Apple’s AirPods and wireless charging case are down to a new low today by Ars Staff on 2020-08-04 17:41 (#56HAS) Dealmaster also has deals on the gaming headsets, Thunderbolt 3 docks, and more.
Twitter faces FTC probe, likely fine over use of phone numbers for ads by Kate Cox on 2020-08-04 16:20 (#56H8T) Twitter's use of the data for advertising purposes was discovered in 2019.
Trump pulls re-nomination of FCC Republican who stood up for First Amendment by Jon Brodkin on 2020-08-04 16:10 (#56H8V) O'Rielly nomination pulled after he didn't support Trump's social media crackdown.
Google Music shutdown starts this month, music deleted in December by Ron Amadeo on 2020-08-04 15:58 (#56H8W) August begins the four-month Google Music shutdown.
Take-Two says its $70 game pricing will be on a “title by title basis” by Kyle Orland on 2020-08-04 15:36 (#56H6B) But industry watchers foresee more publishers planning a next-gen price bump.
Apple’s iMac line just got overhauled, with the 27-inch getting the biggest changes by Samuel Axon on 2020-08-04 15:00 (#56H6C) There are no external design changes, but a lot has changed under the hood.
Unsolved Mysteries of the Mortal Kombat Universe by Aurich Lawson on 2020-08-04 14:58 (#56H6D) NetherRealm Studios digs deep into the lore of Mortal Kombat.
The challenges Microsoft faces in buying TikTok’s US arm by Financial Times on 2020-08-04 14:07 (#56H2P) Tech group has until September 15 to resolve myriad problems in securing deal.
First cruises to set sail post COVID-19 abruptly canceled due to outbreak by Beth Mole on 2020-08-04 13:28 (#56GZA) More than 40 aboard the ship have been infected as cruise CEO admits failure.
The 2020 Hyundai Veloster Turbo—save your cash and buy the manual by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-08-04 10:45 (#56GSM) An interesting hot hatch is let down by its dual clutch transmission.
Road is closed for second Starship hop attempt Tuesday [Updated] by Eric Berger on 2020-08-04 10:00 (#56FV5) Repairs were evidently made to the turbopump overnight.
More data, but still confusion over how much children spread SARS-CoV-2 by John Timmer on 2020-08-03 23:39 (#56G9D) With school reopening looming, we still don't have a clear picture of risk.
Genki Covert is a $75 ultra-portable dock for Nintendo Switch by Jim Salter on 2020-08-03 23:10 (#56G9E) Genki Covert is convenient, high-quality, and extremely portable.
A different kind of “gamer” hotline: Free, anonymous emotional support by Sam Machkovech on 2020-08-03 22:30 (#56G8B) Invite is open to all walks of gamer life, even "if you were ever a dick to us."
Google invests $450 million in ADT, gets exclusive hardware deal by Ron Amadeo on 2020-08-03 21:45 (#56G6T) ADT will use Google hardware, and Google gets an army of ADT installers.
ProtonMail founder: Apple uses monopoly to “hold all of us hostage” by Kate Cox on 2020-08-03 21:07 (#56G6V) ProtonMail CEO argues Apple fails to meet "minimum moral responsibility."
Ajit Pai calls for “vigorous debate” on Trump’s social media crackdown by Jon Brodkin on 2020-08-03 20:27 (#56G3M) "Tell the FCC to reject this," Democrat says as agency seeks public comment.
In wake of Apple acquisition, Dark Sky ends Android support by Samuel Axon on 2020-08-03 19:44 (#56G1Y) The Web version got an extension, but we don't know for how long.
Trump administration gives TikTok 45 days to sell to Microsoft or leave US [Updated] by Kate Cox on 2020-08-03 19:23 (#56FM1) Short-form video platform beloved by teens seen as a national security threat.
The Umbrella Academy comes back stronger than ever with briskly paced S2 by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-08-03 17:40 (#56FXF) Showrunner Steve Blackman talks about sending the superhero siblings back to the 1960s
Google finally announces the Pixel 4a for $349 by Ron Amadeo on 2020-08-03 16:37 (#56FV6) And for some reason, Google also announced the “Pixel 4a 5G” and “Pixel 5”?
SpaceX now plans for 5 million Starlink customers in US, up from 1 million by Jon Brodkin on 2020-08-03 16:03 (#56FV7) SpaceX asks FCC for license expansion after 700,000 people register interest.
PS4 gamepads won’t work for PS5 games, Sony says by Kyle Orland on 2020-08-03 14:37 (#56FM0) Contrast with Microsoft's plan to bring Xbox One controllers forward for Series X.
After a splendid flight test, NASA now has a new ride to space by Eric Berger on 2020-08-02 22:40 (#56EXS) “We should think about this as a springboard to doing even harder things.”
Dragonship Endeavour is flying free, on its way back to Earth by Eric Berger on 2020-08-02 00:42 (#56E3R) A splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico is not without risks.
Electric car startup Lucid is challenging Tesla’s anti-lidar stance by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-08-01 14:00 (#56DPS) Lucid aims for “hands off, eyes off” freeway driving by 2023—but no robotaxis.
The final launch to Mars for the next two years looked pretty epic by Eric Berger on 2020-08-01 13:30 (#56DNC) An Atlas V brought the Florida skies alive.
How cell phones and Facebook are changing remote Nunatsiavut by Ars Staff on 2020-08-01 13:00 (#56DND) Canada’s Inuit culture has come to Instagram and Facebook.
What’s this? A bipartisan plan for AI and national security by WIRED on 2020-08-01 10:16 (#56DHC) More Pentagon spending, a Cold War-style "hotline," and a curb on chip exports to China.
More quickly than anyone expected, NASA embraces reuse for human flights by Eric Berger on 2020-07-31 23:03 (#56D5T) “With reuse, we can actually drive down costs and we can increase access.”
As COVID-19 rages around the globe, other infectious diseases shrink away by Beth Mole on 2020-07-31 22:44 (#56D4B) Social distancing and breakdowns in reporting have led to startlingly low numbers.
Florida teen charged as “mastermind” in Twitter hack hitting Biden, Bezos, and others by Kate Cox on 2020-07-31 22:26 (#56CXD) The 17-year-old is facing 30 felony fraud charges.
Microsoft confirms “free-to-play multiplayer” for Halo Infinite [Updated] by Kyle Orland on 2020-07-31 21:05 (#56CMK) News comes amid rumors that Xbox Live Gold subscriptions may be on the way out.
Using pristine Southern Ocean air to estimate pre-industrial pollution by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-07-31 20:29 (#56D06) To see how we've affected clouds over time, look to a place where we haven’t.
Neurologists warn of the danger of “stem cell tourism” by John Timmer on 2020-07-31 20:12 (#56D07) Clinics, including some in the US, offer stem cells, false hopes, and risks.
Red Hat and CentOS systems aren’t booting due to BootHole patches by Jim Salter on 2020-07-31 19:43 (#56CXC) Well, you can't be vulnerable to BootHole if you can't boot your system.
Human sperm swim more like otters than eels, study finds by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-07-31 18:53 (#56CTK) The previously observed eel-like motion is an optical illusion due to 2D microscopes.
GM teams up with EVgo to deploy more than 2,700 new DC fast chargers by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-07-31 18:15 (#56CTM) The five-year rollout begins in 2021.
A number of good USB-C chargers and cables are on sale today by Ars Staff on 2020-07-31 16:22 (#56CMG) Dealmaster also has deals on Bluetooth headphones, lots of PS4 games, and more.
Amazon investing $10 billion to compete against SpaceX in satellite broadband by Jon Brodkin on 2020-07-31 16:12 (#56CMH) FCC approves Amazon plan to offer low-latency Internet with 3,236 satellites.
Google suffers first revenue decline as ads hit by pandemic by Financial Times on 2020-07-31 16:07 (#56CMJ) Executives express cautious optimism for a return to growth.
Huawei somehow becomes the #1 phone manufacturer, thanks to the coronavirus by Ron Amadeo on 2020-07-31 15:49 (#56CGZ) Huawei survives the COVID-19 economy, Samsung tanks, and Apple's sales are way up.
COVID-19 hospital data is a hot mess after feds take control by Beth Mole on 2020-07-31 13:30 (#56CA4) With weird discrepancies and fluctuations, COVID trackers say the data is less useful.
Rocket Report: SpaceX seeks 20km hop license, why Rocket Lab funder left by Eric Berger on 2020-07-31 11:00 (#56C5V) “You’ve got to sort of work out where that line is for you.”
IBM completes successful field trials on Fully Homomorphic Encryption by Jim Salter on 2020-07-31 10:45 (#56C3P) FHE allows computation of still-encrypted data, without sharing the secrets.
Twitter hackers used “phone spear phishing” in mass account takeover by Dan Goodin on 2020-07-31 03:31 (#56BSA) This month's epic breach targeted multiple employees, Twitter says.
SpaceX completes static fire of Starship prototype, will hop next by Eric Berger on 2020-07-30 22:03 (#56BJQ) It's been 11 months since Starhopper took flight.
Hackers broke into real news sites to plant fake stories by WIRED on 2020-07-30 20:35 (#56BBV) Infiltrated CMS of Eastern European media outlets to spread misinformation about NATO.
“This is a very dangerous situation”: Big Tech’s day on the Hill by Kate Cox on 2020-07-30 19:49 (#56B78) Marathon session was nearly two different hearings, depending on party of questioner.
Emails detail Amazon’s plan to crush a startup rival with price cuts by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-07-30 18:42 (#56B5Y) Amazon allegedly took $200 million in losses to stop the growth of diapers.com.