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

Thursday, February 1, 2024

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How to Open the Hidden Scientific Calculator on iPhone
100+How-To Geek / 17h
If you've ever wanted a scientific calculator app on iPhone, don't fret—your iPhone already comes with one built in. Apple's Calculator app includes a scientific mode that has been hiding in plain sight since 2008 . Here's how to use it.


Polestar 4 is now available in Europe and Australia
Mashable / 54min
Polestar 4, the SUV coupé from Volvo's performance EV sub-brand, is now available in Europe and Australia. The slick electric coupé was unveiled in April 2023 and first launched in China at the end of that year, but this is its first expansion globally. And while it's available for pre-order in some European countries and Australia today, production won't start until mid-2024, with first deliveri



This robot can tidy a room without any help
MIT Technology Review / 7min
Robots are good at certain tasks. They’re great at picking up and moving objects, for example, and they’re even getting better at cooking . But while robots may easily complete tasks like these in a laboratory, getting them to work in an unfamiliar environment where there’s little data available is a real challenge. Now, a new system called OK-Robot could train robots to pick up and move objects


Tesla sued by 25 California counties for allegedly mishandling hazardous waste
Engadget / 1h
Tesla is facing a lawsuit from 25 California counties accusing it of mishandling hazardous waste at facilities around the state, according to a complaint filed in San Joaquin County Superior Court. The lawsuit, which seeks civil penalties and an injunction forcing Tesla to correctly handle waste, was filed after months of negotiations reportedly broke down. Civil penalties could amount to as much


Planet A Foods whips up more capital to take its cocoa-free chocolate global
24TechCrunch / 1h
Planet A Foods uses fermentation technology to turn all-natural, locally-sourced ingredients, for example, oats and sunflower seeds, into its cocoa-free chocolate brand, ChoViva. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.



TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is Singaporean, not Chinese. Somebody please convince Senator Tom Cotton.
Mashable / 1h
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a four-hour hearing concerning children's online safety this week, entitled "Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis." Unfortunately, you'd have no idea this was the subject if you only heard Senator Tom Cotton's questions for TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. Congress heard testimony from a who's who of social media CEOs on Wednesday, including Me


Tesla: Elon Musk moves to shift firm's legal home to Texas
34BBC News - Technology / 2h
The multi-billionaire says the electric car maker will move immediately to hold a shareholder vote on the matter.


Sony's next State of Play showcase will revolve around Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Engadget / 2h
Final Fantasy fans may want to carve some time out for Sony's next State of Play. Before its latest showcase ended , the company announced that it will share new gameplay details and "exciting news [fans] won't wanna miss" about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth at its next event. It also promised an extended look at the upcoming sequel to FFVII Remake , which is arriving on the PS5 on February 29, 2024.


Humanoid Robot X Discussion
Next Big Future / 2h
There is a discussion of humanoid robot on X. There is the observation that people are not aware of the level of robots being used in the world now. There are the industrial (large robot arms) in factories. There are the Amazon large pallet bots rolling shelves to human supply chain workers. There are few ... Read more


Three San Francisco supervisors receive threats following YC President Garry Tan’s tweet
TechCrunch / 3h
Aaron Peskin says Garry Tan’s now deleted X post did “harm to democratic discourse." © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


YouTube TV could soon get some big upgrades for sports fans
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Improvements are being made to YouTube TV ensuring sports fans can watch multiple games with little to no interruptions. The annoying thing about watching sports online is there can sometimes be broadcast delays. This results in laggy streams and it's awful. Back in December 2023, YouTube introduced a way to temporarily reduce latency for up to 48 hours at a time. It ensures interference or fluct


India weighs more penalties on Paytm, including revoking payments bank license
22TechCrunch / 3h
The Reserve Bank of India is discussing more penalties on Paytm Payments Bank and may reach a decision within days, two sources familiar with the matter told TechCrunch, as troubles mount for the Indian financial services firm that serves more than 330 million customers. The central bank has internally discussed revoking the payments bank license […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For pe


Gain lifetime access to key Microsoft Office apps for under £40
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: Get Microsoft Office Professional 2019 for Windows or Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 for Mac for £31.47. Students, working professionals, and business owners alike would likely agree that Microsoft Office is the one software suite indispensable to their daily tasks and larger projects. However, as you’re probably already aware, accessing those apps isn’t free. You have two options


Reliance-backed Viacom18 agrees to buy 60% of Disney’s India unit, report says
20TechCrunch / 5h
Reliance-backed Viacom18 has reached an agreement to buy 60% of Disney’s India unit, WSJ reported Thursday citing unnamed sources, creating a pathway for the Indian conglomerate to form a $10 billion media giant in the South Asian market. The deal, which WSJ says will close this month, values Disney’s India unit at $3.9 billion, the […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use onl


The Latest M2 MacBook Air Is $300 Off Right Now
LifeHacker / 5h
It's a good time to upgrade your laptop: Apple's newest and most portable machine, the M2 MacBook Air , is currently on sale for its lowest price ever. Right now. you can get a 15-inch model for $999 (down from $1,299) from Best Buy, a $300 discount. After looking at price compression tools, I can say this is the lowest price it has reached since its release last summer, even better than October


Figure AI Talks With Microsoft & OpenAI About $500M Investment
Next Big Future / 6h
Figure AI, startup developing humanoid robots, is talking to Microsoft and OpenAI to raise $500 million in new funding at a valuation of over $2 billion. Figure AI just made a deal with BMW to put the humanoid robots into the car factory for pilot tests over the next 12-24 months. Figure AI has performed ... Read more


Easy Camping With a $2975 Tesla Cybertruck Basecamp
Next Big Future / 6h
Bring your campsite with you on the road with Tesla Cybertruck Basecamp. It has an ultra-light geodesic air-frame design. It inflates in minutes. It includes an ultra-soft air mattress. The Cybertruck has electrical outlets. It has a fully collapsible self-contained pack. INCLUDES: Tent Assembly Awning Awning Poles Air pumps L-track brackets Accessories (stakes and repair ... Read more


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for February 1
Mashable / 6h
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Feb. 1's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. Where did Wordle com


Today’s Wordle Hints (and Answer) for Thursday, February 1, 2024
LifeHacker / 6h
If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for February 1, 2024 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is medium-easy; I got it in four. Beware, there are spoilers below for February 1, Wordle #957! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game. How to play Wordle Wordle lives here on the New York Times web


NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for February 1
Mashable / 7h
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the e


Paytm to terminate business with Paytm Payments Bank after central bank’s clampdown
26TechCrunch / 7h
Paytm said Thursday that it will cease work with its associate Paytm Payments Bank and accelerate plans to partner with other banks, after India’s central bank barred Paytm Payments Bank from conducting nearly all of its business activities due to supervisory concerns. The Noida-based financial services firm said it expects its loan distribution, insurance distribution […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All


How to Craft a Better Resume, According to a LinkedIn Career Expert
LifeHacker / 7h
Applying for jobs sucks bad. It always has, but somehow, it’s worse these days. It might be easier than ever to send out a resume, but it’s increasingly difficult to know what the hiring managers want . Even knowing what to include in your resume is hard, to say nothing of the waiting game, (lack of) follow-up emails, and the interview process. Let’s start at the beginning. Here’s what your resum


YouTube, Discord, and ‘Lord of the Rings’ Led Police to a Teen Accused of a US Swatting Spree
25Wired / 7h
For nearly two years, police have been tracking down the culprit behind a wave of hoax threats. A digital trail took them to the door of a 17-year-old in California.


Linda Yaccarino Says X Needs More Moderators After All
32Wired / 8h
X CEO Linda Yaccarino told US senators she’s hiring more trust and safety staffers. She didn’t mention that Elon Musk fired most people policing content on the platform when he acquired it in 2022.


Biogen dumps dubious Alzheimer’s drug after profit-killing FDA scandal
Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge / The exterior of the headquarters of biotechnology company Biogen in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (credit: Getty | Boston Globe ) Biotechnology company Biogen is abandoning Aduhelm , its questionable Alzheimer's drug that has floundered on the market since its scandal-plagued regulatory approval in 2021 and brow-raising pricing. On Wednesday, the company announced it had terminated its lice


ESA 144 Person Moonbase Will Use Many Inflatable Modules
Next Big Future / 8h
The European Space Agency and Hassell Studio design for a 144 person moonbase has dozens of inflatable modules that will be covered by regolith. The larger inflatable modules are about 22 feet (7 meters wide), ~60 feet long (~18 meters) and up to 14 feet (4 meters tall at the tallest). This is based upon ... Read more


Europe Space Agency Lunar Master Plan for 144 Person Moon Base
Next Big Future / 8h
Architect Hassell Studio and the European Space Agency have a Lunar Habitat Master Plan to build a 144 person moon base. Designed in close collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Cranfield University, the Lunar Habitat Master Plan —was unveiled at the ESA’s Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands as part of its ... Read more


Skynet Funded by Silicon Valley VCs
Next Big Future / 8h
As of December 29, 2023, Shield AI has a valuation of $2.8 billion and has raised $742.5 million in funding across nine rounds. It has funding from the top silicon valley and technology venture capitalists. The new silicon valley drone companies are pushing more aggressively than previous DARPA-Lockheed Gremlin drone swarm projects. Modern warfare between ... Read more


Shield AI Drone Swarms Gives Squads the Power of a Battalion
Next Big Future / 8h
Shield AI is a defense technology company building one of the world’s best AI pilot for aircraft and also makes the V-BAT Teams AI drone swarm product. The Shield AI drones take off vertically and then tilt and fly horizontally at high speed. It will give 24/7 coverage, over 30,000 square miles, to find, fix, ... Read more


Air Force Research Lab Focuses on Better Missiles and AI Drone Swarms
Next Big Future / 8h
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) manages a budget of $7.5 billion to discover, manufacture, and integrate warfighting capabilities and technologies for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. DARPA had a budget of $4.1 billion in 2023. AFRL is close to double the budget of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). AFRL RESEARCH AREA ... Read more


Elon Shows Update on Optimus Humanoid Bot Work
Next Big Future / 8h
Tesla Optimus humanoid bot has been shown walking before. There is a new video from Elon Musk showing the Optimus bot walking without the white covering pieces. There is the possibility that we are being shown an end to end neural net system controlling the Optimus. All neural net is what the latest Tesla FSD ... Read more


What Is Spatial Audio and How Does It Work?
LifeHacker / 8h
If you've bought a new iPhone like the iPhone 15 Pro Max or a new pair of Apple headphones or earbuds in the past year or two, then you've probably heard the sales pitch about spatial audio. But what exactly is spatial audio, how do you use it, and do you really need it? If you've been looking for the answers to these questions, then look no further. What is spatial audio? Spatial audio first sta


Spotify's content filter fails to block explicit lyrics in dozens of hits


27BBC News - Technology / 9h
Fans are shown swear words and racial slurs in dozens of songs even when explicit content is blocked.


Quordle today – hints and answers for Thursday, February 1 (game #738)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around two years after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult. What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keep


Tesla sued for allegedly mishandling hazardous waste in California for years
25TechCrunch / 9h
Tesla has been sued by 25 California counties alleging the automaker has repeatedly mishandled hazardous waste at facilities throughout the state. The lawsuit was filed after months of settlement talks apparently fell apart. The complaint, filed in San Joaquin County Superior Court, states that Tesla improperly labeled and disposed of materials like “lead acid batteries […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All


How to watch Feud: Capote vs The Swans online – stream Ryan Murphy’s starry anthology series
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Watch Feud: Capote vs. The Swans online US viewers can watch Feud: Capote vs. The Swans live on linear channel FX or through an OTT service like Sling TV. Alternatively, catch episodes a day later on Hulu. In Canada, the series will air on FX Now, while Australians can stream it through either Binge or Foxtel Now. A UK release date has yet to be announced. Currently out of the country? Use a VPN


AI Companies Lose $190 Billion After Dismal Financial Reports
100+Futurism / 9h
Gravy Train Derailment Following disappointing quarterly earnings results by Microsoft and Google owner Alphabet, Reuters reports that AI-related companies lost a whopping $190 billion in stock market value. Microsoft may have eked out a win, with the promise of AI services convincing investors, but even its stock dropped by 0.7 percent in extended trade, per the report. Google's parent company f


Should you flush with toilet lid up or down? Study says it doesn’t matter
23Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge / Whether the toilet lid is up or down doesn't make much difference in the spread of airborne bacterial and viral particles. (credit: Peter Dazeley ) File this one under "Studies We Wish Had Let Us Remain Ignorant." Scientists at the University of Arizona decided to investigate whether closing the toilet lid before flushing reduces cross-contamination of bathroom surfaces by airborne bact


Chinese malware removed from SOHO routers after FBI issues covert commands
56Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge / A Wi-Fi router. (credit: Getty Images | deepblue4you ) The US Justice Department said Wednesday that the FBI surreptitiously sent commands to hundreds of infected small office and home office routers to remove malware China state-sponsored hackers were using to wage attacks on critical infrastructure. The routers—mainly Cisco and Netgear devices that had reached their end of life—were i


American Airlines To Announce Dallas – Brisbane Service On Thursday
View from the Wing / 9h
American Airlines teased that they'll be making an announcement of new routes on Thursday. In their video you can see, for instance, New York and Cherry Blossoms. This is obviously the new New York JFK - Tokyo Haneda flight that was approved by the Department of Transportation . I'm hearing that American Airlines will be announcing Dallas - Fort Worth to Brisbane tomorrow. Continue reading ...


Use This Homemade Seasoning Mix for Better Popcorn
LifeHacker / 9h
The next time you make popcorn, treat yourself to some flavor. I insist. Pop a big bowl of the crunchy stuff and dust your favorite bespoke popcorn seasoning over the whole thing. I’m not talking about that silly bottled powder at the grocery store. Why buy overpriced popcorn salt when you can make an endless variety of flavors right at home? It's so easy and quick there's really no reason not to


LG's Smart Washer and Dryer Uses AI to Make Laundry Less of a Chore
LifeHacker / 9h
I’ve always been sure there were easier ways to get the laundry done. While it’s not the head-to-tail solution I dream of wherein I throw my clothes to the floor at the end of the day and they magically regenerate clean and on hangers in my closet the next, the latest iteration of smart washing machines from LG do alleviate a surprising number of pain points. I tested the Smart Washer with TurboW


The most exciting (and underwhelming) reveals from the PlayStation State of Play stream
Mashable / 9h
January 2024's State of Play stream was, in the aggregate, totally fine. There were several cool-looking games, most of which are coming out in 2024. Some of them are out in the next few months, which is great. However, almost none of it was actually new . Just about everything that was shown had been previously announced. Still, that doesn't mean there weren't moments of genuine excitement (and


WTF was that 'Death Stranding 2' trailer
Mashable / 9h
Death Stranding has always been a strange and surreal video game but during the latest look of its sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach , Kojima and co. have amped the weird to 11. SEE ALSO: You can now play 'Death Stranding' on iPhone. Here’s how to get it. The first look was the closer to Sony's Playstation State of Play livestream that took place on Wednesday, which featured other games lik


Disney's Florida Legal Battle Continues as Free Speech Lawsuit Gets Dismissed
Gizmodo / 9h
The Walt Disney Company faced a legal defeat today after its lawsuit alleging retaliation was dismissed in a Florida court. The claim focused on the state’s violation of the company’s First Amendment rights for standing against Governor Ron DeSantis ’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a homophobic law that endangers the human… Read more...


Dave the Diver is bringing Godzilla with him to PS5 this spring
Engadget / 10h
Dave the Diver is coming to PS5 and PS4. The 2023 breakout hit won Indie Game of the Year at The Game Awards — stretching the definition of “indie” — and was included in Engadget’s Best Games of 2023 . It arrives on Sony’s consoles in April, and a Godzilla crossover DLC (sure, why not!) follows it in May. The game has you exploring a vast underwater world full of mysteries during the day, and hel


eBay to pay $59m settlement over sales of pill-making tools
43BBC News - Technology / 10h
The government accused eBay of making it too easy to buy equipment for producing counterfeit pills.


Hideo Kojima teases a new action-espionage game for PlayStation
Engadget / 10h
Hideo Kojima is a busy, busy man. Not only does he have Death Stranding 2, a movie based on the first game and Xbox horror title OD on his plate, he's developing a brand new game for PlayStation. He'll be going back to his roots, as it's an action-espionage title codenamed PHYSINT . Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst said during today's State of Play stream that the project is in a genre he


Media startup The Messenger disintegrates, leaving staff nothing
33TechCrunch / 10h
They say don’t shoot the messenger, but what if The Messenger shoots itself? Media startup The Messenger burst on the scene last May with $50 million in hand, aggressively hiring journalists to build an “unbiased” digital newsroom. Instead, its staff found out through a New York Times article today that the publication is shutting down. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use


Apple declares last MacBook Pro with an optical drive obsolete
20Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge / The 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2012. Sometimes, it's worth taking a moment to note the end of an era, even when that ending might have happened a long time ago. Today, Apple announced that it considers the mid-2012 13-inch MacBook Pro obsolete. It was the last MacBook Pro to include an optical drive for playing CDs or DVDs. This means that any MacBook Pro with an optical drive is no longe


ChatGPT’s new @-mentions bring multiple personalities into your AI convo
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge / With so many choices, selecting the perfect GPT can be confusing. (credit: Getty Images ) On Tuesday, OpenAI announced a new feature in ChatGPT that allows users to pull custom personalities called " GPTs " into any ChatGPT conversation with the @ symbol. It allows a level of quasi-teamwork within ChatGPT among expert roles that was previously impractical, making collaborating with a te


Cops bogged down by flood of fake AI child sex images, report says
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge (credit: SB Arts Media | iStock / Getty Images Plus ) Law enforcement is continuing to warn that a "flood" of AI-generated fake child sex images is making it harder to investigate real crimes against abused children, The New York Times reported . Last year, after researchers uncovered thousands of realistic but fake AI child sex images online , quickly every attorney general across the US


Autonomous vehicle company Motional is about to lose a key backer
TechCrunch / 10h
Autonomous vehicle company Motional is losing capital support from one of its primary backers as it aims to commercialize a robotaxi service in 2024. Automotive supplier Aptiv — the other half of a $4 billion joint venture with Hyundai that created Motional — said Wednesday it will no longer allocate capital toward the endeavor. “While […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use


Why Everyone Is Suddenly Talking About the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
LifeHacker / 10h
It's tax season, which means posts like this one are making the rounds across social media, attempting to help upset taxpayers make sense of why they've suddenly found they owe the government money this year. Perhaps you are one of the many taxpayers shocked to find a significantly smaller refund or an unexpectedly large tax bill when filing your return this year. The culprit may be the Tax Cuts


'Death Stranding 2: On the Beach' looks even more baffling than the original game
Engadget / 10h
As expected, the PlayStation State of Play today featured an in-depth look at the latest from famed developer Hideo Kojima, in the form of an exceedingly creepy and cinematic preview of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Sam, played by Norman Reedus, is back in a trailer that makes very little sense if you haven't played the first game — and even if you did, the contents of this preview might not m


Futuristic action RPG Stellar Blade arrives on April 26
Engadget / 10h
Stellar Blade , Shift Up’s action RPG initially scheduled to launch in 2023 , is coming soon. Sony announced at its first State of Play of 2024 that the futuristic game will launch on April 26 as a PS5 exclusive. The game, developed under the working title “Project Eve,” puts you in the role of Eve, a warrior from the seventh airborne squad. She returns to Earth to battle the Naytibas, humanity’s


Most creators making six figures have less than 1 million followers, new study finds
Mashable / 10h
A new study sheds new light on how influencers make money and how the creator economy may change in 2024. Titled "State of Creators," the report examines the business strategies of 2,000 creators who make more than $100,000 a year posting to social media. The study was conducted by Kajabi, a platform that helps creators monetize digital content like courses and podcasts, and the company doesn't s


Apple Vision Pro: Day One
30TechCrunch / 10h
It’s Friday, February 2, 2024. Today is the day. You’ve been eyeing the Vision Pro since Tim Cook stepped onstage with the product at last year’s WWDC. Longer than that, really, if you factor in the years of rumors, leaks and renderings. The price wasn’t anywhere near what you had hoped, but it’s a first-gen product. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Silent Hill: The Short Message is free, bite-sized and available now for PS5
Engadget / 10h
Silent Hill is back, and sooner than you might have expected. Sony and Konami teamed up to create a brand new title in the series as a PlayStation 5 exclusive. Best of all, Silent Hill: The Short Message is free and you can play it today. The game brings the series bang up to date. For one thing, we see protagonist Anita using a smartphone. She ventures inside a crumbling apartment block after re


20 Nostalgic Collectibles From the Golden Age of Fast-Food Movie Tie-Ins
Gizmodo / 11h
Remember fast-food kids meals with specially marketed pop culture toys? They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. In the 1990s, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s , and Burger King often chose chaos with their tie-ins, like the Batman Forever glass mugs or the Hercules plates. Heck, even when big event films like… Read more...


Zuckerberg Just Had the Most Humiliating Day of His Life, But His Hair Looked Great
Gizmodo / 11h
In 2018, Mark Zuckerberg waltzed into the halls of Congress for the most high-profile moment of his career. He was pale and glass-eyed, his tie wrapped loosely around his neck, and his hair cropped high and thin in a bizarre homage to Augustus Caesar. His speech was practiced and robotic, and while his performance… Read more...


OpenAI Says ChatGPT Probably Won’t Make a Bioweapon
22Gizmodo / 11h
OpenAI released a study the company conducted on GPT-4’s effectiveness in creating a bioweapon on Wednesday. The company found that its AI poses “at most” a slight risk in helping someone produce a biological threat . There’s a lot of talk about AI accelerating our impending doom , but OpenAI wants you to know that… Read more...


Senate hearing with five social media CEOs was a missed opportunity
TechCrunch / 11h
Five social media CEOs were sworn in on Wednesday for what could have been the most eventful children’s online safety hearing yet. But even with some of tech’s most powerful figures under oath, the four-hour hearing was anti-climactic. The Senate subpoenaed recently appointed X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Discord’s Jason Citron and Snap’s Evan Spiegel to […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For p


Hilton Diamond status extension: Retain your top-tier status with this one-time perk
100+The Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Hilton returned its calendar year requirements for top-tier Diamond status to 60 nights, 30 stays or 120,000 base points in 2023. If you fell short of meeting these requirements but currently hold Hilton Diamond status , your status likely expires on March 31, 2024. However, some Hilton Honors Diamond memb


Spice up your desktop with these unusual keyboards from Keychron, HHKB, Cloud Nine and others
TechCrunch / 11h
Mechanical keyboards are everywhere these days, and there’s a larger variety now than ever before. If you’re looking to pick one up but want to look beyond the most common layouts and types, read on. Here are eight mechanical keyboards that stick out from the pack. Feker Alice 80 My first Alice board! And to […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


This Adapter Can Give Your Raspberry Pi 5 An M.2 SSD
How-To Geek / 11h
One of the best additions to PCs over the last 10 years might be NVMe m.2 SSDs. It allows us to reach storage writing and reading speeds that are impossible with SATA-based storage, with the PCI Express interface being the only real bottleneck for drive performance. The Raspberry Pi 5 was the first generation of the tiny board to actually support M.2 SSDs, but it doesn't have the full-size lot, w


The Truth Behind Serial Complainers and Hotel Freebie Hunters
View from the Wing / 11h
Some guests head down to the front desk and complain about their hotel stay, every single time. A former Hyatt and Hilton employee talks about tracking a customer's complaint history, the compensations they received, and notes about the guest. The hotel knows who's a serial complainer, just doing it for the discounts, free breakfast or points. One guest wanted free champagne every day. Continue r


Mark Zuckerberg Apologizes to the Families of Victims
Futurism / 11h
Face The Music In a combative exchange during his Senate testimony about social media safety, Meta-formerly-Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was strongarmed into facing families and apologizing for the harm his platforms have wrought. While being grilled by Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who has twice now introduced bills aimed at protecting children and teens from the harms of social media,


SpaceX's Giant Starship Tapped to Launch Starlab's Giant Steel Space Station
21Gizmodo / 11h
Starlab Space’s forthcoming space station is so big and heavy that only the formidable SpaceX Starship megarocket can launch it into orbit, but the one-time delivery option comes with distinct benefits. Read more...


Leftover Rice Won't Kill You Like Social Media Says
LifeHacker / 11h
Do you like to eat rice? Do you sometimes put it in the fridge to eat later? Me too! Those are very common, relatable things about us. Unfortunately, there’s been a mini-panic on social media lately about how dangerous it can be to eat days-old rice. The warnings are overblown, but there is a grain (ha!) of truth to them. Yes, you can eat reheated rice safely I’m going to start with the conclusio


You Can Actually Rent Goats to Eat Weeds in Your Yard
LifeHacker / 11h
Invasive species of plants can make gardening and yard work a real pain. And the most noxious weeds—the ones that choke out other species, are harmful to pets or kids, and can even damage structures—can be really hard to get rid of. If you use herbicides to remove them, the solution might be worse than the original problem. Luckily, there’s a cute, natural, and environmentally friendly alternativ


Senators Denounce Tech Companies Over Child Sex Abuse Online
100+NYT > Technology / 11h
Senators criticized the chief executives of Meta, TikTok, Snap, X and Discord for not doing enough to prevent child sexual abuse online, amid rising fears over how the platforms affect youths.


AMD's Zen 5 CPUs Are Coming Later In 2024
How-To Geek / 11h
AMD has switched from releasing new CPUs and architectures once per year to once every two years. The Ryzen 7000-series CPUs, based on the Zen 4 architecture, were released in late 2022, with AMD sticking with Zen 4 throughout 2023 and the beginning of 2024. AMD will need to release its latest, greatest processor eventually, though. The company has been quiet about it, but now, it has confirmed t


Senators Denounce Tech Companies Over Child Sex Abuse Online
100+NYT > Technology / 11h
Senators criticized the chief executives of Meta, TikTok, Snap, X and Discord for not doing enough to prevent child sexual abuse online, amid rising fears over how the platforms affect youths.


Rocket Lab Is Getting Closer to Achieving Rocket Reusability
22Gizmodo / 11h
Rocket Lab kicked off the year with the launch and recovery of its Electron rocket as part of the company’s continued efforts to reuse its small launch vehicle’s first stage. Read more...


Thank God FTX Won't Be Coming Back
Gizmodo / 11h
It’s official: There will be no further attempts to salvage FTX. The once popular but now defunct crypto exchange that “misplaced” billions of dollars in user assets before collapsing in a heap of scandal is officially headed to the corporate graveyard. Read more...


Microsoft Shows Off Word, Excel, More on Apple Vision Pro
How-To Geek / 12h
The Apple Vision Pro is about to arrive for the first wave of buyers, after years of anticipation. It's probably one of the most hyped Apple releases that we can remember in recent memory, and some companies have been hard at work to optimize their apps for the headsert's "visionOS" operating system. Microsoft has now revealed its first wave of applications for the Vision Pro headset, including o


Microsoft says Palworld is the biggest ever third-party Game Pass launch
Engadget / 12h
Palworld , the viral “PokĂ©mon with guns” game that launched in Early Access to mixed reviews, has already sold 19 million copies. Developer Pocketpair says it’s sold 12 million copies on Steam and seven million on Xbox since its January 19 launch (after selling over a million in its first eight hours ). Microsoft says the tongue-in-cheek PokĂ©mon satire is the biggest third-party launch on Game Pa


Elon Musk’s $50 Billion Tesla Pay Was Struck Down. What Happens Next?
500+NYT > Technology / 12h
The company’s board of directors will now decide whether to appeal the decision, change where Tesla is incorporated or negotiate a new pay package.


Takeaways From the Senate Hearing With Tech C.E.O.s on Online Child Safety
NYT > Technology / 12h
Senators aggressively questioned executives from major tech companies, especially Meta and TikTok, while Mark Zuckerberg spoke directly to victims’ families.


Europcar says someone likely used ChatGPT to promote a fake data breach
22TechCrunch / 12h
On Sunday, a user in a well-known hacking forum advertised what they claimed was a cache of stolen data from the rental car giant Europcar. The user claimed to have stolen the personal information of more than 48 million Europcar customers, and said they were “listening to offers” to sell the hacked data. Except, the […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Pew report shows TikTok’s rise and YouTube’s ubiquity
20TechCrunch / 12h
Social media apps can rise quickly and burn out just as fast, but taking a step back and looking at those trends on a longer timeline offers a better glimpse at the big picture. The Pew Research Center’s latest report on Americans’ social media habits is out, rounding up social media usage trends among U.S. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


22 Years Later, Cillian Murphy Might Return for 28 Years Later
100+Gizmodo / 12h
The granddaddy of the modern zombie genre is now officially back, and it seems its biggest star may also be along for the ride. Weeks after news broke that director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland were bringing back the world of their 2002 hit 28 Days Later with 28 Years Later, the sequel has now found a home at… Read more...


Microsoft is exploring a hands-free smart home system for Windows tech
37TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
A new Microsoft patent reveals the company is working on an autonomous smart home system for Windows devices. This “multi-device cross-experience” will be powered by artificial intelligence, according to tech news site Windows Report . It enables connected hardware to communicate with each other via “advertising” and without direct user input. Advertising in this context doesn’t refer to literal


‘Senator, I’m Singaporean’: TikTok CEO Faces Off Against Tom Cotton
41Gizmodo / 12h
Wednesday’s hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee got a little spicy as senators took turns bashing the CEOs of the biggest social media platforms. While well-deserved for the most part, it was Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, who decided to go down a weird path with TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Read more...


Microsoft Edge for Android Will Support Extensions
How-To Geek / 12h
Microsoft Edge has changed a lot in the past year, but most of those updates have been AI-related features that aren't always useful. Microsoft is now working on a significant feature for the Android browser, though: support for browser extensions.


Google's Bard Advanced is getting a subscription paywall soon
Mashable / 12h
Google is giving its Bard AI chatbot the premium subscription treatment Ă  la OpenAI's ChatGPT Plus. SEE ALSO: Google Bard can now watch YouTube videos for you The tech giant announced Tuesday in a Q4 earnings call that it plans to lock the recently announced Bard Advanced behind a subscription model. There were no talks about costs or a release date, but Bard in its current form is available to u


Are UK airports really on track to scrap the 100-milliliter liquid rule in 2024? Here’s what we know
The Points Guy / 12h
Some of the largest U.K. airports are currently set to miss the 2024 government-set deadline to install new CT security scanners. What does this mean for the 100-milliliter liquid rule? The U.K. government had previously challenged U.K. airports to install new CT scanners by 2022, but the timeline was later pushed back to June 2024. Once the new high-tech scanners are installed across U.K. airpor


Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg apologises to families in fiery US Senate hearing
300+BBC News - Technology / 12h
Bosses from five of the largest social media firms were grilled about how they are protecting children.


Panic over: AMD confirms that its Zen 5 Ryzen CPUs will launch as planned later this year
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
There’s been plenty of whispers about AMD’s Zen 5 architecture, including possible release delays . However, a new report asserts that the upcoming Ryzen processor will be released on schedule. According to AMD’s latest earnings call for Q4 2024, a representative confirmed that “Zen 5 is on track for the consumer market for the second half of [2024],” as reported by Paul Alcorn of Tom’s Hardware.


SpaceX Signs Deal to Launch Private Space Station
200+Futurism / 12h
Starship Station SpaceX has teamed up with startup Voyager Space and Airbus to deliver a private space station dubbed Starlab into orbit using a single Starship rocket. It's an ambitious plan, and the companies have yet to announce a projected launch date. However, Starlab Space claims it's confident in getting its station off the ground before 2030, the year NASA plans to decommission the Intern


The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Seems Like One Tough Phone
25Gizmodo / 12h
I don’t know how durable the titanium is on Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra , and I’m not up to throwing our review unit into a blender and finding out. But JerryRigEverything is up to poking and prodding the Ultra with sharp tools, and it turns out that at least Ultra’s display is the toughest thing about it so far. Read more...


Comcast reluctantly agrees to stop its misleading “10G Network” claims
93Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge (credit: Comcast) Comcast has reluctantly agreed to discontinue its "Xfinity 10G Network" brand name after losing an appeal of a ruling that found the marketing term was misleading. It will keep using the term 10G in other ways, however. Verizon and T-Mobile both challenged Comcast's advertising of 10G, a term used by cable companies since it was unveiled in January 2019 by industry lobby


Tech layoffs scale to three-quarter high
65TechCrunch / 12h
It's not hard to spot the human pain in the market today. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


The GoPro Max is $100 Off Right Now
LifeHacker / 12h
If you have ever wondered how social media personality Francis Bourgeois was able to get his now-famous forehead shot , here's your answer. The GoPro Max lets you livestream video with a 360-degree camera, and if you put it on your forehead, you can achieve the Francis Bourgeois fish-eye look. Right now, the GoPro Max is $399 (originally $499.99) after a $100 discount. After looking at price comp


Two days with Vision Pro: Apple's almost convinced me to part with $3,500 by transforming everything I do
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Whatever you've heard or read about Apple's new Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset, nothing quite prepares you for seeing it in person, putting it on, and experiencing for the first time Apple's vision for spatial computing. You realize quite quickly that this is more than a marketing term, it's a new