 6h
[circuit type=review circuit_id=”20420170514″] Editor’s note: Iberostar provided a complimentary night and media rate so TPG could get an inside look at the resort and its amenities. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren’t subject to review by Iberostar, IHG or any external entity. I’m a big fan of all-inclusive resorts , and as much as I love a culture-rich trip


TikTok launches a ‘reimagined’ app for the Apple Vision Pro
28TechCrunch / 6h
TikTok has launched a native and “reimagined” app on the Apple Vision Pro, the company announced on Thursday. The Vision Pro launched on February 2 and already has over 1,000 apps specifically designed for the new device, and now one of the most popular social platforms is one of them. Although you could watch TikTok […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Audience Choice vote closes for Early Stage 2024 today
TechCrunch / 6h
Today is the electrifying conclusion for TechCrunch Early Stage Audience voting! We’ve meticulously sifted through a plethora of applications from seasoned founders and luminaries in the startup sphere, all vying for the spotlight in our Audience Choice program, and only six are left. Time is ticking: Secure your tickets to the show in Boston, taking […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. Fo


Celadyne coats membranes with nanoparticles to make hydrogen fuel cells more efficient
TechCrunch / 6h
The material could drastically improve the durability of existing fuel cell designs while also improving the efficiency of hydrogen production by 15%-20%. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Kong’s new open source AI Gateway makes building multi-LLM apps easier
20TechCrunch / 6h
API company Kong is launching its open source AI Gateway, an extension of its existing API gateway that allows developers and operations teams to integrate their applications with one or more large language models (LLMs) and access them through a single API. On top of this, Kong is launching several AI-specific features prompt engineering, credential […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. Fo


Armilla wants to give companies a warranty for AI
TechCrunch / 6h
There’s a lot that can go wrong with GenAI — especially third-party GenAI. It makes stuff up. It’s biased and toxic. And it can run afoul of copyright rules. According to a recent survey from MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group, third-party AI tools are responsible for over 55% of AI-related failures in […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


We tested Google’s Gemini chatbot — here’s how it performed
57TechCrunch / 6h
Gemini, Google’s answer to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot, is here. Is it any good? While it’s a solid option for research and productivity, it stumbles in obvious — and some not-so-obvious — places. Last week, Google rebranded its Bard chatbot to Gemini and brought Gemini — which confusingly shares a name in common with […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Lucid Motors drops the price of its cheapest EV by more than $8,000
TechCrunch / 6h
Lucid Motors is lopping thousands of dollars off the price of its most affordable electric sedans as it looks to boost demand after a disappointing year of sales. The rear-wheel drive version of the base model Lucid Air Pure will now start a $69,900, down from the previous price of $77,400. The more powerful Lucid […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Clarity raises $16M to fight deepfakes through detection
TechCrunch / 6h
Fake porn of Taylor Swift. Photorealistic — but fictionalized — images of Gaza. The list of disconcerting deepfakes goes on, and — as deepfake-creating tools grow easier and cheaper to use — the waves of fakes are coming faster and fiercer. According to a recent Pew Center poll, about two-thirds of Americans (66%) say they […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Review: Interesting Design With a Polarizing Price
Gizmodo / 6h
World-renowned audio maker Bose is known for its quality audio and industry-standard active noise cancelation technology. But instead of coasting on its many accolades, the company is jumping onto the bleeding edge of audio with the new Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. The earbuds sport a daring, innovative design, offering… Read more...


PlayStation Pulse Elite Review: I Would Love This Headset if It Weren't So Uncomfortable
Gizmodo / 6h
I can hear my own heartbeat running through the suction cup-like pads of the PlayStation Pulse Elite. The headset is so tight it’s picking up on the blood running at frightening rates to my head. It’s a strange sensation, to be sure, like I’m half-submerged in some sensory deprivation tank, and I’m about to be hurled… Read more...


Bose's New Earbuds Look Like High-Tech Jewelry
Gizmodo / 6h
Bose just released its latest Ultra Open Earbuds, which look exactly like ear cuffs on your cartilage. I checked them out at a briefing a few weeks ago and was impressed by the design. You can read our full Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review here and see if it’s worth your $300. Read more...


Bose's Ultra Open Earbuds Review: Impressive Sound, High Price
28Wired / 6h
These pricey and somewhat glitchy Bose wireless earbuds let in all the sound to keep you safe in any situation.


Bose's New Ultra Open Earbuds Are Ultra Expensive
How-To Geek / 7h
Active noise cancellation is probably one of the biggest additions to earbuds in years. They have completely changed the way we listen to music, with adaptive noise cancellation letting us choose between complete silence or letting in some noise from outside. Lately, however, those who prefer the latter and don't really want earbuds that isolate you from the outside world have plenty of options.


Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Review: Wearable Literally All Day
How-To Geek / 7h
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds dabble in being a fashion accessory, but I think that's just a side effect of being open earbuds. And while it's debatable whether the ear cuffs deliver on being fashionable, they do easily provide all-day comfort and quality audio content without clogging up your ears.


Buying a New Keyboard? Get a Hot-Swappable Model
How-To Geek / 7h
Hot-swappable mechanical keyboards that let you change out the switches without soldering are not just for keyboard enthusiasts. They have some notable benefits, to the point that I wouldn't buy a new keyboard that isn't hot-swappable. Here are just a few of the benefits.


The Switch to Electric Vehicles Was Always Going to Be a Slog
79Wired / 7h
EV sales are slowing globally, but experts still say there’s room for optimism.


Tiny ISS Robot Performs First Simulated Surgery in Space
Gizmodo / 7h
A two-pound cyborg surgeon performed its first simulated procedure in space, dissecting rubber bands that resemble elastic tissue to prepare for medical procedures to be carried out remotely in the microgravity environment. Read more...


Intuitive Machines lunar lander en route to the moon after SpaceX launch
TechCrunch / 7h
Intuitive Machines first mission to the moon is now underway. The company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus, lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in the early hours of Thursday morning. The spacecraft will now embark on a eight-day journey to the moon, with a landing attempt scheduled for February 22. Deployment of @Int_Machines IM-1 […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use o


The Download: why batteries rock, and Apple’s VR headset returns problem
MIT Technology Review / 7h
This is today’s edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology . Three things to love about batteries It’s hard to pick favorites when it comes to climate technologies. Really, anything that helps us get closer to tackling climate change is worth writing about, both to share the potential upsides and to carefully examine f


Are Disney’s Castaway Cay cabanas worth the price?
The Points Guy / 7h
Twelve days before my family and I were set to embark on our first Disney cruise , I got an email that set my heart pounding. We had secured the holy grail of Disney Caribbean cruises: a cabana on Castaway Cay. For those of you unfamiliar with this cruise ship private island phenomenon, a cabana is a private beach hut that you can rent for the day. Cabanas range from basic wood setups to full-on


Use the ‘Sigh, See, Start’ Method to Teach Your Kids (and You) Self-Regulation
LifeHacker / 7h
Small parenting challenges come up every day, from whining about leaving the playground, to a disagreement with a sibling, or clashes with friends at school. You want to handle every emotional upset in the best, healthiest way for your child, but how do you know what response is good enough? In her new book, Sigh, See, Start: How to Be the Parent Your Child Needs in a World That Won’t Stop Pushin


Delta Employees Get $1.4 Billion In Profit Sharing
200+One Mile at a Time / 7h
As much as we might rag on Delta for its SkyMiles program and largely outdated fleet, you’ve gotta give the airline credit for how much it rewards employees for their shared success. Delta employees get 10.4% profit sharing for 2023 Since 2007, Delta has had the most generous profit sharing program in the airline industry. On Valentine’s Day every year, employees get their profit sharing check, r


.406 Ventures secures $265M for fifth fund
TechCrunch / 7h
When looking at startups within healthcare, data and AI and cybersecurity, the firm considers a number of factors like the plan for infrastructure, especially now that AI is everywhere. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


UK’s Southern Water reports huge leak - hundreds of thousands of customer’s data stolen by hackers
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Up to 470,000 UK customers of water provider Southern Water may have had their data stolen by hackers, the company has warned. While investigations into exactly how many customers have been affected are still ongoing, Southern Water released a statement saying that they are planning to notify “5 to 10 percent” of its customers. A BBC report said included in the stolen data were customers’ bank ac


Today only: get $10/mo off your plan at Visible Wireless - forever!
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Visible Wireless has just dropped its best deal yet as part of a limited-time-only Valentine's Day promotion. Right now new customers can sign up using the code HAPPY at checkout to get a flat $10 discount on the brand's Visible+ unlimited data plan, bringing the price down to just $35 per month. According to the T&Cs, this promo price will remain for as long as you stick around with Visible or u


Disney Plus’ Renegade Nell series looks like a Robin Hood and Peter Pan mashup in magical teaser trailer
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Allow us to introduce Nell Jackson. Nell isn't like the other girls: she's wanted for murder and about to become the most notorious outlaw England has ever seen. That's the premise of Renegade Nell , a new fantasy series headed to Disney Plus in the coming months. The trailer looks spectacular but it's the credits that have got me particularly interested in this show. It's been written by Sally W


View of the Public Library in Owosso, Michigan. Printed on front: “Public Library, Owosso, Mich.”…
Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
View of the Public Library in Owosso, Michigan. Printed on front: “Public Library, Owosso, Mich.” Printed on back: “Owosso News Agency, Owosso, Mich. Genuine Curteich-Chicago ‘C.T. American Art’ post card (reg. U.S. Pat. Off.)” Handwritten on back: “Feb. 13, 1943. Dear Lillian, I be thinking of you all tonight but I be knitting just the same. Out to Mother and Dad for weekend. How would like to w


Google and the EDF want to track methane emissions from space
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Google Cloud has joined forces with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to combat methane emissions, which are among the top contributors to global warming, as part of the company’s battle to become more sustainable. With 2023 revealed as the hottest year on record, the pressure is on multinational firms to curb the rise in temperatures, reducing the risk of catastrophic events like wildfires, d


Alaska Airlines’ Latest Baggage Policy Shakeup: A Customer Nightmare [Roundup]
View from the Wing / 7h
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips. Continue reading ...


What Is HuggingChat AI? Is It Better Than ChatGPT?
How-To Geek / 7h
Since the rise of ChatGPT in late 2022, LLM-based chatbots have become very common. One such chatbot, HuggingFace, is a popular option among AI users, but how does it work, and is it any better than ChatGPT?


Tesla Update Aims to Help Owners Who Can’t Unplug Their Charging Cables in the Cold
59Gizmodo / 7h
Driving a Tesla, or any electric vehicle, in frigid temperatures can be a pain. Despite the myriad of problems Tesla owners encounter in the cold, from hours-long charging times to not being able to open the door , perhaps the weirdest one is when the charging cable literally gets stuck in the car. Not to worry,… Read more...


Here Comes the Flood of AI-Generated Clickbait
29Wired / 7h
This week, we look at how domain squatters are using generative AI tools to crank out clickbait, and ask what Google is doing about it.


Homeworld 3 studio Blackbird Interactive is laying off a number of its staff
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Canadian game development studio Blackbird Interactive is laying off a number of its staff, employees have revealed. The studio, which employed around 220 members of staff as of December 2023 according to its studio overview fact sheet , is currently working on the upcoming real-time strategy game Homeworld 3 , as well as the roguelike sci-fi deckbuilder, Earthless . It previously developed Hards


Skiff gets bought by Notion—another lost battle for privacy?
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Skiff, the popular secure email and document editing service, shocked its users during the weekend by announcing it'll be shutting down, following an acquisition by Notion. However, Skiff's accounts won't be converted under the new firm, but rather stop working completely after a six-month sunset period. Founded in 2020 by Andrew Milch and Jason Ginsber, Skiff gained a devoted following thanks to


Google One is hiding one of its best-value cloud storage plans — is it winding down, or just making it difficult to subscribe to?
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Google may be about to make some significant changes to its cloud storage offering, if recent alterations to its website are anything to go by. Reports have claimed that one of its most popular Google One plans has apparently disappeared from the company's website, with different default offerings appearing in its place. This could be users are forced to compromise when signing up for Google One


You Can Get This 6-in-1 Laptop Stand on Sale for $95 Right Now
LifeHacker / 8h
You can get this 6-in-1 CASA HUB laptop stand hub on sale for $94.97 right now (reg. $129) through February 19. It comes with a 360° rotatable base and conveniently has 6 ports in the back, including USB-C, USB-C PD, (2) HDMI, USB-A, and RJ45 for charging and transferring data. It also has silicone rubber pads for an anti-slip grip. You can get this 6-in-1 CASA HUB laptop stand hub on sale for $9


NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 15
Mashable / 8h
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


NVIDIA becomes the third most valuable US company at Alphabet's expense
Engadget / 8h
NVIDIA is doing very well for itself, so much so that the chip maker has overtaken Alphabet, Google's parent company, to become the third most valuable company in the United States, Reuters reports . The news comes almost immediately after NVIDIA pushed past Amazon in the rankings, with the company now valued at $1.83 trillion. Worldwide, it sits in fourth, behind American companies Microsoft ($3


TCL has launched a new pair of AR glasses with 120Hz OLED screens
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
There’s a new pair of AR smart glasses on the scene, in the form of the TCL Nxtwear S Plus specs – a follow-up to the TCL Nxtwear S , which we reviewed in the middle of last year – priced at $399 / £399 / AU$699. Much like their predecessors, these glasses can be connected to a compatible device like a phone or console – either by a USB-C Display Port, or by using adaptors that you’ll have to pay


11 Best President’s Day Mattress Deals (2024)
26Wired / 8h
This is one of the best times of the year to buy a mattress, and we’ve price-checked all of these to ensure there’s no trickery afoot.


Windows 11 is about to fix two of its most frustrating flaws
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
We're always keeping an eye on the early preview versions of Windows 11 to see what's coming down the pipe, and so we're pleased to see two small but useful fixes on the way that should be rolling out to everyone soon. First up, at long last it looks as though Microsoft will add the option to hide the news feed from the widgets box. This has been enabled in build 26058 (via XDA Developers ), so y


The Morning After: Mark Zuckerberg thinks the Quest 3 is much better than the Vision Pro
Engadget / 8h
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg has posted his own review of Apple's Vision Pro on Instagram, coming inexplicably for our jobs here at Engadget. In a video shot direct from a Meta Quest 3 (oh of course), Zuckerberg didn't mince his words. He said he expected the Quest to be the better value for most people, because it's "like seven times less expensive" than the $3,500 Vision Pro. Eventually, he concl


Slack is about to TL;DR your lengthy work threads
Mashable / 8h
It seems like every tech platform is rushing to jump on the AI bandwagon. From Yelp to Amazon , the artificial intelligence-based announcements are pouring in weekly. Next up: Slack. The professional messaging platform has just unveiled its set of generative AI tools. The initial Slack AI experience includes generative capabilities to do with search answers, recaps, and summaries. SEE ALSO: AI ca


Netflix's new comedy show about a women who's turned into a Chicken Nugget looks truly bonkers
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
The late, great Kurt Vonnegut famously argued that most stories share the same handful of plots: boy meets girl, rags to riches, man falls in a hole and climbs out of it. But it looks like he missed one: girl turns into a chicken nugget. That's the premise of – yes! – Chicken Nugget , the "crispy fried" Korean comedy that's coming to Netflix next month. I've watched the trailer a dozen times and


Ocean Temperatures Keep Shattering Records—and Stunning Scientists
200+Wired / 8h
Sea surface temperatures have been skyrocketing beyond expectations. That may be a bad sign for hurricane season—and the health of ocean ecosystems.


How to Make Sure Your GPU Is Giving You the Best FPS Possible
How-To Geek / 8h
There's nothing worse than the sinking feeling of disappointment you get after purchasing a shiny new graphics card when you realize that it doesn't work correctly. Before you lose your cool and return it, follow these troubleshooting tips to make sure the card was installed correctly.


Want an OLED MacBook Pro? Bad news: it’s apparently delayed until 2027
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
The MacBook Pro offers some of the best displays in the entire computing industry, with Apple’s mini-LED tech shining bright against its competitors. Despite that, we’ve often wondered just how good Apple’s laptops would be if they switched their screens to OLED goodness. Well, it looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer, as the OLED MacBook Pro has reportedly been pushed back to 2027. The n


Apple could be working on a new AI tool that animates your images based on text prompts
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Apple may be working on a new artificial intelligence tool that will let you create basic animations from your photos using a simple text prompt. If the tool comes to fruition, you’ll be able to turn any static image into a brief animation just by typing in what you want it to look like. According to 9to5Mac , Apple researchers have published a paper that details procedures for manipulating image


First it toppled Amazon — now Nvidia has passed Alphabet to become the third most valuable US company
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Nvidia has now passed Alphabet (parent company of Google) in the list of the world’s most valuable companies. The news comes just days after the California chipmaker passed Amazon , and makes it now the third-most valuable company in the US, and the fourth in the whole world. On February 14, Nvidia’s stock rose over 2%, closing at an impressive $739 per share, pushing its market value to $1.83 tr


Intel Lunar Lake laptop CPUs might have a secret weapon to make PC games look better (and photos, too)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Intel’s next-gen laptop chips known as Lunar Lake could come with a clever trick up their sleeve for making graphics in the best PC games look sharper (and other images besides). Lunar Lake’s integrated graphics, which will be Xe2 (or Battlemage, second-generation Arc ), might be powered up by an adaptive sharpening filter, or at least Intel is looking at introducing this capability as seen in re


Amazon Presidents' Day sale knocks $400 off powerful RTX 4070 Ti gaming PCs
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
The Amazon Presidents' Day sale has already kicked off this week and features some of the best deals we've ever seen on gaming PCs with speedy RTX 4070 Ti graphics cards. Right now, you can get a massive $400 price cut on two similarly specced-out Alienware Aurora R15 gaming PCs. There's this Ryzen 7 model for just $1,479.99 (was $1,899) or this Core i7 model for $1,499 (was $1,899) . Both of the


Arnergy, which provides solar power systems to homes and businesses in Nigeria, raises $3M
TechCrunch / 9h
Arnergy, a Nigerian cleantech startup that deals in distributed renewable energy products and solutions, has raised $3 million in new financing. The bridge round was financed by All On, a Shell-backed off-grid energy impact investment company. The financing comes five years after Arnergy, a provider of solar power systems to homes and businesses, secured a […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserv


Looking to buy an RTX 4070 Super? Good news – Nvidia’s new GPU has already dropped below MSRP
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super might be new to the graphics card scene, but the GPU has already sunk below its MSRP in the US – and elsewhere. VideoCardz noticed that on both Newegg and Amazon in the US, one model of the RTX 4070 Super is now at $589.99 , which is $10 under the MSRP of $599.99. The graphics card in question is the Zotac Twin Edge version of the RTX 4070 Super. While this has only happen


Intuitive Machines' lunar lander begins its multi-day journey to the moon
Engadget / 9h
Intuitive Machines' Odysseus has started making its way to the moon and could make history as the first privately built lander to touch down on the lunar surface. The lander was ferried to space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket using a booster that already had 17 flights under its belt before this one and could even fly again in the future, seeing as it had safely returned to Earth on the company's La


Embracer confirms it’s laid off over 1,300 people since the start of its restructuring program
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Embracer Group, the Swedish video game and media company that owns a huge number of subsidiaries, including Plaion, Saber Interactive, and THQ Nordic, has confirmed that it’s laid off around 8% of its staff since the start of its restructuring program last year. The restructuring program was first announced in June 2023, and since then, it’s seen enormous staff cuts across a wide range of its stu


Microsoft Teams just made a small but amazingly helpful tweak — and it's something that will help users the world over
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Navigating between different types and kinds of Microsoft Teams apps will soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new update. The video conferencing service has announced it will be bringing together "every type of Teams account" into a single desktop app, negating the current need for multiple versions for different use cases. Going forward, this should mean that users, whether on a work, school


Samsung's M7 Smart Monitor is gorgeous and doubles as a TV
Mashable / 9h
Last year, I was left with a gaping hole on my desk. While I’d loved using the 34-inch curved Dell monitor provided by my day job, leaving said job meant it was time to say goodbye to the biggest monitor I’d ever used — and time to shop for a new monitor for the first time in a decade. I’d been using a 27-inch iMac prior to my Dell monstrosity, so working off my 13-inch laptop screen felt ridicul


Bitwarden is making it easier for businesses to start using passkeys
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Bitwarden has announced that it is improving its passkey creation feature to help businesses implement them with greater ease. The password manager says its Passwordless.dev enterprise plan will now include event logs and self-hosting options. It claims that "these features empower organizations with greater transparency when moving to passwordless authentication and enable developers to build wo


Apple's MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip falls back to a low of $1,799
Engadget / 9h
While Apple's MacBook Pro is a clear choice for most creatives over its MacBook Air counterpart, the higher cost is prohibitive. If that's been stopping you from picking one up, then you're in luck: Apple's 2023 MacBook Pro with a M3 Pro chip is currently on sale for $1,799, down from $1,999. The 10 percent discount still leaves the 14-inch laptop with a few hundred dollars between it and even th


Three things to love about batteries
MIT Technology Review / 9h
This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review ’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here . I wouldn’t exactly say I have favorites when it comes to climate technologies. Anything that could help us get closer to tackling climate change is worth writing about, both to share the potential upsides and to carefully examine for pitfalls. But I have


Ys 10: Nordics finally has a release window for its western localization
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Ys 10: Nordics, the latest game in Nihon Falcom's long-running action role-playing game (RPG) series, finally has a western launch window. The game launched in Japan for PlayStation 5 , PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch last September 28. Now, the upcoming game is making its way to the West via Falcom's longtime publishing partner NIS America. It'll land in 'Fall 2024,' so most likely between Se


Kara Swisher Is Sick of Tech People, So She Wrote a Book About Them
42Wired / 9h
Silicon Valley’s top pundit dishes on her memoir Burn Book, immature billionaires, and whether she’s actually mean.


The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 might inherit the S24 Ultra’s camera, but that’s bad news for the battery
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
One issue we’ve long had with Samsung’s foldable phones is that the cameras just can’t match those of the company’s top non-foldable phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra . In fact, they sometimes seem like an afterthought, with few changes from one generation to the next. But we might see bigger changes with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 . This is according to leaker @Tech_Reve , who has a r


Evernote and Meetup owner Bending Spoons raises $155M in equity financing
TechCrunch / 10h
Bending Spoons, the owner of popular apps and services like Evernote and Meetup, announced today that it has raised $155 million in a new equity financing round at a $2.55 billion post-money valuation. Durable Capital Partners led the round with existing investors, such as Baillie Gifford, Cox Enterprises, NB Renaissance, NUO Capital, and StarTIP (controlled […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights rese


The iPhone 16’s A18 chipset could help Apple beat the Samsung Galaxy S24's AI
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
With the Samsung Galaxy S24 line and the Google Pixel 8 series both boasting serious AI skills, Apple has some catching up to do, but it sounds like the iPhone 16 line might be equipped to match or beat those phones when it comes to AI capabilities. According to Taiwanese site Economic Daily News (via 9to5Mac ), the Neural Engine in the A18 chipset that we're expecting the iPhone 16 line to use w


Helldivers 2 will never get a PvP mode because the toxicity isn't worth it
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
It has been confirmed by Arrowhead Game Studios' CEO and creative director Johan Pilestedt that co-op PvE shooter Helldivers 2 will never get a PvP mode. Since its launch on February 8, a handful of players have been requesting a PvP mode, with one user suggesting that this would be the best way to keep "hardcore gamers engaged." They added that this style of game mode could be valuable during pa


Marvel's Fantastic Four poster teases when the MCU movie is set, and it's a perfect fit
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
It's been less than 24 hours since Marvel's Fantastic Four movie finally received a hype-inducing update, but there's one big mystery that remains unsolved: what year it'll be set in. Well, it's unsolved unless you're an eagle-eyed Marvel comics fan and a Fantastic Four fanatic. You see, while most of us enthusiastically greeted the news that Marvel Studios had finally revealed the cast for its F


Cisco confirms plans to cut thousands of jobs as profits fall
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Cisco has revealed plans to cut 5% of its global workforce, translating to around 4,250 jobs, as it continues to battle with a challenging economy. The news sent Cisco shares dropping by around 9%, underlining the challenges faced by tech companies globally as the world’s economies continue to recuperate following the pandemic. The alert came as the company announced its most recent quarterly ear


Peloton is abandoning Apple Watch's Gymkit in favour of its own fitness app
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Peloton announced in an email on Monday that it'll be ditching support for Apple Watch's GymKit from February 27: instead, it'll be tracking your health and well-being metrics within its own Peloton app. Peloton One-Tap tracking, as its replacement is called, doesn't mean your Peloton workouts will need additional manual tracking to register in Apple Health. GymKit is the Apple Watch 's protocol


Vision Pro returns are happening, but is it actually a problem for Apple yet?
Mashable / 10h
Some early buyers are returning their Apple Vision Pro . Apple provides a 14-day window during which you can return the Vision Pro for a full price, and it's closing soon for folks who bought the device on day one — launch day was Feb. 2, so the last day to return it would be Friday, Feb. 16. And yes, there are multiple reports on social media, assembled by The Verge , with people claiming they'r


How to watch the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards
Mashable / 10h
The best Netflix deals at a glance: BEST FOR VERIZON CUSTOMERS One year of Netflix Premium Free for Verizon customers who sign up for a +play annual subscription (save $22.99/month) BEST FOR T-MOBILE CUSTOMERS Netflix Standard (with ads) free for those on most Go5G plans (save $6.99/month) BEST BUNDLE DEAL Netflix and Max bundle (with ads) $10 per month for Verizon customers with myPlan (save $6.


Get 20TB of cloud storage for life for just $90
Mashable / 10h
TL;DR: Through February 19, get 20TB of Prism Drive Cloud Storage for only $89.97 — save 93%. Regardless of the timing, seeing another subscription charge on your card often feels like a monthly (or yearly) visit from the bill fairy. One way to make her go away is finding lifetime subscriptions that allow you to pay just once to use the service for life, the way you can with Prism Drive cloud sto


The Kapsule 360° Bluetooth speaker is on sale for just $129
Mashable / 10h
TL;DR: As of February 15, get the Kapsule 360° Wireless Speaker for only $128.99 — that's 35% off. It's 2024, and it's safe to say that we have really gotten used to music accompanying us wherever we go. Access to music is available in seconds through our devices, and today's Bluetooth tech allows us to listen to it so easily, whether through a pair of headphones or a speaker. But when you are ho


This mini decentralized VPN and firewall hardware is just $229
Mashable / 10h
TL;DR: As of February 15, get the Deeper Connect Mini Decentralized VPN and Firewall Hardware for just $229. With so much of our lives online these days, you might want some peace of mind to know your information is protected. Luckily, it's becoming increasingly easier to do with security solutions like this Deeper Connect Mini Decentralized VPN and Firewall Hardware. This little piece of hardwar


Get a refurbished MacBook Air with a case for $248
Mashable / 10h
TL;DR: As of February 15, get this refurbished 2015 MacBook Air for only $247.99 — that's 64% off. These days, no matter who you are, you need a computer to function efficiently. Whether you're a student, a new professional, or a frequent traveler in need of a quality laptop to take around with you, a refurbished model could be the best bet because they typically come with a much lower price tag


TikTok and Instagram 'diet' tips to avoid
Mashable / 10h
Plenty of influencers and creators on TikTok and Instagram think they know the right way for you to eat. This feels especially obvious in January and February, when, inspired by New Year's resolutions, people are searching for ways to lose weight, get in shape, and eat healthy, and food-related wellness content is everywhere on social media . It's no surprise, then, that many of the tips that bec


It's easy to catfish strangers on dating apps
20Mashable / 10h
One of the pitfalls of the later seasons of MTV's Catfish: The TV Show was the lack of any actual catfishes. When the show aired in 2012, Tinder was in its infancy, and a lot of the earlier participants of the show had begun their e-relationships through Facebook or MySpace. Online love during the aughts and early 2010s was hard and weird . And thanks to the show and growing tech literacy, decept


'Bridgerton' Season 3 clip teases a very tense argument
88Mashable / 10h
It's one of the TV shows we're most excited about in 2024 , and the Bridgerton sneak peaks are now rolling out in full force. But while the last clip we had was filled with longing between this season's leads Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), this one is brimming with barely suppressed tension as Penelope tells Colin she overheard him saying he would nev


Need for Speed, The Outer Worlds, and much more are coming to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog this month
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
The PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for February is looking fantastic, with some big names and standout games. Players will be able to enjoy exciting sci-fi locations, thrilling races, and expansive worlds with the new additions of The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition and Need for Speed Unbound for the PlayStation 5 , as well as Assassin's Creed: Valhalla and Tales of Arise for the PS5 and the


Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will be getting a pre-launch graphics update for Performance Mode
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
The demo for the anticipated fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will be getting a visual update, which will also be applied to the main game on release. The official Final Fantasy 7 Twitter / X page announced : "The update to the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo scheduled for February 21 will apply improvements to the visual quality when selecting 'Performance Mode' from the gr


Months before launch, Palworld’s community manager thought that anything above 50,000 players ‘seemed unobtainable’
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Almost a month after Palworld ’s successful early-access launch, Pocketpair community manager ‘Bucky’ has been reflecting on his expectations for the game prior to its launch, and revealed that in May last year, reaching anything above 50,000 players seemed impossible. In case you were unfamiliar, the survival-crafting game launched in early access on PC, Xbox Series X |S and Xbox One (and on Xbo


GM's Super Cruise expansion adds 750,000 miles of rural roads
Engadget / 10h
GM has announced a significant expansion of its Super Cruise operating area by around 750,000 miles to rural roads and minor highways in the US and Canada, TechCrunch reported. The upgrade is set to be completed by 2025 and will nearly double the automaker's current 400,000 mile network. First launched in 2017 , Super Cruise allows fully hands-free operation under the supervision of a driver, who


Xbox's February update features big improvements to control customization for both thumbsticks and remote play
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Xbox's February update is rolling out to players globally, featuring improvements for those who own an Xbox Series X |S, Xbox One and, this time, mobile devices. Detailed in an official Xbox Wire post , February's update leads with a brand new thumbstick calibration tool for the Xbox Wireless Controller . Designed to "address minor thumbstick issues such as inconsistent responses," it looks to be


Alibaba faces reckoning with once-vaunted ‘new retail’ strategy
22TechCrunch / 11h
In 2017, “new retail” began appearing in Alibaba’s earnings reports. Coined by the Chinese e-commerce behemoth, the term refers to the seamless integration of online and offline retail. Six years later, Alibaba is having a moment of reckoning with this strategy as it looks to offload some of its offline retail assets. On its recent […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only


New York City is suing social media companies for allegedly harming the mental health of children
Engadget / 12h
After designating social media as a "public health hazard" in late January, New York City is now suing Meta, Google, Snap and TikTok for "fueling nationwide youth mental health crisis." Specifically, these companies face three counts in the lawsuit: public nuisance, negligence and gross negligence. The Mayor Eric Adams administration accuses TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube of "e


Encryption backdoors violate human rights, EU court rules
Mashable / 12h
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that enabling governments to access everyone's encrypted messages is a human rights violation. It probably won't stop them from continuing to try, though. In a 27-page judgement on Tuesday , the ECHR found that Russian legislation concerning online messaging services breach Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights , which protects th


Android 15: latest news, rumors, and everything we know so far
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Android 15 – or Vanilla Ice Cream as it’s reportedly codenamed – is unlikely to launch in finished form for quite a while yet, but the first previews and betas could land very soon, giving us an early taste of Google’s next big Android update. Ahead of even that though, numerous possible features and improvements have leaked, so we already have some idea of what to expect. You’ll find all the new


Save At Mandarin Oriental With Amex Offers
100+One Mile at a Time / 12h
The Amex Offers program frequently has promotions for hotel stays, which can save you money or earn you bonus points for stays you’d make anyway. Amex has just rolled out its latest targeted hotel offer, which is exclusively for stays at Mandarin Oriental properties. Spend $500+ with Mandarin Oriental,