Technology News and More-Saturday Edition...

 Technology News and More...

Every book in 'Heartstopper' Season 3
100+Mashable / 21h
Being a show adapted from a graphic novel, Heartstopper sure has a lot of books in it. Each season of Alice Oseman's Netflix adaptation sees fierce bookworm Isaac (Tobie Donovan) flaunting consistently excellent reading taste, and each character always has a bunch of noteworthy books on their shelves or in their backpacks. In Season 3, there's a bunch of awesome LGBTQ authors, stories, and histor

The Best Ethernet Cables of 2024
87How-To Geek / 12h
Buying the right Ethernet cable is important. Getting the wrong cable will slow down your network performance and speed---and it might apart quickly to boot. The right Ethernet cable will be fast and durable. Here are the best ones to buy.


Rings of Power Season 3 Is All But a Certainty
500+Gizmodo / 12h
Prime Video's hit Lord of the Rings show hasn't been renewed for a third season yet, but it's coming.



Taiwan Makes the Majority of the World’s Computer Chips. Now It’s Running Out of Electricity
32Wired / 45min
Highly dependent on imported fossil fuels, soon to shutter its last nuclear plant, and slow to build out renewables, the world’s largest producer of advanced computer chips is heading toward an energy crunch.


Persistent malware WordDrone exploits DLL Side-Loading to compromise Taiwan's drone industry
17 TTPs•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
A recent investigation by Acronis Threat Research Unit (TRU) has revealed an intricate attack which utilized an old version of Microsoft Word as a conduit for installing a persistent backdoor on infected systems. WordDrone focuses on companies in Taiwan, particularly those involved in the drone manufacturing industry. The investigation revealed that the malware had been installed on systems in co


The ‘Mozart of Math’ isn’t worried about AI replacing math nerds — ever
TechCrunch / 1h
Terence Tao, a UCLA professor considered to be the “world’s greatest living mathematician,” last month compared ChapGPT’s o1 reasoning model to a “mediocre, but not completely incompetent” graduate student that could correctly answer a complex analysis problem with “a lot of hints and prodding.” AI might never beat its human teachers, he now tells The […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. F


India gearing up to be AI powerhouse as data center giant pledges $3.2 billion investment to add 550MW of capacity by 2030
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 2h
India’s digital economy is growing at an unprecedented pace, fueled by increasing data consumption, cloud adoption, and digital transformation, leading to demand for reliable and scalable data center facilities rising. The expansion of AI also adds to this need, and in order to meet this demand, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) is investing $3.2 billion (INR 26,000 crores) to expand its


Bundle Windows 11 Pro, MS Office 2019, Project, and Visio for life for only £55
Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: As of Oct. 5, you can bundle Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Visio, and Windows 11 Pro for only £54.81 (£707.03). Whether you're using them for work or school, apps you have to pay for monthly aren't exactly economical. It also means a missed payment could limit how you can use your own computer. If you want to ditch the subscriptions and upgrade your computer while you're d


How to watch the 2024 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix online for free


Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: Watch the 2024 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix for free on ServusTV . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . The 2024 MotoGP season continues to entertain, as Jorge Martín and Francesco Bagnaia battle it out at the top of the standings. Every race is a must-watch event at this stage of the season, and you can do exactly that without spending anything. I


NYT Strands hints, answers for October 5
Mashable / 3h
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands , the New York Times ' elevated word-search game. Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of


Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for October 5
Mashable / 4h
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 October 5's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong


You Can Get Free Pizza Hut Throughout October
LifeHacker / 4h
If you read books as a kid in exchange for the promise of pizza, you are in luck: Pizza Hut is giving away free personal pan pizzas throughout October (which is also National Book Month) to encourage readers of all ages. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the pizza chain's Book It! program , which since 1984 has been motivating students from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade to read with the pro


The 4 Best Condoms in 2024, Tested and Reviewed
24Wired / 4h
From graphene to non-latex, give these extraordinary condoms a try as you practice safe sex.


NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 5
Mashable / 5h
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


Facebook can’t use your sexual orientation to target ads, EU court says
Mashable / 5h
Meta cannot target a user’s sexual orientation in its personalized ads — even if they are openly queer and make public statements about the subject, the European Union’s highest court ruled Friday. The case was brought from longtime Meta antagonist Max Schrems, as Wired reports . The Austrian activist, whose separate privacy case recently led to a $1.3 billion fine against the company, claimed in


My Favorite Amazon Deal of the Day: This Robot, Stick Vacuum, and Mop Combo
LifeHacker / 6h
I've been using robot vacuums for years, and no matter which robot vacuum I'm testing at the moment, I always end up using my stick vacuum when I need to more thoroughly clean my house. Yeedi's C12 Combo addresses the reality that no matter how cool you think your robot vacuum is, you'll very likely still need a stick vacuum to get a deeper clean on occasion. Right now, the Yeedi C12 Combo is $64


Cringey Tech Execs Swoon Over Mark Zuckerberg’s "Cool" New Look
400+Futurism / 7h
Throwing Fits Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has a newfound sense of, er, style — and his fellow tech leaders are very into it. As the Washington Post reports , the 40-year-old tech mogul's new look features shirts like his flashy "AUT ZUCK AUT NIHIL" one, which he created in tandem with a menswear designer as part of a larger capsule collection. And his "bro-ified" sense of personal st


There’s Now an NYT Connections Game for Sports
LifeHacker / 7h
Traditionally, word games (like crosswords) and sports coverage have occupied entirely different pages and sections of the newspaper. But the New York Times is now combining both concepts with a sports-themed version of their Connections game, called simply Connections: Sports Edition . ( Beware: below are some spoilery descriptions of the October 4 edition of the puzzle. ) The rules are the same


Foamstars is going free-to-play starting today
Engadget / 7h
Square Enix’s multiplayer shooter Foamstars is moving to a free-to-play model. The four-player team multiplayer melee officially turned into a free game today on Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 meaning you also won’t need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play it, according to a posting on the studio’s support page . If you purchased the game before Square Enix’s price change, the studio will send yo


NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Saturday, October 5 (game #216)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today , NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read


Quordle today – hints and answers for Saturday, October 5 (game #985)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today , NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles. S PO


NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Saturday, October 5 (game #482)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues. What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers , Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.


Hurricane Helene: What you should do if you have a trip planned to the southeast US
59The Points Guy / 7h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, updated with new information. It’s been a week since Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm Thursday, Sept. 26, and started her devastating path up through the southeastern U.S. The storm deluged areas in western Florida’s Gulf Coast and Panhandle, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and regions of Georgia, South Carolina an


Edgar Wright’s Glen Powell-Starring Running Man Is Indeed Coming in 2025
200+Gizmodo / 8h
Katy O'Brien has also joined the cast of the dystopian Stephen King adaptation.


Mark Zuckerberg Shows Off Bizarre Video of Himself Leg Pressing Chicken Nuggets
29Futurism / 8h
Combo Meal Meta-formerly-Facebook announced a new suite of AI-powered video-creating and editing tools today, collectively called "Meta Movie Gen." Longtime CEO Mark Zuckerberg showed off the new AI offering in his favorite way to promote anything : by showing off his love for fitness — albeit with some very strange, very AI twists. In a bizarre Instagram video , Zuck can be seen doing leg presse


Fisker faces more bad news as the SEC starts investigating its business practices
Engadget / 8h
The past week hasn’t been the kindest to the electric vehicle industry. Now, it’s capped off with news that the EV startup Fisker is the subject of an investigation from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). TechCrunch reported that SEC officials sent several subpoenas to Fisker. The filing doesn’t specifically say what the subpoenas are asking for or looking into but it’s clear that t


Google Is Testing Out Verification Badges for Search
LifeHacker / 8h
Google Search has been struggling for some time to actually deliver results that people are looking for . In fact, sometimes, you put yourself at risk clicking the top URL on a search results page, since hackers could buy out the ad space and place their own deceptively malicious links there instead. However, it seems Google is working on ways to make Search a bit more useful—at least, when it co


Update Your iPhone to Protect Your Saved Messages From Deletion
LifeHacker / 8h
iOS 18 brought with it plenty of new features and changes , but also bugs and glitches. With one bug in particular , your saved messages are put at risk, simply by replying to the wrong message in a thread. Just over two weeks after launching iOS 18, Apple released iOS 18.0.1, an update that patches four of these glitches, as well as two relatively serious security vulnerabilities. iOS 18.0.1 fix


I Own a Chevy Bolt, and Superchargers Are a Total Game Changer
200+Wired / 8h
The anxiety of longer trips in my EV has eased considerably now that I can use Tesla Supercharger stations.


You'll want to try Meta's amazing new AI video generator
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Meta has shared another contestant in the AI video race that's seemingly taken over much of the industry in recent months. The tech giant released a new model called Movie Gen, which, as the name indicates, generates movies. It's notably more comprehensive in its feature list than many others in its initial rollout, comparable to OpenAI's Sora model , which garnered so much attention upon its ini


Chris Evans Had One Condition to Come Back for Deadpool & Wolverine
200+Gizmodo / 8h
Ryan Reynolds discusses his desire to bring Captain America back as Johnny Storm in the new Marvel movie.


Meta's AI Bootleg Moo Deng Is an Insult to Pygmy Hippos Everywhere
46Futurism / 9h
Boo Deng Meta has just announced Movie Gen, its new AI-powered video generation tool for creating realistic-looking footage — and one-upping OpenAI's Sora , it can automatically add matching audio to its output. But notable detail is its de facto choice of mascot. Featured front and center on the product's announcement page — and in the marketing material shared with the press — is an AI-generate


No, Donald Trump Isn’t Wading Through Hurricane Floodwaters, You Absolute Morons
100+Futurism / 9h
Get Your Waders An image depicting former president Donald Trump wading through floodwaters alongside a fellow disaster responder went viral on social media this week. But there's one tiny problem: the image is an AI-generated fake, as multiple publications have confirmed. The image, which shows Trump wearing a lifejacket and blue jeans as he marches through thigh-high waters, first picked up ste


Four DIY Fixes for Slow Hot Water (and When to Call a Pro)
LifeHacker / 9h
If it seems like it takes forever for your water to heat up when you turn it on, you might be worried you have a big problem with your water heater. Before you call in a repair professional, however, it's worth trying a little DIY troubleshooting. In some cases, you can fix your slow hot water issues yourself, with minimal expertise. Here are four ways to fix the simplest causes of slow hot water


These Are the Best Early Prime Day Sales on Vitamix Blenders
LifeHacker / 9h
Vitamix blenders are like the Pelotons of the kitchen appliance world—snazzy, efficient, and expensive . Do you really need one? No: You can pulverize your food with other appliances. But if you’ve got your mind set on owning one, well, you’re in luck. Amazon’s October Prime Day is coming up and there are some rare discounts on Vitamix blenders happening right now. They’re still not cheap, but th


No one can actually use Meta's newest AI tool, Movie Gen
Mashable / 9h
Meta just announced a new generative AI model to help users turn simple text into images, videos, and audio clips. Meta Movie Gen allows users to input text and automatically generate new videos, personalize videos, do video editing, and generate audio, all of which is trained on a "combination of licensed and publicly available datasets." If that seems a lot like OpenAI's Sora , that's because i


Soon you'll be able to fling around the klutzy schlub in Human Fall Flat on VR
21Engadget / 9h
Why is it so satisfying to toss, drop, throw and fling ragdoll characters down steps, out of windows and into oncoming traffic in games like Human Fall Flat ? Ragdoll games just know how to scratch the lizard part of our brain that enjoys being the destructive force of mayhem while also meeting the moral center of our frontal lobe by not causing any real world harm (or felony charges). Now you’ll


Helene ravaged the NC plant that makes 60% of the country’s IV fluid supply
100+Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Hurricane Helene's catastrophic damage and flooding to the Southeastern states may affect the country's medical supply chain. Hospitals nationwide are bracing for a possible shortage of essential intravenous fluids after the cataclysmic storm inundated a vital manufacturing plant in North Carolina. The plant is Baxter International's North Cove manufacturing facility in Marion, which is about 35


YouTube fixes glitch that wrongly removed accounts, deleted videos
Ars Technica - All content / 9h
YouTube confirmed Friday that a bug mistakenly removing seemingly thousands of accounts wrongly marked as sharing spam and deceptive content was finally fixed. The problem started Thursday afternoon, 9to5Google reported , when non-content creators, including paid subscribers, complained that they had lost access to YouTube content. YouTube eventually confirmed the issue in a support thread , prom


How London’s Crystal Palace was built so quickly
Ars Technica - All content / 9h
London's Great Exhibition of 1851 attracted some 6 million people eager to experience more than 14,000 exhibitors showcasing 19th-century marvels of technology and engineering. The event took place in the Crystal Palace , a 990,000-square-foot building of cast iron and plate glass originally located in Hyde Park. And it was built in an incredible 190 days. According to a recent paper published in


How to Get Organized With Ease Thanks to Microsoft Loop
How-To Geek / 9h
Microsoft Loop is mainly marketed for business users, but it's also available to users with individual Microsoft 365 accounts, too. Microsoft markets this product as a way to, "Think, plan, and create together." Here's how the Loop app can help you take notes, make to-do lists, plan trips, and more.


Sony’s Headphones Are Getting Find My Device Functionality, Which I Desperately Need
Gizmodo / 9h
It's coming to the Sony WH-1000XM5, WF-1000XM5, and the LinkBuds S.


7 mistakes to avoid when booking holiday travel
46The Points Guy / 9h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. We’re still a month or so away from turkeys appearing on supermarket shelves en masse and familiar holiday tunes playing on the loudspeakers in stores. However, now is the best time to get serious about booking holiday travel — particularly when it comes to flights. To avoid paying a premium for holiday tr


5 Surprising Lessons Flying American Airlines This Week: When Coach Beats First Class And Basic Lounges Win
View from the Wing / 9h
This week, I experienced a range of highs and lows flying American Airlines, from unexpected upgrades and surprisingly tasty inflight meals to discovering that the ambiance of the Admirals Club can surpass the Flagship Lounge’s premium offerings. Continue reading ...


Six Years On, Our First Look at The Mandalorian Still Haunts Me (for One Stupid Reason)
100+Gizmodo / 9h
Everywhere I go, I see his face. Well, helmet.


The cast of Critical Role choose their ultimate 'The Legend of Vox Machina' squads
Mashable / 9h
Critical Role's Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, and Travis Willingham go head-to-head-to-head in Choose Your Squad: 'The Legend of Vox Machina' edition.


Waymo’s New Agreement With Hyundai Raises Questions About China
25Wired / 9h
Robotaxi firm Waymo will build its self-driving tech into the Ioniq 5. But what about its relationship with Chinese automaker Zeekr?


Tiny But Mighty: This SanDisk SSD Can Fit on Your Keychain—Up to 38% Cut for Prime Day
Gizmodo / 10h
This keychain-sized SanDisk's external SSD is seeing up to 38% discount at Amazon for prime day.


Haunted Woman Calls the Cops After Discovering a Rug Mysteriously Buried in Her Backyard
Futurism / 10h
No Diggity After digging up a weird rug buried in her backyard, an Ohio woman began experiencing some unexplained goings-on — and eventually decided to bring in the cavalry. As People reports , Columbus local Katie Santry discovered the buried and rolled-up rug when she and her boyfriend were digging to build a fence. Videos of her experience immediately went viral on TikTok, with readers immedia


X lost a court battle after trying to claim ‘Twitter ceased to exist’
84Engadget / 10h
X has lost a legal fight in Australia in which the company tried to avoid a $400,000 fine by claiming that Twitter no longer exists. The creative legal argument, first spotted by ArsTechnica , came amid a more than year-long dispute with Australia’s eSafety Commission. The commission had asked the company, then known as Twitter, to provide details about its handling of child sexual exploitation o


Halls of Torment is Diablo cranked up to 50,000 kills/hour
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
The old-school Diablo games endure for a lot of reasons. Some players like the deep lore and world-building. Some like partnering with friends and working through dungeons as a team. Some like hunting for incredibly rare loot and maybe selling it on a livestream . Sometimes, though, you dive into high-level Diablo just for a chance to kill a screen full of monsters really quickly . If that kind o


No more bricked iPads: Apple fixes several bugs in iOS, iPadOS, macOS updates
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
On Thursday, Apple released the first software updates for its devices since last month's rollout of iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia. Those who've been following along know that several key features that didn't make it into the initial release of iOS 18 are expected in iOS 18.1, but that's not the update we got on Thursday. Rather, Apple pushed out a series of smaller updates that fixed several bugs but


ULA’s second Vulcan rocket lost part of its booster and kept going
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket, under contract for dozens of flights for the US military and Amazon's Kuiper broadband network, lifted off from Florida on its second test flight Friday, suffered an anomaly with one of its strap-on boosters, and still achieved a successful mission, the company said in a statement. This test flight, known as Cert-2, is the second certification mission for t


OpenAI’s Canvas can translate code between languages with a click
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
On Thursday, OpenAI unveiled Canvas , a new interface for ChatGPT designed to enhance collaboration on writing and coding projects. The feature bears similarities to a feature called Artifacts in Anthropic's Claude AI assistant, introduced in June. Canvas displays content in a separate window alongside the AI chat history, allowing users to keep an eye on working document drafts or programming co


Why You Should Consider a Retirement Coach
LifeHacker / 10h
Planning your retirement can be stressful and confusing: The money ! The accounts ! The tax implications ! It’s enough to make your head spin, and one reason why the market for financial advisors is already close to $100 billion, and predicted to hit $157.7 billion by 2032. Notice that all of those factors are financial, as money is typically what we talk about when we talk about retirement. But


Use Amazon's Early Prime Day Deals to Get an Air Purifier
LifeHacker / 10h
Two things are happening this fall: First, Amazon is having its October Prime Day next weel on Oct. 8 and 9. Second, I've been sneezing a lot. Like, a lot. I've been sneezing more than I do in the spring, that's for sure, and I'm sick of it. I have fall allergies , so I've been looking into getting a new air purifier—which leads me back to that first autumnal event I mentioned. I found a purifier


Samsung’s One UI now covers all of its consumer devices, including TVs and appliances
Engadget / 10h
Samsung will begin using the One UI name for all its consumer devices, now including TVs and home appliances. Executive Vice President Sally Hyesoon Jeong made the announcement at the company’s 2024 developer conference ( via 9to5Google ). The One UI branding was previously exclusive to its Galaxy phones , tablets and wearables . “One UI now goes beyond mobile as the software experience for all S


The best Hyatt Category 4 hotels to maximize your free night award certificate
100+The Points Guy / 10h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. One highlight of the World of Hyatt program is that it still uses award charts to determine the points you’ll need to redeem for a free night. The World of Hyatt award chart for Hyatt hotels and resorts has eight categories. Award prices range from 3,500 points for an off-peak Category 1 night to 45,000 po


Sapphire Reserve cardholders can now access select Air Canada lounges
The Points Guy / 10h
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of our favorite travel cards and provides excellent travel benefits, including some of the best lounge access . This week, Chase expanded its lounge offerings. Now, Sapphire Reserve cardholders have access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges worldwide. How to access Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges The Chase Sapphire Reserve already had some of the best lounge


Jonah’s Wife unknown artist Turvey Bridge Street, Turvey, Bedfordshire
Music, Arts & Literature / 10h
centuriespast : Jonah’s Wife unknown artist Turvey Bridge Street, Turvey, Bedfordshire This statue was discovered headless in an old barn behind Turvey Mill. For some unknown reason, a bearded male head was paired with the obviously female torso and the statue was placed on this site in 1953 by Mr V. C. Dashwood, the then owner of Turvey Mill.


Qualcomm's AI Conductor wants to harmonize your schedule and, maybe, your life
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
AI tools usually require cloud computing access to have enough power to run, but your future AI usage may end up not needing more than is available on your device if Qualcomm has its way. The tech giant has unveiled a new system called the Qualcomm AI Orchestrator aimed at integrating AI tools and experiences and keeping the process on your devices. Qualcomm AI Orchestrator incorporates all of yo


Why Pharrell Williams made his biopic ‘Piece by Piece’ a Lego movie
Mashable / 10h
Pharrell Williams details his decision to go full Lego in his biopic 'Piece by Piece'


IRS expands free Direct File program to 12 new states
Mashable / 10h
The Internal Revenue Service's free tax filing program, Direct File , will be open to residents of 12 new states for the 2025 tax return season. Those states are Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to an IRS announcement . They join 12 states — Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada


Venus Aerospace Unveils Potential Mach 6 Hypersonic Engine and Will Power a Drone in 2025
Next Big Future / 11h
Venus Aerospace advanced propulsion system is engineered to power high-speed vehicles, including drones and aircraft, enabling them to travel vast distances at high altitudes and achieve high-Mach speeds with unmatched efficiency. The VDR2 combines the high thrust and efficiency of the Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) with the high efficiency cruise of a Ramjet. This ... Read more


IonQ Demonstrated Remote Ion Entanglement for Large Quantum Computers
Next Big Future / 11h
Ion Trap Quantum computer company, IonQ, demonstrated remote ion-ion entanglement. They built off the ion-photon entanglement achievement announced in February, this demonstration announced in September showcases the second out of four significant milestones required to develop photonic interconnects – a foundational step towards quantum networking and a core component of IonQ’s scaling strategy.


Apple couldn’t tell fake iPhones from real ones, lost $2.5M to scammers
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Two men involved in an elaborate scheme duping Apple into replacing about 6,000 counterfeit iPhones with genuine iPhones were sentenced to prison this week, the US Department of Justice announced Thursday. Together with their co-conspirators, the 34-year-old scammers, Haotian Sun and Pengfei Xue, squeezed Apple for about $2.5 million, as employees for years failed to detect what the DOJ described


The more sophisticated AI models get, the more likely they are to lie
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
When a research team led by Amrit Kirpalani, a medical educator at Western University in Ontario, Canada, evaluated ChatGPT’s performance in diagnosing medical cases back in August 2024, one of the things that surprised them was the AI’s propensity to give well-structured, eloquent but blatantly wrong answers. Now, in a study recently published in Nature, a different group of researchers tried to


Uninstalled Copilot? Microsoft will let you reprogram your keyboard’s Copilot key
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Whether you care about Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant or not, many new PCs introduced this year have included a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard; this is true whether the PC meets the requirements for Microsoft's Copilot+ PC program or not. Microsoft's commitment to putting AI features in all its products runs so deep that the company changed the Windows keyboard for the first time in thre


Meta’s new “Movie Gen” AI system can deepfake video from a single photo
26Ars Technica - All content / 11h
On Friday, Meta announced a preview of Movie Gen , a new suite of AI models designed to create and manipulate video, audio, and images, including creating a realistic video from a single photo of a person. The company claims the models outperform other video-synthesis models when evaluated by humans, pushing us closer to a future where anyone can synthesize a full video of any subject on demand.


New Kuiper Belt objects lurk farther away than we ever thought
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
In the outer reaches of the Solar System, beyond the ice giant Neptune, lies a ring of comets and dwarf planets known as the Kuiper Belt. The closest of these objects are billions of kilometers away. There is, however, an outer limit to the Kuiper Belt. Right? Until now, it was thought there was nothing beyond 48 AU (astronomical units) from the Sun, (one AU is slightly over 150 million km). It s


Elon Musk Has Been Throwing Tens of Millions of Dollars at Republicans for Way Longer Than We Thought
54Futurism / 11h
Donation Station Though he's been very active in support of former president Donald Trump during this election cycle, it appears that multi-hyphenate billionaire Elon Musk has been donating heavily to GOP candidates for years now. As sources close to the billionaire revealed to the Wall Street Journal , Musk has been quietly donating tens of millions of dollars to Republican candidates and causes


Why Rings of Power Wanted to Recreate an Iconic Return of the King Moment
100+Gizmodo / 11h
Rings of Power star Cynthia Addai-Robinson discusses how a familiar sword led to her and her co-star wanting to recreate an iconic Lord of the Rings shot.


EU court rules social networks can’t use personal data forever
Engadget / 11h
Once again, the European Union has issued a ruling preventing Meta from going too crazy with user information. The top court in the EU ruled that limits must be put in place for how long Meta and other social media networks can use people’s information for ad targeting strategies. TechCrunch reported that the EU’s highest court sided with an earlier opinion published in April by a court adviser.


Deal: Download IHG App, Earn 500 Points
59One Mile at a Time / 11h
For quite some time, IHG has been offering bonus points to those who download the company’s app. While this offer was supposed to expire recently, it has just been extended. IHG incentivizing downloading app InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is currently offering 500 IHG One Rewards bonus points when you download the IHG app: You must register for this offer You must download the app and sign i


Why The Series 10 Is the Best Apple Watch For Most People
LifeHacker / 11h
Smartwatches may be some of the most difficult devices I ever have to review. They’re fine gadgets, and I’m happy to have one, but in most ways, the newest models are almost always just an incremental upgrade to older ones. Improvements became so minor for so long that, just earlier this year, I wrote that the Apple Watch SE , Apple’s entry level watch from 2022, is still the best option for most


These Makita Tools Are up to 68% Off Right Now
LifeHacker / 11h
Makita has been a trusted brand in cordless tools since 1978, with a reputation for durable tools and good battery life. Good quality tools and accessories can be expensive, though. Luckily, there are some deals on Makita tools on Amazon right now that can help you build your tool kit for less. Drills and drivers Makita has been making cordless drills for the construction and consumer market sinc


The US Is Loading Up on Bird Flu Vaccine
26Wired / 11h
As more farm workers get sick with avian influenza, the US federal government is putting $72 million toward strengthening its vaccine stockpile.


Meta's Movie Gen Can Create Eerie Videos and Audio
How-To Geek / 11h
The next natural step in the generative AI era is generative videos, but that's much more complex than just generating pictures or text. Meta's Movie Gen AI wants to be a comprehensive interface for all your video-generating needs, but it's still not publicly available.


OpenAI secured more billions, but there’s still capital left for other startups
29TechCrunch / 11h
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. This week once again brought us AI funding news, as well as some warnings: Some categories and stages are showing signs of overheating. Luckily, we also spotted […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


TikTok is convinced a buried rug in a woman's yard contains a body
Mashable / 11h
TikTok loves a good true crime mystery. It's not uncommon for folks to go viral over somewhat creepy stories where viewers can try to guess what happened. The latest viral series involves a buried rug, cadaver dogs, and lots of theories from TikTok. In short, folks online were enthralled by the story of a woman who found a rug buried in her backyard. They wondered if she perhaps had found a body


Amazon has one pretty good deal on a 2-in-1 laptop ahead of October Prime Day
Mashable / 11h
Combining the oomph of a PC with the creative functionality of a tablet , 2-in-1 laptops make solid buys for shoppers who prioritize versatility and value. In the lead-up to Prime Big Deal Days , Amazon's " October Prime Day " sale on Oct. 8 and 9, the retail giant isn't offering a ton of great deals on 2-in-1 machines — but that's no surprise. During such sitewide sales, Amazon usually saves its


Kate Siegel Would Love to Expand Her Beautifully Gruesome V/H/S/Beyond Segment Into a Feature
28Gizmodo / 12h
The horror actor makes her directorial debut as part of the latest V/H/S anthology entry, now streaming on Shudder.


The third-gen Oura Ring is up to $100 off in this early Prime Day deal
Engadget / 12h
Amazon Prime Day is right around the corner, so the deals are already coming in hot. For instance, the Oura Ring is up to $100 off . The discount depends on which design you go for. The Stealth Horizon design is $350 in all sizes, while many standard colors are $300. The gold option, however, jumps up to $450. The prices also fluctuate depending on if you choose the rounded Horizon design or the


NEW: Chase Adds $300 Travel Credit To Sapphire Preferred 60,000 Point Bonus Offer
View from the Wing / 12h
For some time the initial bonus offer has been 60,000 points. This ups the ante with $300 in credits for travel purchases through the Chase portal - which is a very compelling offer on a card with just a $95 annual fee. Continue reading ...


An AI Company Published a Chatbot Based on a Murdered Woman. Her Family Is Outraged.
Futurism / 12h
This one's nasty — in one of the more high-profile, macabre incidents involving AI-generated content in recent memory, Character.AI, the chatbot startup founded by ex-Google staffers, was pushed to delete a user-created avatar of an 18-year-old murder victim who was slain by her ex-boyfriend in 2006. The chatbot was taken down only after the outraged family of the woman it was based on drew atten


Vulcan Launch Had One Engine Bell Damage Anomoly on Rocket Booster
Next Big Future / 12h
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan VC2S rocket launched for the second certification (Cert-2) mission from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The Cert-2 mission includes an inert payload and demonstrations associated with future Centaur V technologies. This is the second of two test flights required for ULA’s certification process with ... Read more


GM is working on an eyes-off, hands-off driving system
TechCrunch / 12h
Seven years ago, GM became the first automaker to offer hands-free driving when it rolled out its Super Cruise advanced driver assistance system. Now, it’s looking to push that capability even further with a system that would allow drivers to keep their eyes off the road too, according to one of GM’s top software executives. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Fisker faces SEC investigation as bankruptcy case drags on
21TechCrunch / 12h
Bankrupt EV startup Fisker is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a new filing from the financial regulator. The SEC says in the filing it has sent multiple subpoenas to Fisker as part of the investigation, and that it may send more. The agency does not say what the investigation […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


The Fastest Way to Kill Unresponsive Apps in Windows 11
LifeHacker / 12h
Every once in a while on PC, I have no choice but to just quit an unresponsive app. Usually, closing the app does the job, but sometimes a frozen app doesn't respond to clicking the close button. In such cases, I usually force quit the app by firing up the task manager. There are a few ways to do this, but it still takes a bit of time to open the task manager, look for the offending processes, an


Planning A Winter Ski Trip To Niseko, Japan (And Beyond?)
20One Mile at a Time / 12h
As I recently wrote about, I’ll shortly be taking a review trip to Sapporo , Japan, in order to fly the new business class products of Korean Air and Japan Airlines. In the comments section, a reader asked if I had any plans to travel to Niseko, which is one of Japan’s most popular ski destinations, and near Sapporo. The timing of that question is funny, because I started planning exactly such a


If you think your robot vacuum is watching you, you might not be wrong
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Sometimes I look at my robot vacuum and wonder if it knows how much I like it. I do not ponder if it's staring back at me, thinking...well...who know what? If I owned an Ecovac robot vacuum, though, that might be all I was thinking about and, soon, throwing a blanket over its potentially rapacious camera. According to a new report and the work of long-time robot vacuum hackers, some Ecovac vacuum


Reduce Energy and Money with Amazon Smart Thermostat Now That 30% Off for Amazon Prime Day
Gizmodo / 12h
Save 30% on the Alexa-enabled Amazon Smart Thermostat and transform your energy savings


Douglas Rushkoff Knows He Fucked Up
Gizmodo / 12h
Douglas Rushkoff's new book will help you navigate the weird and wild digital world we all live in now, and just might help you survive what's coming.


danskjavlarna: Source details and larger version. Tempting:...
Music, Arts & Literature / 12h
danskjavlarna : Source details and larger version . Tempting: over 1,000 vintage devils .


Meta’s Movie Gen AI Video Generator Is Capable of Making Actual Movies, Music Included
Gizmodo / 12h
Meta's Movie Gen AI video generator can take images of people and turn them into videos, edit existing videos, and even create music and sound effects.


Trump Media Execs Reportedly Quit Amid Complaints About CEO Devin Nunes
25Gizmodo / 12h
Allegations surrounding "misuse of funds, hiring of foreign contractors and interfering with product development" are flying.


Google Pixel Fold After The Buzz: Oh Well
How-To Geek / 12h
Even if most products get forgotten by the media after their review period is done, there are a few that stand out. Gadgets that people still ask about months later. Some that we even decide to hold-on to as daily drivers, and that we get to see age over time. The Google Pixel Fold is one of them. This