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Google has disabled live traffic updates for Israel and Gaza in Maps and Waze, a spokesperson has confirmed to Bloomberg. "As we have done previously in conflict situations and in response to the evolving situation in the region, we have temporarily disabled the ability to see live traffic conditions and busyness information out of consideration for the safety of local communities," the spokesperson said. Israeli blog GeekTime reports that Apple has switched off the same feature in its Maps app, as well.Google told The Hill that people can still use Maps and Waze to get route and ETA information that "take current traffic conditions into account." They just won't be able to see real-time traffic data in the apps like they could in the past. It's unclear if Apple is also retaining some of its Maps' navigation capabilities.This move, made by both companies, comes just ahead of the Israeli military's anticipated ground invasion into Gaza, wherein it reportedly plans to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers to capture the city. One of Bloomberg's sources said Google disabled live traffic to comply with a request made by the Israel Defense Forces, likely because the feature could reveal its troops' movements and tip off Hamas, which the US and the EU recognize as a terrorist organization. The Hill says Apple also removed live traffic in the region to comply with the IDF's request.Prior to this development, one of the most recent examples of Google disabling the ability to see live traffic conditions "in conflict situations" happened in 2022. The company deactivated Maps' live traffic data in Ukraine back then, following Russia's invasion of the country. It explained at the time that it implemented the change to protect the safety of locals, and that it came to the decision to do so after consulting with Ukranian authorities.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-and-google-disable-live-traffic-maps-in-israel-and-gaza-121502911.html?src=rss

While Apple, Meta and others continue to work with full-on headsets for augmented reality (AR), Nreal has been selling much smaller AR glasses since 2021. Now the company, which has rebranded to Xreal, just released a new version called the Xreal Air 2 in Europe and the US, after launching it in China last month. It offers improved displays and more comfort, and the company also unveiled the Xreal Air 2 Pro with electrochromic dimming, letting you select the level of immersion from zero to 100 percent.Xreal (the X stands for extra, the company said) promises that the Air 2 glasses "turn whatever the wearer is viewing into a big screen experience, up to 330 inches." To that end, it uses Sony's latest 0.55-inch Micro-OLED display, up from the 0.68-inch Micro-OLED used before (Apple also uses Micro-OLED tech in its Vision Pro mixed reality headset). As before, it can display full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 per eye, with a refresh rate up to 120Hz. Along with the higher resolution, it features 500 nits of brightness, compared to 400 nits on the original Nreal Air.The Air 2 is also 10 percent thinner and 10 percent lighter (from 79 grams to 72 grams, which is actually 8.9 percent by my calculation), according to Xreal. It also comes with improved elastic temples, new "AirFit" nose pads and softer materials. All of that is designed to improve comfort and allowing for longer use when watching movies and other content, according to the company. As before, it connects to devices via USB-C with video (DisplayPort) output with no wireless option, so you're effectively tethered to a device.XrealXreal also improved the audio speaker system by incorporating "spatial wrap-around auto delivery" via an open ear design targeted at the wearer. "This brings enhanced privacy and minimizes disruption to others when in public spaces," the company said. It also improves voice and video calls, since the Xreal Air 2 can let you take audio from a smartphone or tablet.The more desirable model is the Xreal Air 2 Pro. It introduces electrochromic dimming that lets you select three modes, including a transparent mode that blocks no light, letting you use the glasses while still seeing the outside world. "Productivity mode" blocks 35 percent of outside light, so you can focus better without shutting out your surroundings entirely, while immersive mode blocks all light for gaming, entertainment, etc.Much like the original Nreal Air, the Xreal Air 2 seems mainly aimed at viewers for YouTube videos, light gaming, movies, etc. There are no cameras or motion sensors included, so it effectively acts as a personal projector, with the screen moving as you move your head (hello, nausea). However, you can buy an accessory called Xreal Beam ($119) which adds gyroscopic tracking and keeps the screen fixed in place when you move, while also allowing for additional wired connectivity options that apparently reduce latency. According to reviews on the device, it works in much the same way as the original Air, but is lighter and more comfortable.Considering what it can't do, the Xreal Air 2 is pretty expensive at $399 (in black or red), while the Air 2 Pro is $449. For full functionality, you need the Xreal Beam, which brings the price up to $518 and $568 respectively - more than the Meta Quest 3. Shipping is expected to start in the US and UK in November 2023, and elsewhere in Europe in December.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xreals-399-air-2-augmented-reality-glasses-are-now-available-to-pre-order-120057648.html?src=rss

Tinder's new feature is a new nightmare to me. Tinder Matchmaker allows users' family and friends to recommend potential matches. Wannabe matchmakers do not need a Tinder profile to view or suggest possible pairings, so anyone you know could help you find the one. Or at least... another one.The Tinder user will need to launch a Tinder Matchmaker session" either from a profile card or within the app's settings. You can share a unique link with up to 15 individuals in a 24-hour period. Once a matchmaker gets a link, they can log into Tinder or continue as a guest to swipe away. Don't worry: They can't send messages or actually swipe right on the profiles.Both Hinge and Bumble have already tried matchmaking, although the former's attempts didn't last - the dedicated Hinge matchmaking app is no longer available.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedHow to watch Xbox's third-party games showcaseSonos home theater sets are up to 20 percent off this weekendThe best Nintendo Switch controllers for every playerApple HomePods now have native YouTube Music supportThe best iPhone accessoriesBiden administration designates 31 new 'tech hubs' to encourage innovationWatch Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge trailer The reality show will stream next month.NetflixNetflix has dropped a trailer for the upcoming reality series Squid Game: The Challenge. It all kicks off with 456 contestants competing for the $4.56 million prize in events and games repackaged (minus the blood-spraying violence) from the hit scripted series. A fictional critique of modern capitalism's exploitation of the financially desperate made into a reality TV spectacle that exploits the financially desperate? Yes. But watch the trailer.Continue reading.Amazon's Fallout series finally has a release dateIt begins streaming on April 12, 2024.Amazon Prime Video / InstagramAmazon announced Monday that its Fallout TV series will premiere on April 12, 2024 on Prime Video. The short teaser video was even styled like a Pip-Boy interface from the storied game franchise. The live-action series, from Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, will have an original (canonical) story set in the Fallout gaming universe. It will take place in 2077, beginning in Vault 33 in Los Angeles. As fans of the game know, it's set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland following the events of The Great War" on October 23, 2077, making yesterday the perfect day to announce the show.Continue reading.Department of Justice expands its Tesla probeIt's looking to include EV driving range figures.The Department of Justice has expanded its investigation into Tesla. In an SEC filing, the company said the agency issued subpoenas for information related to "personal benefits, related parties, vehicle range and personnel decisions." According to Reuters and Consumer Reports, Tesla vehicles didn't hit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) range estimates in road tests. Its vehicles have already been penalized in other countries for failing to disclose that its EVs have shorter ranges in low temperatures, and the company reportedly formed a special team that sought to quash complaints about the distance its cars can travel on a single charge.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-tinders-latest-update-lets-your-family-play-virtual-matchmaker-115041564.html?src=rss

From Hollywood strikes to digital portraits, AI's potential to steal creatives' work and how to stop it has dominated the tech conversation in 2023. The latest effort to protect artists and their creations is Nightshade, a tool allowing artists to add undetectable pixels into their work that could corrupt an AI's training data, the MIT Technology Review reports. Nightshade's creation comes as major companies like OpenAI and Meta face lawsuits for copyright infringement and stealing personal works without compensation.University of Chicago professor Ben Zhao and his team created Nightshade, which is currently being peer reviewed, in an effort to put some of the power back in artists' hands. They tested it on recent Stable Diffusion models and an AI they personally built from scratch.Nightshade essentially works as a poison, altering how a machine-learning model produces content and what that finished product looks like. For example, it could make an AI system interpret a prompt for a handbag as a toaster or show an image of a cat instead of the requested dog (the same goes for similar prompts like puppy or wolf).Professor Ben Zhao | University of ChicagoNightshade follows Zhao and his team's August release of a tool called Glaze, which also subtly alters a work of art's pixels but it makes AI systems detect the initial image as entirely different than it is. An artist who wants to protect their work can upload it to Glaze and opt in to using Nightshade.Damaging technology like Nightshade could go a long way towards encouraging AI's major players to request and compensate artists' work properly (it seems like a better alternative to having your system rewired). Companies looking to remove the poison would likely need to locate every piece of corrupt data, a challenging task. Zhao cautions that some individuals might attempt to use the tool for evil purposes but that any real damage would require thousands of corrupted works.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-tool-lets-artists-fight-ai-image-bots-by-hiding-corrupt-data-in-plain-sight-095519848.html?src=rss

GM has announced that it will pay $1,400 to owners of 2020-2022 Bolt EVs and EUVs who endured a recall that limited range to 80 percent for a significant period of time, Electrek has reported. It's effectively an upfront payment to customers as part of an expected class action settlement."GM is announcing a compensation program for 2020-22 Bolt EV/EUV owners upon installation of the final advanced diagnostic software as part of the original battery recall," a spokesperson wrote in a statement. "Owners are eligible to receive a $1,400 Visa eReward card upon installation. This applies to Bolt EV/EUV owners in the US only. We're grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding."Owners must install a "software final remedy" by December 31, 2023 and sign a legal release - those who decline will have to wait for the class action lawsuit to play out. If the settlement ends up being more than $1,400, those who accept the payment will still receive the difference.It seems like Chevy's Bolt EVs (and larger EUVs that came along in 2021) have never not had problems with their batteries. The 2017-2019 models had serious defects that could cause fires, forcing GM to recall them and install special software, reducing maximum charge levels to 90 percent.The 2020-2022 models affected by the lawsuit used new battery chemistry with a different issue that could also cause a fire when the car was fully, or nearly fully charged. GM issued a recall for those models as well, installing diagnostic software that would reduce maximum charging levels to 80 percent (cutting range from about 259 miles to 207 miles). The software will eventually either warn customers that their battery pack needs to be replaced, or automatically return the maximum charge to 100 percent.The problem is, the vehicles needed to reach 6,200 miles of use before the final assessment. That could be years for some buyers, and GM mandated that owners complete the diagnostic by March 2025 in order to qualify for an extended warranty or replacement battery, if needed.GM announced earlier this year that it was discontinuing the Bolt EV amid the company's shift to the Ultium platform, possibly because it felt the name had been sullied by the battery issues. Following an outcry, though, it backtracked and said that a next-gen Bolt was in the works - showing that people still liked what the Bolt stood for (a practical, cheap EV with decent range) despite the recalls.Presumably, any potential settlement would cover owners who effectively lost the full and expected use of their vehicle during the period. If you're part of the recall, you should receive a letter soon with more information and a unique PIN to access their site - more information is available here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chevy-offers-1400-to-bolt-ev-owners-who-endured-lower-charging-levels-091547025.html?src=rss

NASA has revealed that it has already processed 70.3 grams of rocks and dust collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission from asteroid Bennu. That means the mission has way exceeded its goal of bringing 60 grams of asteroid samples back to Earth - especially since NASA scientists have yet to open the primary sample container that made its way back to our planet in September. Apparently, they're struggling to open the mission's Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) and could not remove two of its 35 fasteners using the tools currently available to them.The scientists are processing the samples inside a specialized glovebox (pictured above) with a flow of nitrogen in order to keep them from being exposed to our atmosphere and any contaminants. They can't just use any implement to break the container's fasteners open either: The tool must fit inside the glovebox, and it also must not compromise the samples' integrity. NASA has sealed the primary container sample for now, while it's developing the procedure to be able to open it over the next few weeks.If you're wondering where the 70.3 grams of rocks and dust came from, well, NASA collected part of it from the external sample receptacle but outside TAGSAM itself. It also includes a small portion of the samples inside TAGSAM, taken by holding down its mylar flap and reaching inside with tweezers or a scoop. NASA's initial analysis of the material published earlier this month said it showed evidence of high carbon content and water, and further studies could help us understand how life on Earth began. The agency plans to continue analyzing and "characterizing" the rocks and dust it has already taken from the sample container, so we may hear more details about the samples even while TAGSAM remains sealed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasas-osiris-rex-mission-collected-more-bennu-asteroid-samples-than-first-thought-083605172.html?src=rss

Amazon, the biggest e-commerce website in most countries, now supports passkeys. That gives users access to the new login solution that's considered more secure than passwords, allowing them to access their account using the biometrics or PIN they use to unlock their devices. The company started rolling out the capability a few days ago but has only just announced the feature, which is now available on browsers and is gradually making its way to all users accessing Amazon through its iOS app. Passkey support is also "coming soon" to Amazon's Android application.Passkeys are resistant to phishing, the effects of data leaks or social engineering, because there are no passwords to steal or give away. Instead, the technology uses cryptographic pairs, one of which is a public key saved on a particular service's servers, while the other one remains private and is securely saved to a user's device. These pairs are unique for every service, and they must match for someone to be able to log in. It's also a lot less involved than two-factor authentication, though for some reason, Amazon will not automatically switch it off for those who turn on passkey support.In its FAQs, Amazon says that those who have two-factor switched on will still need to verify their identities with a one-time code even after they activate the new login option. It's unclear if users will no longer have to key in two-factor codes after their initial login with a passkey, but upon trying it out, we weren't asked for one the next time we signed in. To switch on passkey login, users only need to go to Login & Security under Your Account on Amazon and then choose "Set up" next to the new Passkeys option.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-now-supports-passkey-logins-on-browsers-and-ios-devices-050129183.html?src=rss

NVIDIA is reportedly planning on making Arm-based chips for Windows PCs. According to Reuters, the company has quietly begun" taking on Intel by designing processors compatible with Microsoft's operating system. The report says NVIDIA could begin selling the chips as early as 2025.The move is part of Microsoft's broader goal of challenging Apple with Arm-based processors for Windows PCs. According to preliminary Q3 data from research firm IDC, the iPhone maker has nearly doubled its market share since launching the Arm-based Apple Silicon three years ago. The company's in-house Mac chips balance performance (including on-chip AI tasks) and battery life to a degree that Intel's processors have yet to match.When reached via email by Engadget, NVIDIA spokesperson Hector Marinez said the company declined to comment.NVIDIA has recent experience with Arm-based chips, but they're designed for data centers. NVIDIA announced plans to buy Arm Holdings in 2020 for $40 billion. However, the company pulled the plug on the deal in early 2022.AMD is also reportedly preparing to launch Arm-based PC chips as early as 2025. The two companies will join Qualcomm, which has made Windows laptop processors since 2016. Reuters reports that Qualcomm's exclusivity agreement with Microsoft for Arm-based Windows chip designs will expire in 2024, opening the door to new challengers soon after. Windows on Arm hasn't exactly been a rousing success to date.Microsoft learned from the 90s that they don't want to be dependent on Intel again, they don't want to be dependent on a single vendor," Jay Goldberg, chief executive of consulting firm D2D Advisory, told Reuters. If Arm really took off in PC (chips), they were never going to let Qualcomm be the sole supplier."As Microsoft (along with much of the tech industry) bets its future on generative AI, the upcoming chips will unsurprisingly focus heavily on it. The company has reportedly urged chipmakers to bake advanced AI-powered capabilities into their silicon. Microsoft recently launched Windows Copilot, which provides an OpenAI-powered chatbot in a persistent sidebar to respond to contextual queries anywhere in Windows.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidia-is-reportedly-working-on-arm-based-processors-for-windows-pcs-211337968.html?src=rss

Meta is starting to ramp up its growth-hacking tactics for Threads in a bid to boost engagement on the Twitter competitor. The social network is promoting its newest app by cross-posting Threads posts to users' Facebook feeds, the company confirmed Monday.It's a familiar move for Meta, which regularly uses the Facebook feed to promote new features, including those from its other apps. The company has inserted Instagram Reels into recommendations in Facebook's feed for years, and also allows businesses on WhatsApp to buy ads that appear in Facebook feeds. But unlike those efforts, it seems that Threads promotions on Facebook are not optional.We've launched an update to make it easier for people to see the latest content from Threads directly on Facebook and Instagram," the company wrote in response to a Threads user who asked how to keep their posts off of Facebook. But we're listening to feedback like yours as we continue to build on this."

The Department of Justice has expanded its investigation into Tesla, the company has confirmed. In an SEC filing, Tesla said the agency has issued subpoenas for information related to "personal benefits, related parties, vehicle range and personnel decisions." In January, Tesla confirmed that the DOJ sought details from the company regarding Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features for its electric vehicles.According to Reutersand Consumer Reports, Tesla vehicles didn't hit Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) range estimates in road tests. The EPA tests vehicle ranges on rollers in a lab. The New York Times points out that all EVs have a lower range in colder temperatures, but even in warm weather, a Tesla Model Y ran out of juice at least 50 miles below its claimed range in Consumer Reports' tests.Tesla, which has been penalized in other countries for failing to disclose that its EVs have shorter ranges in low temperatures, reportedly formed a special team that sought to quash complaints about the distance its cars can travel on a single charge. The team is said to have told customers who flagged such issues with their EVs that EPA range figures were merely predictions and that the range would be reduced due to battery degradation.As the Times notes, when the term "related parties" is used in a regulatory filing, it often refers to senior management, company directors or major shareholders. Earlier this year, it was reported that Tesla opened an internal investigation to determine whether CEO Elon Musk dipped into company coffers to help fund a glass house he was building. The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and SEC are said to have asked the company for information related to the house and other personal benefits afforded to Musk.In its filing, Tesla noted that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, the SEC and other local, state, federal and international regulators have also sought information from the company related to a variety of investigations and inquiries. Tesla does not have a PR department that can be reached for comment."To our knowledge, no government agency in any ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred," Tesla said in its SEC filing. "We cannot predict the outcome or impact of any ongoing matters. Should the government decide to pursue an enforcement action, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation, prospects, cash flows, financial position or brand."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-doj-tesla-probe-has-expanded-to-include-ev-driving-ranges-201050660.html?src=rss

Netflix has dropped a trailer for the upcoming reality series Squid Game: The Challenge. The forthcoming show starts with 456 contestants competing for a $4.56 million prize in events repackaged (minus the brutal violence) from the scripted series. What better way to follow a fictional critique of modern capitalism's exploitation of the financially desperate for profit and entertainment than to embrace a reality TV spectacle that exploits the financially desperate for profit and entertainment?Among other games ripped from the South Korean show, the competition's trailer showcases the original series' creepy red light, green light" doll as players in green tracksuits nervously scoot across the floor, ready to stop at a moment's notice. (In this version, the gunshots" fired at infringing players involve pre-placed blood packets exploding on their chests.) In standard reality TV fashion, there are hints of shameless backstabbing and plenty of lusting over the prize money. Masked guards create an ambiance of intimidation as Sammy Davis Jr.'s I've Gotta Be Me" plays in the background, echoing the source material's theme of unlikely riches as the sole path to fulfillment in a late-capitalist hellscape.When the competition was filmed earlier this year, each player subjected themselves to this exhibition for a 0.22% chance at a couple of million dollars after taxes.NetflixThe reality series made headlines earlier this year when several contestants reportedly required medical attention, proving that irony has flatlined, and Netflix is selling tickets to view its corpse. It was like a war zone," one player told The Sun. People left in tears." The report described frigid conditions: one exhausted player was hauled away on a stretcher while others crawled to the finish line.Even if hypothermia kicked in then people were willing to stay for as long as possible because a lot of money was on the line," one competitor said. Too many were determined not to move so they stood there for far too long. There were people arriving thinking they were going to be millionaires but they left in tears."As a contestant says in the trailer, This is a savage game." Squid Game: The Challenge begins streaming on Netflix on November 22.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-squid-game-the-challenge-trailer-confirms-it-missed-the-message-185144569.html?src=rss

The Venn diagram of HomePod owners and YouTube Music subscribers probably doesn't have a lot of overlap. However, those who use both Apple's speakers and Google's music streaming service may be pleased to learn that the two now play more nicely together. YouTube Music is now available natively on HomePod, meaning that you can ask Siri to play tracks from the service even if your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch aren't close by.It's now possible to set YouTube Music as the default music service on HomePod. That means you won't have to add "on YouTube Music" when you bark a command at Siri. If you configure your HomePod in that way, you can still play music from another supported service by saying its name when you make your Siri request (for example "Siri, play Bad Bunny on Deezer" or "Siri, play Taylor Swift on Apple Music").To change the default music service on HomePod, open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap the More button (the one with the three dots) and then Home Settings. Go to your user profile under People, then select a default service in the Media section.Having native YouTube Music support is a welcome update. HomePods don't support too many services natively beyond the likes of Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, TuneIn Radio and iHeartRadio. It's possible to stream audio to a HomePod from an iPhone, iPad or Mac as well.With iOS 17, you can ask your HomePod to play music from Spotify and it will do so as long as your iPhone is nearby. Siri needs to route the request through your mobile device via AirPlay. While there's no native Spotify support on HomePod as yet, that change should certainly make things a little easier for some folks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-homepods-now-have-native-youtube-music-support-180428371.html?src=rss

Xbox is presenting a showcase on Wednesday to highlight the various third-party titles coming to Microsoft's gaming consoles, Windows computers and Game Pass. The festivities kick off on Wednesday, October 25 at 1PM EST. You can watch via the official YouTube channel or on Twitch.The stream promises a fresh mix of indie games and familiar favorites" from third-party companies like Remedy, Studio Wildcard, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and more, with 20 minutes of trailers and gameplay footage on the docket. Consider this Xbox's version of those Nintendo Indie World showcase events.So what should you expect during the stream? Microsoft hasn't released a list of games that'll take center stage, but did drop some teases. The company says it'll reveal the latest information" about Yakuza-adjacent RPG Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Dungeons of Hinterberg. It also promised a launch trailer for the long-awaited Alan Wake II, which releases at the end of this week, and the first gameplay footage of Ark: Survival Ascended. There should also be some surprises, so can we have a little Hollow Knight: Silksong trailer... as a treat?The stream will be available in 30 languages, including American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL.) Additionally, Xbox says that YouTube streams will be in 4K at 60fps, which should be a good way to suss out real-world graphical performance.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-xboxs-third-party-games-showcase-172052353.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime Video announced Monday that the Fallout television series will premiere on April 12, 2024. The news came from a short teaser video the streaming service posted on its social channels, including Instagram, styled like a Pip-Boy interface. The series, initially announced in 2020, will adopt a serious and harsh" tone while adding ironic humor" and B-movie nuclear fantasies."The live-action series, from Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, will have an original (canonical) story set in the Fallout gaming universe. It will take place in 2077, beginning in Vault 33 in Los Angeles. As fans of the game know, it's set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland following the events of The Great War" on October 23, 2077. That date has become known as Fallout Day" among the game's fans - an ideal day for Amazon to reveal the series' premiere date.

The Biden administration and the US Commerce Department just named 31 regions as "tech hubs", drawn from nearly 400 applicants. These hub areas are spread across the country, in addition to territories like Puerto Rico, and each spot could share in $500 million of funding as originally detailed in the CHIPS and Science Act that was signed into law back in 2022.The administration hopes to use these hubs to catalyze investment in technologies critical to economic growth, national security and job creation" with an end goal of helping communities across the country become centers of innovation critical to American competitiveness." Additionally, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters that the program seeks to diversify the country's tech interests, moving away from traditional hubs like Silicon Valley, Seattle and Boston, as reported by Yahoo.To that end, these hubs will focus on everything under the sun, from artificial intelligence, biotech, clean energy, semiconductors, quantum computing and more. Examples include a hub in Washington state that's developing new materials for next-gen fuel-efficient aircraft, a Wisconsin program seeking to make advancements in personalized medicine and a New York organization researching new battery technologies, among 28 others. It's worth noting that many of these hubs are in small or medium-sized cities, with Raimondo saying that people shouldn't have to move to get a good job."There's one caveat. Snagging one of these coveted hub designations doesn't guarantee federal funding. The Commerce Department will follow each program throughout the next year, with funding to follow. Raimondo says that five to 10 hubs will receive up to $75 million. With 31 hub areas and just $500 million to disperse, that could leave many locations in the financial cold.Additionally, the CHIPS and Science Act is a robust piece of legislation that drops more than $280 billion into various sectors, so these hubs represent less than 1/500th of the allocated funding set aside by the bill. There's $52 billion in tax credits and funding for US chipmakers to expand domestic production, $7 billion for clean hydrogen and $1.5 billion to boost US leadership in wireless technologies and their supply chains." The bill also sets aside $10 billion to invest in regional innovation and technology" which is the exact point of these hubs, so maybe more money is coming down the line.Biden has asked Congress for an additional $4 billion to fund even more regional tech hubs, but, well, that would be part of the full-year budget and you may have noticed that the House still lacks a speaker with a government shutdown on the horizon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/biden-administration-designates-31-new-tech-hubs-to-encourage-innovation-155812340.html?src=rss

SpaceX has struck a deal with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch four of Europe's Galileo navigation satellites into orbit using its Falcon 9 rocket, The Wall Street Journal has reported. It'll be the first time Elon Musk's company has launched any EU satellites containing classified equipment.The ESA had planned to launch Galileo satellites using its homegrown Ariane 6 rocket, but the latter has seen frequent delays and isn't expected to make its inaugural launch until 2024 at the earliest. The deal is still subject to final approval by the EU Commission and member states, according to ESA director of navigation Javier Benedicto.SpaceX would launch the satellites from US territory, according to the terms of the deal. It would mark the first time Galileo equipment has been carried into orbit outside of European territory, barring early test versions launched from Kazakhstan. All other Galileo satellites have launched from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana - using Soyuz rockets at first and the Ariane 5 system later on.News of the deal isn't a big surprise, as it was reported this summer that Europe was seeking to cut a deal with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance to "exceptionally launch Galileo satellites." Another alternative would have been Russian-built Soyuz rockets, but that was off the table due to EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.Ariane 6 was originally slated to launch in 2023, but multiple delays have pushed the first launch back to 2024. Recently, a short hotfire of the Vulcain 2.1 engine was delayed, and a long-duration static-fire test was pushed back from early October to late November. The Ariane 5 rocket is no longer an option, as it was retired after its final launch in July.SpaceX's launched Europe's Euclid telescope in July, and is slated to launch two other EU spacecraft in the near future. As it stands, the ESA only plans to make four Galileo launches using the Falcon 9. Musk himself has had a tenuous relationship with the EU - most recently, a top European Union official is warned him about the spread of misinformation on his social network platform X amid the Israel-Hamas war.The Galileo system is key for Europe, as it makes it independent from the US Global Positioning System (GPS) and satnav systems from Russia and China. It's also used by EU military and security services to transmit encrypted messages. The service went live in 2016, but additional satellites are required to bolster the existing network. "It is a matter of robustness," said Benedicto. "We have 10 satellites that are ready to be launched, and those satellites should be in space, not on the ground."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spacex-will-launch-esa-navigation-satellites-amid-delays-with-the-eus-own-rockets-140030424.html?src=rss

The United States Justice Department says North Korean nationals have been working remotely for US companies, using fake IDs. The money they make is apparently being funneled to fund weapons of mass destruction programs. At a news conference in St. Louis, Missouri, the FBI alleged that thousands of individuals have moved to countries such as Russia and China and posed as freelance IT workers living in the US.They used false information for emails, payment platforms and websites - sometimes even paying Americans to use their Wi-Fi and setting up proxy computers from those connections. The money being made here was substantial, too. The FBI has apparently collected around $1.5 million in money earned by these workers during previously sealed seizures in October 2022 and January 2023.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedInstagram's latest test feature turns users' photos into stickers for Reels and StoriesTwitch will allow simulcasting to competitor streaming platformsUniversal Audio's SC-1 condenser microphone comes with new modeling softwareNVIDIA's latest AI model helps robots perform pen spinning tricks as well as humansYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Engadget Podcast: Breaking down Andreessen's Techno-Optimist Manifesto"Also, we discuss why Spider-Man 2 on the PS5 is a worthy sequel.Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen has wrapped up his pro-tech worldview in a massive tome, the Techno-Optimist Manifesto. Andreessen claims, technology is the glory of human ambition and achievement, the spearhead of progress, and the realization of our potential," and he goes on to vilify anyone who dares to step in the way of progress." To break down this document, we're joined by tech critic Paris Marx. We also dive into Spider-Man 2 on PS5.Continue reading.Super Mario Bros. Wonder reviewThe joy of pure imagination.NintendoSo Mario has always consumed mushrooms, but in the latest Mario game on Nintendo Switch, it seriously feels like the plumber (and his friends) are dabbling in hallucinogens. This has opened the creative floodgates for level design and gameplay dynamics, twisting the usual 2D platform game in weird and wonderful ways. The game also marks the first Mario title with a new voice actor for the protagonist.Continue reading.Jon Stewart's Apple TV+ show reportedly ends following clash over AI and ChinaThe show was abruptly canceled.The Problem With Jon Stewart isn't returning for a third season at Apple TV+. It was supposed to begin filming for another eight episodes within the next couple of weeks, but Apple and Stewart reportedly decided to part ways before it could start. According to The New York Times, the publications said the parties didn't see eye to eye, with Stewart apparently telling production staff that Apple executives had raised concerns about certain subjects they planned to cover, particularly China and artificial intelligence. Neither party has issued a statement.Continue reading.Blizzard plans to raffle off a human-blood-infused PCDiablo IV players have to donate to make it happen.BlizzardTo celebrate the release of Diablo IV's new season, Season of Blood, Blizzard has launched a month-long blood drive in the US that'll unlock in-game rewards. Once donations reach 666 quarts altogether, players will be able to enter sweepstakes for a custom liquid-cooled PC infused with real human blood." A typical blood donation is 1 pint, so it'll take a little over 1,300 donations to hit the final goal. Get giving, you creeps.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-north-korean-workers-got-remote-it-jobs-to-help-finance-weapons-programs-111516316.html?src=rss

Tinder has rolled out a new feature dubbed Tinder Matchmaker" that will allow users' family and friends to access the dating app and make recommendations for potential matches. The matchmakers do not need to have a Tinder profile to view or suggest possible pairings. Hypothetically, that means anyone from your grandmother to your ex-boyfriend could help you select a new profile to match with.A Tinder user will need to launch a Tinder Matchmaker session" either directly from a profile card or within the app's settings. If you see a potential match, you can share a unique link with up to 15 individuals in a 24-hour period. Once a matchmaker gets a link, they can log into Tinder or continue as a guest.A matchmaker will gain access to profiles they can like" and if they do, it will appear as a recommendation for the original Tinder user to see. The matchmaker's abilities are limited though. They can't send messages or actually swipe right on the profiles in question - ultimately, the Tinder user will decide whether or not to match with another.For years, singles have asked their friends to help find their next match on Tinder, and now we're making that so easy with Tinder Matchmaker," Melissa Hobley, Tinder's Chief Marketing Officer says on the new feature.Bumble has a similar offering, where a user can recommend a profile to a friend through a private link that only they can open within the dating app. However, it's more geared for one-on-one sharing compared to Tinder Matchmaker. Hinge, another key competitor, tried launching a separate Hinge Matchmaker app in 2017. Matchmakers on the Hinge spinoff were supposed to suggest potential pairings based on who the individuals knew personally from Facebook. That secondary app didn't last for Hinge - the app is no longer available.Tinder's matchmaker feature is just the latest offering from the company designed to entice more users to engage with the app in new ways. Verification on Tinder got a boost with video selfies, incognito mode finally was introduced earlier this year and the company just started letting Tinder users specify gender pronouns and non-monogamous relationship types.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tinder-will-let-your-family-nag-you-and-play-virtual-matchmaker-100011319.html?src=rss

Instagram is testing a sticker creation feature that will let users make custom stickers from their own photos - and other users', in some cases - and pop them into Reels or Stories. While Meta has been going all in on prompt-based, AI-generated stickers lately, this tool is something much simpler. It'll just select the subject of a photo and remove the background, creating a free-floating sticker that can be placed over other content.Adam Mosseri/ InstagramAdam Mosseri gave a brief demonstration of how it'll work in a video shared to his broadcast channel. He also said that, in addition to creating stickers from photos saved on your phone, users will be able to make them from eligible images you see on Instagram." Mosseri didn't share any further details on that, but it suggests users will be able to opt in to making their pictures stickerable.It's still just a test and hasn't rolled out to all users, so we'll see what that actually looks like in time. The platform last week started testing a new polling feature, too, which will show up in the comments section under feed posts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instagrams-latest-test-feature-turns-users-photos-into-stickers-for-reels-and-stories-211046111.html?src=rss

This month has been filled with conflicting rumors of an Apple product launch that either will or won't happen, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman now says the October event is on, and it could bring a long overdue iMac upgrade. In the Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that sources close to Apple said a Mac launch is in the works for this month. Based on current retail supplies and shipping dates for certain models, Gurman suggests we could see a new iMac and possibly some new MacBook Pros.Apple retail stores are in short supply of the iMac, as well as the 13-inch MacBook Pro and high-end MacBook Pro - two other models that may be due for a refresh," Gurman wrote, noting that current shipping estimates for these models show delays until November. That, plus the timing of the company's earnings call - in November this year, instead of October - suggests Apple has something planned. Gurman speculates the launch event may take place on October 30 or 31.The 24-inch M1 iMac came out in April 2021 and hasn't been updated since, making it a good candidate for a refresh. The 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro, which was released in June 2022, is also due for an upgrade.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-rumored-october-mac-launch-may-happen-after-all-153051265.html?src=rss

Space isn't hard only on account of the rocket science. The task of taking a NASA mission from development and funding through construction and launch - all before we even use the thing for science - can span decades. Entire careers have been spent putting a single satellite into space. Nobel-winning NASA physicist John Mather, mind you, has already helped send up two.In their new book, Inside the Star Factory: The Creation of the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's Largest and Most Powerful Space Observatory, author Christopher Wanjek and photographer Chris Gunn take readers on a behind the scenes tour of the James Webb Space Telescope's own journey from inception to orbit. Weaving examinations of the radical imaging technology that enables us to peer deeper into the early universe than ever before with profiles of the researchers, advisors, managers, engineers and technicians that made it possible through three decades of effort. In this week's Hitting the Books excerpt, a look at JWST project scientist John Mather and his own improbable journey from rural New Jersey to NASA.MIT PressExcerpted from Inside the Star Factory: The Creation of the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's Largest and Most Powerful Space Observatory" Copyright (C) 2023 by Chris Gunn and Christopher Wanjek. Used with permission of the publisher, MIT Press.John Mather, Project Scientist- The steady hand in controlJohn Mather is a patient man. His 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics was thirty years in the making. That award, for unswerving evidence of the Big Bang, was based on a bus-sized machine called COBE - yet another NASA mission that almost didn't happen. Design drama? Been there. Navigate unforeseen delays? Done that. For NASA to choose Mather as JWST Project Scientist was pure prescience.Like Webb, COBE - the Cosmic Background Explorer - was to be a time machine to reveal a snapshot of the early universe. The target era was just 370,000 years after the Big Bang, when the universe was still a fog of elementary particles with no discernable structure. This is called the epoch of recombination, when the hot universe cooled to a point to allow protons to bind with electrons to form the very first atoms, mostly hydrogen with a sprinkling of helium and lithium. As the atoms formed, the fog lifted, and the universe became clear. Light broke through. That ancient light, from the Big Bang itself, is with us today as remnant microwave radiation called the cosmic microwave background.Tall but never imposing, demanding but never mean, Mather is a study in contrasts. His childhood was spent just a mile from the Appalachian Trail in rural Sussex County, New Jersey, where his friends were consumed by earthly matters such as farm chores. Yet Mather, whose father was a specialist in animal husbandry and statistics, was more intrigued by science and math. At age six he grasped the concept of infinity when he filled up a page in his notebook with a very large number and realized he could go on forever. He loaded himself up with books from a mobile library that visited the farms every couple of weeks. His dad worked for Rutgers University Agriculture Experiment Station and had a laboratory on the farm with radioisotope equipment for studying metabolism and liquid nitrogen tanks with frozen bull semen. His dad also was one of the earliest users of computers in the area, circa 1960, maintaining milk production records of 10,000 cows on punched IBM cards. His mother, an elementary school teacher, was quite learned, as well, and fostered young John's interest in science.A chance for some warm, year-round weather ultimately brought Mather in 1968 to University of California, Berkeley, for graduate studies in physics. He would fall in with a crowd intrigued by the newly detected cosmic microwave background, discovered by accident in 1965 by radio astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson. His thesis advisor devised a balloon experiment to measure the spectrum, or color, of this radiation to see if it really came from the Big Bang. (It does.) The next obvious thing was to make a map of this light to see, as theory suggested, whether the temperature varied ever so slightly across the sky. And years later, that's just what he and his COBE team found: anisotropy, an unequal distribution of energy. These micro-degree temperature fluctuations imply matter density fluctuations, sufficient to stop the expansion, at least locally. Through the influence of gravity, matter would pool into cosmic lakes to form stars and galaxies hundreds of millions of years later. In essence, Mather and his team captured a sonogram of the infant universe.Yet the COBE mission, like Webb, was plagued with setbacks. Mather and the team proposed the mission concept (for a second time) in 1976. NASA accepted the proposal but, that year, declared that this satellite and most others from then on would be delivered to orbit by the Space Shuttle, which itself was still in development. History would reveal the foolishness of such a plan. Mather understood immediately. This wedded the design of COBE to the cargo bay of the unbuilt Shuttle. Engineers would need to meet precise mass and volume requirements of a vessel not yet flown. More troublesome, COBE required a polar orbit, difficult for the Space Shuttle to deliver. The COBE team was next saddled with budget cuts and compromises in COBE's design as a result of cost overruns of another pioneering space science mission, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite, or IRAS. Still, the tedious work continued of designing instruments sensitive enough to detect variations of temperatures just a few degrees above absolute zero, about -270C. From 1980 onward, Mather was consumed by the creation of COBE all day every day. The team needed to cut corners and make risky decisions to stay within budget. News came that COBE was to be launched on the Space Shuttle mission STS-82-B in 1988 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. All systems go.Then the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, killing all seven of its crew. NASA grounded Shuttle flights indefinitely. COBE, now locked to Shuttle specifications, couldn't launch on just any other rocket system. COBE was too large for a Delta rocket at this point; ironically, Mather had the Delta in mind in his first sketch in 1974. The team looked to Europe for a launch vehicle, but this was hardly an option for NASA. Instead, the project managers led a redesign to shave off hundreds of pounds, to slim down to a 5,000-pound launch mass, with fuel, which would just make it within the limits of a Delta by a few pounds. Oh, and McDonnell Douglas had to build a Delta rocket from spare parts, having been forced to discontinue the series in favor of the Space Shuttle.The team worked around the clock over the next two years. The final design challenge was ... wait for it ... a sunshield that now needed to be folded into the rocket and spring-released once in orbit, a novel approach. COBE got the greenlight to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the originally desired site because it would provide easier access to a polar orbit compared to launching a Shuttle from Florida. Launch was set for November 1989. COBE was delivered several months before.Then, on October 17, the California ground shook hard. A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Santa Cruz County, causing widespread damage to structures. Vandenberg, some 200 miles south, felt the jolt. As pure luck would have it, COBE was securely fastened only because two of the engineers minding it secured it that day before going off to get married. The instrument suffered no damage and launched successfully on November 18. More drama came with the high winds on launch day. Myriad worries followed in the first weeks of operation: the cryostat cooled too quickly; sunlight reflecting off of Antarctic ice played havoc with the power system; trapped electrons and protons in the Van Allen belts disrupted the functioning of the electronics; and so on.All the delays, all the drama, faded into a distant memory for Mather as the results of the COBE experiment came in. Data would take four years to compile. But the results were mind-blowing. The first result came weeks after launch, when Mather showed the spectrum to the American Astronomical Society and received a standing ovation. The Big Bang was safe as a theory. Two years later, at an April 1992 meeting of the American Physical Society, the team showed their first map. Data matched theory perfectly. This was the afterglow of the Big Bang revealing the seeds that would grow into stars and galaxies. Physicist Stephen Hawking called it the most important discovery of the century, if not of all time."Mather spoke humbly of the discovery at his Nobel acceptance speech in 2006, fully crediting his remarkable team and his colleague George Smoot, who shared the prize with him that year. But he didn't downplay the achievement. He noted that he was thrilled with the now broader recognition that our work was as important as people in the professional astronomy world have known for so long."Mather maintains that realism today. While concerned about delays, threats of cancellation, cost overruns, and not-too-subtle animosity in the broader science community over the telescope that ate astronomy," he didn't let this consume him or his team. There's no point in trying to manage other people's feelings," he said. Quite a lot of the community opinion is, well, if it were my nickel, I'd spend it differently.' But it isn't their nickel; and the reason why we have the nickel in the first place is because NASA takes on incredibly great challenges. Congress approved of us taking on great challenges. And great challenges aren't free. My feeling is that the only reason why we have an astronomy program at NASA for anyone to enjoy - or complain about - is that we do astonishingly difficult projects. We are pushing to the edge of what is possible."Webb isn't just a little better than the Hubble Space Telescope, Mather added; it's a hundred times more powerful. Yet his biggest worry through mission design was not the advanced astronomy instruments but rather the massive sunshield, which needed to unfold. All instruments and all the deployment mechanisms had redundancy engineered into them; there are two or more ways to make them work if the primary method fails. But that's not the only issue with a sunshield. It would either work or not work.Now Mather can focus completely on the science to be had. He expects surprises; he'd be surprised if there were no surprises. Just about everything in astronomy comes as a surprise," he said. When you have new equipment, you will get a surprise." His hunch is that Webb might reveal something weird about the early universe, perhaps an abundance of short-lived objects never before seen that say something about dark energy, the mysterious force that seems to be accelerating the expansion of the universe, or the equally mysterious dark matter. He also can't wait until Webb turns its cameras to Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to Earth. What if there's a planet there suitable for life? Webb should have the sensitivity to detect molecules in its atmosphere, if present.That would be cool," Mather said. Hints of life from the closest star system? Yes, cool, indeed.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/inside-the-star-factory-chris-gunn-christopher-wanjek-mit-press-143046496.html?src=rss

Google will have to pay over $1 million to an executive who alleged the company discriminated against her based on her gender and later retaliated when she spoke up about it. Ulku Rowe, a Google Cloud engineering director, accused the company of hiring her at a lower level, lower paid position than men with less experience who were hired for similar roles at the same time, according to Bloomberg Law. She also claimed she was passed over for a promotion in favor of a less qualified male colleague.A New York jury on Friday decided that Google did commit gender-based discrimination, and now owes Rowe a combined $1.15 million for punitive damages and the pain and suffering it caused. But, according to Bloomberg Law, it also determined that Rowe did not prove Google violated the New York equal pay law. Rowe had 23 years of experience when she started at Google in 2017, and the lawsuit claims she was lowballed at hiring to place her at a level that paid significantly less than what men were being offered.This unanimous verdict not only validates Ms. Rowe's allegations of mistreatment by Google, but it also sends a resounding message that discrimination and retaliation will not be tolerated in the workplace," said Rowe's lead attorney, Cara Greene, in a statement provided to Engadget. It comes nearly five years after some 20,000 Google employees organized a walkout to demand changes around the company's handling of sexual misconduct and discrimination.While the company pledged to do better on sexual harassment, its response still left a lot to be desired on the topics of bias. According to Bloomberg Law, the Rowe lawsuit is the first such case Google has faced since the protests. Greene called the jury's decision historic," and credited the 2018 demonstrations for making it possible.In a statement, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said that fairness is absolutely critical to us and we strongly believe in the equity of our leveling and compensation processes." Mencini said the jury's finding that Google didn't violate New York law supports this, but went on to dispute its decision that Google did discriminate against Rowe.We disagree with the jury's finding that Ms. Rowe was discriminated against on account of her gender or that she was retaliated against for raising concerns about her pay, level, and gender," Mencini said. We prohibit retaliation in the workplace and publicly share our very clear policy. We take employee concerns seriously, and we thoroughly investigated Ms. Rowe's concerns when she raised them and found there was no discrimination or retaliation."Update, October 22 2023, 9:57AM ET: This story was updated to include a statement from Google and clarify that the jury found Rowe did not prove the company violated New York's equal pay laws.Update, October 22 2023, 2:45PM ET: This story was updated to include a statement from Rowe's attorney.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-ordered-to-pay-1-million-to-female-exec-who-sued-over-pay-discrimination-214702002.html?src=rss

Blizzard hasn't exactly been subtle in marketing Diablo IV, but its latest PR stunt is especially on the nose. To celebrate the release of the game's new season, Season of Blood, and the high-payoff Blood Harvest events it introduced, Blizzard has launched a month-long blood drive in the US that'll unlock in-game rewards as more people participate. Once donations reach 666 quarts altogether, players will be able to enter a sweepstakes for a custom liquid-cooled PC infused with real human blood."The first tier of rewards, a batch of five weapons cosmetics, will unlock once donations hit 33 percent of the goal. At the 66 percent mark, players will also be granted access to the Loch Raeth Maor Barbarian armor cosmetic. When donations reach 100 percent of the goal - a total of 666 quarts of blood - the Vermilion Eye Piebald Mount will become available, and the sweepstakes for the custom PC will open.Aside from the whole human blood in the coolant" gimmick, the Seasons of Blood custom PC features NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4090, an Intel Core i9 CPU, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, 3 TB SSD Storage, and the Quantum Vector GPU Waterblock for cooling. And, the sweepstakes won't just be reserved for those who donated. Once the goal is met, any player in the US over 18 can enter. The blood drive is open from now through November 20, and you don't need to go anywhere special to get in on it. Players 18+ can donate at their local blood centers, then submit proof on the Diablo Blood Harvest website.A typical blood donation is 1 pint, so it'll take a little over 1,300 donations to hit the final goal. Players can keep track of the blood drive's progress by visiting the above website and its motivational fountain of gushing blood. At the time of writing, it's already at 15 percent - or almost halfway to the first goal.Considering the Red Cross recently announced we're in the middle of a blood shortage, it's maybe not the worst idea. All of the rewards will be doled out a few days after the blood drive closes, on November 22. Happy harvest!This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blizzard-will-raffle-off-a-human-blood-infused-pc-if-diablo-iv-players-donate-666-quarts-192828807.html?src=rss

The high-end Roomba s9+ may normally be too expensive for most people to justify spending on a robot vacuum, but a one-day-only deal has shaved the price nearly in half, bringing it down to an all time low of $500. If you've been holding off on buying the premium model, which we ranked as one of the best robot vacuums out there, now's the time to scoop it up.The Roomba s9+ is a splurge in every sense of the word, and boasts 40x the suction power of iRobot's more basic vacuums. Its 1.5-foot-tall self-emptying base holds up to 60 days worth of waste. And with a sleek, black and copper design, it isn't an eyesore. The s9+ is D-shaped, as opposed to being fully circular, meaning its flat edge can more effectively get into corners. We found the s9+ paired quickly with WiFi and the iRobot app for an easy setup, and wasn't unreasonably loud when it emptied its bin.The vacuum works on carpets and hard floors, and has multi-surface rubber brushes to handle more difficult types of debris, like hair. It also promises to filter out microscopic particles and allergens like those that might be accumulating around the house from your pets. But, while it's meant to excel at cleaning up pet hair, its sensors aren't made for spotting and avoiding pet poop. It does, however, have Careful Driver" technology to avoid slamming into objects while it cleans. At the current discount, the s9+ offers premium cleaning power at a mid-range price.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/irobots-roomba-s9-robot-vacuum-is-down-to-its-best-price-yet-163052747.html?src=rss

As expected, the Supreme Court will weigh in on a controversial case attempting to limit contact between federal officials and social media companies. The case could have sweeping implications for how social media companies make policy and content moderation decisions.The case stems from a lawsuit, brought by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, that alleges Biden Administration officials, the CDC and FBI overreached in their dealings Meta, Google and Twitter as the companies responded to pandemic and election-related misinformation. A lower court previously issued an injunction that severely limited government officials' ability to communicate with social media companies, though some restrictions were later relaxed.Now, with the Supreme Court agreeing to hear the government's appeal in the case, the entire lower court order remains on hold. As The New York Times notes, three justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, dissented, calling the decision to allow the lower court order to remain paused highly disturbing."It's not the only case involving free speech and social media on the Supreme Court docket this term. The court will also take on two landmark cases that could reshape how social media platforms enforce content moderation rules. Those cases involve two state laws, in Texas and Florida, that would prevent social media companies from removing certain types of posts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-supreme-court-will-hear-case-on-governments-contacts-with-social-media-companies-224551081.html?src=rss

During the TwitchCon Las Vegas Opening Ceremony on Friday, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy made an important announcement regarding the platform's off-service conduct policy. Starting now, Twitch will take action against users who doxx and swat others outside of its own platform.Doxxing (publishing someone's personal information such as their full name and address) and swatting (making a prank call to dispatch emergency services to someone's home) have long been problems in the livestreaming community. Now, if Twitch catches a streamer or other user doxxing or swatting someone on another platform or even offline, it may suspend or ban their account.Twitch started enforcing its off-service conduct policy in April 2021. At the time, it said it would respond to serious incidents that "pose a substantial safety risk to the Twitch community" even if those happen away from its own platform. Before it makes any enforcement actions related to off-platform activity, Twitch requires evidence of such incidents taking place.The policy covers issues such as sexual misconduct, terrorist activity and recruitment, explicit or credible threats of mass violence and being a leader or member of a known hate group. The platform also takes action related to threats against Twitch and its staff, as well as those who share harmful misinformation. Adding doxxing and swatting to the list is a long-overdue move given the serious and occasionally even deadly nature of such actions.

You can't trust everything on a Wikipedia page, which is why it's important that you refer to the original sources cited in the footnotes. But sometimes, even the primary sources can lead you astray. Researchers have developed an AI focused on improving the reliability of Wikipedia references by training the algorithms to identify citations on the website that are questionable.The program, called SIDE, does two things: check if a primary source is accurate and suggest new ones. However, the AI operates under the assumption that a Wikipedia claim is true. This means that, while it can check for the validity of a source, it can't actually verify claims made in an entry.In a study, people preferred the AI's suggested citations to the original 70 percent of the time. The researchers found that in nearly 50 percent of the cases, SIDE presented a source that was already being used by Wikipedia as the top reference. And 21 percent of the time, SIDE was one step ahead when it churned out a recommendation that was already deemed appropriate by human annotators in the study.While the AI appears to demonstrate it can effectively help an editor verify Wikipedia claims, the researchers admit that alternative programs could outperform their current design in both quality and speed. SIDE is limited in its capabilities - namely, the program only considers references corresponding to web pages. In reality, Wikipedia cites books, scientific articles and info presented through other media beyond text like images and video. But beyond its technical limits, the whole premise of Wikipedia is that any writer anywhere could assign a reference to a topic. The researchers suggest that the use of Wikipedia itself could be limiting to the study. They allude that individuals who plug citations into the website could permeate bias depending on the nature of the topics in question.Meanwhile, we all know that any program, especially an AI that is dependent on training, could be prone to the exposure of the biases of its programmer. The data used to train and evaluate SIDE's models could be limited in that regard. But still, the benefits of using AI to streamline fact-checking, or at least use it as a supportive tool, could have reverberating applications elsewhere. Wikipedia and social media companies alike need to contend with bad actors and bots that flood digital town squares with false information. This is especially true and important now more than ever, in the wake of misinformation spreading around the Israel-Hamas war and the upcoming presidential elections in the US. The need to mitigate misinformation online could be catalyzed with AI tools, like SIDE, designed for this exact purpose. But there are still some advances that need to be made before it can.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/study-shows-ai-program-could-verify-wikipedia-citations-improving-reliability-184543711.html?src=rss

Mic modeling has come a long way in just a few years, and modern software plugins, to these ears, get quite close to the real deal. Universal Audio has been at the forefront of this technology for a while and now the company's released a new condenser microphone that integrates with its equally new Hemisphere mic modeling plugin.The SC-1 is a large diaphragm condenser microphone, operating as part of the company's Standard Series that also includes the pre-existing SD-1 and SP-1. The SC-1 launches alongside the Hemisphere plugin that gives users digital access to a full range of classic mics from big-time companies like Neumann, Telefunken, AKG, Sony and others. The plugin uses a similar technology to the company's Sphere line of modeling microphones, but with a drastic reduction in cost, as the SC-1 costs $500 and Sphere microphones range from $800 to $1,400.The Hemisphere plugin lets you instantly audition different microphones to suit the take, tweak proximity, adjust filters and more. All of these adjustments can be done before recording or afterward, just like with the Sphere line. One benefit the SC-1 boasts over the Sphere line is that it requires just a single XLR input, while Sphere microphones require two to properly capture that stereo field.The Hemisphere modeling plugin also extends to those other Standard Series mics, like the SP-1 pencil microphone and the SD-1 dynamic microphone. As for the SC-1 itself, it's a standard no-frills large-diaphragm condenser with an extended dynamic range and a frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. There's also an emphasis on low self-noise output, which makes it easier to transform via the numerous modeling options.Universal Audio's SC-1 is available for preorder right now and ships later in the fall. The microphone includes the Hemisphere modeling plugin, so your wallet won't have to double dip. Additionally, the plugin is a free upgrade for existing SD-1 and SP-1 owners.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/universal-audios-sc-1-condenser-microphone-comes-with-new-modeling-software-153349656.html?src=rss

The Steam Deck and ROG Ally are fun gaming machines, but our hearts will always belong to the Switch and its fantastic games library, including Zelda, Animal Crossing and, of course, Mario. The release of the Switch Pro two years ago means we can't say Nintendo's gaming hardware is a slouch either, thanks to an improved battery and that gorgeous OLED screen. A system like this deserves some nice accessories (especially when you take it on the go), and we've chosen some of our favorites to give your system the royal treatment.SanDisk microSD card8Bitdo Pro 28Bitdo Lite SEFastSnail gripsSteelSeries Arctis 1Razer Barracuda XSteelSeries Tusq in-Ear Mobile Gaming HeadsetiVoler Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorAnker PowerCore+ 26,800 chargerAmazon Basics Nintendo Switch caseAmazon Basics large caseTimbuk2 x ASTRO Gaming CS03 Crossbody SlingThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-nintendo-switch-oled-accessories-150048703.html?src=rss

The use for humans in the world of robotics, even as teachers, is shrinking thanks to AI. NVIDIA Research has announced the creation of Eureka, an AI agent powered by GPT-4 that has trained robots to perform tasks using reward algorithms. Notably, Eureka taught a robotic hand to do pen spinning tricks as well as a human can (honestly, as you can see in the YouTube video below, better than many of us).Eureka has also taught quadruped, dexterous hands, cobot arms and other robots to open drawers, use scissors, catch balls and nearly 30 different tasks. According to NVIDIA Research, the AI agent's trial and error-based reward programs are 80 percent more effective than those written by human experts. This shift meant the robots' performance also improved by over 50 percent. Eureka also self-evaluates based on training results, instructing changes in reward functions as it sees fit.NVIDIA Research has published a library of its Eureka algorithms, encouraging others to try them out on NVIDIA Isaac Gym, the organization's "physics simulation reference application for reinforcement learning research."The idea of robots teaching robots is seeing increased interest and success. A May 2023 paper published in the Transactions on Machine Learning Research journal presented a new system called SKILL (Shared Knowledge Lifelong Learning), which allowed AI systems to learn 102 different skills, including diagnosing diseases from chest X-rays and identifying species of flowers. The AIs shared their knowledge - acting as teachers in a way - with each other over a communication network and were able to master each of the 102 skills. Researchers at schools like MIT and the University of Bristol have also had success, specifically in using AI to teach robots how to manipulate objects.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidias-latest-ai-model-helps-robots-perform-pen-spinning-tricks-as-well-as-humans-130004608.html?src=rss

It seems like Marc Andreessen had a lot of free time this week, as the VC wrapped up his entire pro-tech worldview in a massive tome, the Techno-Optimist Manifesto. Andreessen claims technology is the glory of human ambition and achievement, the spearhead of progress, and the realization of our potential," and he goes on to vilify anyone who dares to step in the way of progress." To break down this document, we're joined by tech critic Paris Marx, host of the Tech Won't Save Us podcast, and the author of the Disconnect newsletter, as well as the book Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About the Future of Transportation.Also, Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham discusses why he loves Spider-Man 2 on the PlayStation 5, and we try to make sense of Apple's new $79 Pencil.Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!Subscribe!

Compared to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5, not only does OnePlus' first foldable pack two larger displays, it's also thinner and lighter - as long as you don't count the hulking camera module. The most impressive thing the Open is doing is putting pressure on the price of big foldables.EngadgetStarting at $1,700, it costs $100 less than the Z Fold 5 and Google's Pixel Fold - and that's before you factor in the launch deal that knocks another $200 off with the trade-in of any phone. We put it through its paces in our full review.And if you're more interested in Oppo's new foldable... well, they're pretty much the same device.- Mat SmithYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest stories you might have missedIndia wants to build its own space stationJon Stewart's Apple TV+ show reportedly ends following clash over AI and ChinaHulu's $2-per-month student deal for its ad-supported plan is backAdobe adds plenty of AI wizardry to Photoshop and PremiereElements 2024 can upscale JPEGs and replace visual elements with just a click.AdobeAdobe's latest iterations of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements feature plenty of new AI-powered tools, using Adobe's Sensei AI. On the Photoshop side of things, there's a new tool that automatically selects objects and backgrounds for removal, editing or replacement. Adobe's Sensei AI also lets you upscale JPEGs to remove artifacts, creating a smooth, natural look." As for Premiere, the popular video-editing software suite now uses AI to automatically create highlight Reels culled from uploaded footage. The company says these AI-created clips will draw people in by focusing on motion, close-ups and your highest quality footage."Continue reading.Crypto company owned by Winklevoss twins hit by lawsuitThe lawsuit alleges it defrauded investors of $1 billion.Gemini Trust Company, a cryptocurrency exchange helmed by the infamous Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, just got hit with a lawsuit alleging it defrauded investors. The suit was brought forth by New York Attorney General Letitia James, the same AG currently prosecuting former president Donald Trump on sweeping charges of fraud. The suit is directed at two other companies, alongside Gemini Trust, which the civil lawsuit alleges collectively defrauded 230,000 investors of more than $1 billion.Continue reading.FCC's restoration of Obama-era net neutrality protections progressesIt'll reclassify broadband as an essential communications service.The Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines to move forward with a plan to largely restore Obama-era net neutrality protections. All three of the agency's Democratic commissioners voted in favor, with the two Republican commissioners dissenting. Reclassifying fixed broadband as an essential communications service would give the FCC greater scope to regulate it and more leeway to re-establish net neutrality rules. These rules would mean internet service providers have to give users access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions.Continue reading.Watch a Shiba Inu speedrun video games for charityA new challenger appears.JSR / YouTubeGames Done Quick speedrunning marathons have seen plenty of unusual attempts at beating games as quickly as possible in the name of charity. This time, they're doing it with a dog called Peanut Butter. Any questions?Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-oneplus-thinner-more-affordable-flagship-foldable-111532598.html?src=rss

The United States Justice Department reports that North Korean nationals have been using fake identities to work remotely for US companies as IT professionals in a scheme to fund weapons of mass destruction programs. At a news conference in St. Louis, Missouri, the FBI alleged that thousands of individuals have moved to countries such as Russia and China and posed as freelance IT workers living in the US. Companies in St. Louis and around the US were targeted in this plot.The bad actors used false information for emails, payment platforms and websites - sometimes paying Americans to use their Wi-Fi and setting up proxy computers. Along with funneling their income to North Korea's weapons programs, some workers also hacked their employers' computer networks to take private information and leave the possibility for other schemes, such as extortion.Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division went so far as to say that any company that employs freelance IT workers "more than likely" hired one of these bad actors. "This scheme is so prevalent that companies must be vigilant to verify whom they're hiring," Greenberg stated. "At a minimum, the FBI recommends that employers take additional proactive steps with remote IT workers to make it harder for bad actors to hide their identities. Without due diligence, companies risk losing money or being compromised by insider threats they unknowingly invited inside their systems."The FBI didn't disclose when they first learned of the plot or which businesses were impacted. However, the bureau first released a warning to the IT industry-focused scheme in May 2022. The FBI also collected about $1.5 million in money earned by these workers during previously sealed seizures in October 2022 and January 2023.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/doj-says-north-korean-it-workers-were-sent-abroad-to-help-finance-weapons-programs-101824065.html?src=rss

The Problem With Jon Stewart isn't coming back for a third season at Apple TV+, according to The New York Times. It was already supposed to begin filming for another eight episodes within the next couple of weeks, but Apple and Stewart reportedly decided to part ways before it can start. While neither party has issued a statement yet, the publications said the parties didn't see eye to eye when it came to hot button topics. The host apparently told production staff that Apple executives had raised concerns about certain subject matters he's potentially covering in the show, particularly China and artificial intelligence.Based on The Hollywood Reporter's confirmation of the news, Apple talked to Stewart about the need to be "aligned" when it comes to show topics and even threatened to cancel the series. Wanting full creative control of The Problem, Stewart chose to walk away instead.The Problem debuted on Apple TV+ in 2021, with episodes coming out every other week, six years after Stewart left The Daily Show. Its second season started streaming in 2022 and had four more episodes - for a total of 12 - than the first. It also streamed every week with a break of a few months after its sixth episode. The newer season covered controversial topics, as well, including gender identity and the indictment of former president Donald Trump. Although those episodes went out for streaming, The Hollywood Reporter's sources said there had already been tension between the parties before the third season production kicked off due to the previous themes Stewart had covered on the show. As The Times said, Apple may have been worried about being dragged into political controversies that the series could bring and had agreed to end their partnership.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jon-stewarts-apple-tv-show-reportedly-ends-following-clash-over-ai-and-china-080117666.html?src=rss

One by one, automakers have started adopting the North American Charging Standard (NACS) used by Tesla's Superchargers as they move towards their goal of replacing their fleet with electric vehicles. Toyota is the latest company to join the growing list. The automaker has announced that it has reached an agreement with Tesla to incorporate NACS ports into certain Toyota-branded vehicles starting in 2025. Some EVs under its luxury brand, Lexus, will come with the standard's charging ports, as well.By using NACS ports on its electric vehicles, Toyota is effectively giving its customers the power to access more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across North America. While the company won't be implementing the standard over the next year, its timeline matches its rival automakers'. To note, customers who already have Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with the Combined Charging System (CCS) will be offered access to NACS adapters starting in 2025, as well.BMW also recently announced that it was adopting the standard for all its EVs in the United States and Canada. A few months ago, GM and Ford revealed they were making the switch starting in 2025, but owners will already be able to access Tesla Superchargers next year with an adopter. Hyundai will adopt the port for its EVs in the US in 2024, with EVs in Canada to follow in 2025. Honda, Toyota's fellow Japanese automaker, announced its transition to NACS in September and its plans to sell vehicles with the port in two years' time. It also said, however, that it's developing an adapter to allow pre-2025 Hondas to charge using Tesla's system.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/toyota-and-lexus-are-adopting-teslas-ev-charging-standard-051655109.html?src=rss

The EPA is inching closer toward regulating the use of leaded fuel often used in smaller planes. In a statement, it highlighted some of the environmental and public health risks associated with lead emissions. EPA administrator Michael Regan said that the White House should move forward" and propose new standards to limit the use of leaded gasoline in aviation.Planes that operate on lead fuel are typically smaller piston-engine aircrafts, which are usually flying in and out of smaller airports and exposing nearby residents. Lead pollution can cause irreversible and life-long health effects" but this is especially true for children. Average levels of lead exposure in the US has gone down dramatically since the 1980s thanks to the heavy regulation of products in homes and schools. However, the risk for exposure is higher if you live near these smaller airports that operate aircraft that rely on leaded gasoline.Now that the EPA has formally declared what it already knew - that leaded gasoline is bad - it can work with the FAA to iron out regulations limiting its use. Although the FAA does not have direct regulatory authority over what fuels airplanes use, the aviation agency has committed to transition all piston-engine aircrafts away from lead-filled aviation fuels before the end of 2030.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-epa-takes-initial-step-towards-regulating-lead-fuel-used-by-small-planes-212425524.html?src=rss

Instagram has started allowing some users to create polls in the comments on their posts, giving creators yet another way to milk their content for more engagement. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced the test to his broadcast channel, noting that polls can be added to the comments on both regular feed posts and Reels. It's just a small test for now, but Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in his own update that it will be rolling out to everyone soon."Polls in the comments section will look much like they do in Stories, where they've already been available to users for years in the form of a sticker. Per the screenshot shared by Mosseri, other users will be able to see how many people voted on a given poll. It's unclear right now how long polls will remain open after they're posted, or if users will have the option to choose from different time frames to continue receiving votes, like users on Twitter can.Instagram has been working on making its comment section more of an interactive space, and this past spring finally added the ability for users to post GIFs in the comments. The platform is also testing options for a more tailored Stories experience that builds on what it started with Close Friends, letting users create multiple lists to reserve certain content for specific groups of people.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instagram-will-soon-let-you-create-polls-in-the-comments-section-of-your-posts-203110464.html?src=rss

Students can get Hulu for a mere $2 per month. The streaming service is offering US college students the discounted price on its ad-supported tier, usually $8 monthly. You can keep paying the lower amount as long as your enrollment status remains verified.The offer applies to new customers, but existing subscribers can also use it if their current plan is billed directly through Hulu. The company will verify with SheerID to ensure you're enrolled at a US Title IV accredited college or university.Disney owns a majority stake in Hulu, which offers current-season episodes of broadcast popular television series, films and older TV. It also includes original programming, like Only Murders in the Building, The Handmaid's Tale and The Bear. The discounted price only applies to the version with advertisements, and you also can't download content for offline viewing with this tier. The company offers a Hulu (No Ads)" plan for $18 monthly.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hulus-2-per-month-student-deal-for-its-ad-supported-plan-is-back-201558833.html?src=rss

India has announced plans to build its own space station by 2035, and carry out a human mission to the moon five years later. The country has ramped up its space program in recent years, becoming the first in the world to successfully land a spacecraft near the lunar south pole just this past August. Shortly after, in September, it launched a probe to study the sun. But, human spaceflight is new territory. Its upcoming Gaganyaan mission will be the first time India has sent astronauts to space using its own capabilities, and it's now gearing up to start testing the vehicles that will support a human crew.

Rapper Pras" Michel, one-third of the legendary hip-hop group The Fugees, accused his lawyer from a recent federal criminal case of using AI in his closing arguments. Ars Technica reports that the Ghetto Supastar" artist claims his one-time attorney, David Kenner, used an AI program with which the lawyer potentially had a financial interest. Pras, whose legal name is Prakazrel Samuel Michel, was found guilty in April of 10 counts of conspiring and acting as an unregistered foreign government agent and faces up to 20 years in prison. The rapper is seeking a new trial.Pras' motion for a new trial says Kenner used an experimental artificial intelligence (AI) program to draft the closing argument, ignoring the best arguments and conflating the charged schemes, and he then publicly boasted that the AI program turned hours or days of legal work into seconds.'" That quote was pulled from a promotional article for EyeLevel.AI, litigation assistance technology" that lists an entity called CaseFile Connect as a launch partner. The motion says CaseFile Connect's principal address is the same as Kenner's law firm.It is now apparent that Kenner and his co-counsel appear to have had an undisclosed financial stake in the AI program, and they experimented with it during Michel's trial so they could issue a press release afterward promoting the program-a clear conflict of interest," Pras' motion alleges.Attorney David KennerKevin Dietsch via Getty ImagesThe Fugee claims Kenner's use of the AI tool led him to make embarrassing musical misattributions in his closing arguments. It accuses the lawyer of attributing the lyrics Every single day, every time I pray, I will be missing you" to Pras' group, The Fugees. (That line was from Puff Daddy and Faith Evans's 1997 Biggie Smalls tribute I'll Be Missing You.") The motion also alleges Kenner credited Michel's 1998 solo hit Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" to The Fugees.In addition to the AI accusations, the motion alleges that Kenner was ineffective" and that his actions severely prejudiced the defense." It says the attorney failed to familiarize himself with the charged statutes, causing him to overlook critical weaknesses in the Government's case." In addition, it accuses Kenner of failing to understand the facts or allegations while outsourcing trial prep and strategy to contract attorneys at a friend's e-discovery company (among other allegations).Pras was found guilty in April of funneling money from Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho to Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign. Prosecutors insisted Pras donated the money for Low, while the rapper argued he was only trying to help the businessman take a photo with Obama. Pras then allegedly tried to quash a DOJ investigation and influence an extradition case.If Pras' complaint sounds familiar, it parallels the ChatGPT lawyer" Steven Schwartz, who cited fictional cases as an erroneous precedent in a legal document. Schwartz, his associate Peter LoDuca and their law firm Levidow, Levidow and Oberman were fined $5,000 for having abandoned their responsibilities" in the case. Schwartz claimed he used the chatbot to supplement" his research while insisting he was unaware of the possibility that [ChatGPT's] content could be false."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fugees-rapper-pras-accuses-his-lawyer-of-using-ai-in-closing-arguments-185311864.html?src=rss

Gemini Trust Company, a cryptocurrency exchange helmed by the infamous Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss, just got hit with a lawsuit alleging that it defrauded investors. The suit was brought forth by New York Attorney General Letitia James, the same AG currently prosecuting former president Donald Trump on sweeping charges of fraud.This isn't solely directed at Gemini, as cryptocurrency firms Digital Currency Group (DGC) and Genesis Global Capital are also named in the suit. All told, the civil lawsuit alleges that the three companies collectively defrauded 230,000 investors to the tune of more than $1 billion, as reported by Axios. The AG also charged former Genesis CEO Soichiro "Michael" Moro and DCG founder and chief Barry Silbert for trying to conceal the true financial condition of its lending unit.As for the Winklevoss twins and Gemini, the suit alleges that the digital asset platform didn't properly disclose the financials of Genesis before partnering with the crypto exchange to form an investment platform called Gemini Earn in 2021. The suit alleges that Gemini announced that Genesis was a trusted company" despite internal risk analyses to the contrary.It goes on to allege that in February 2022, Gemini revised its estimate of Genesis' credit rating, lowering it from the investment-grade BBB to the junk-grade CCC, all without publicly revealing this change to investors and continuing to advertise correlated investments as low-risk." Additionally, it's been alleged that many of the company's risk assessors took their own money out of Gemini Earn without informing investors.There are even allegations that more than 60 percent of Genesis' financials were tied to Sam Bankman-Fried's disgraced hedge fund Alameda Research. To that end, the connection between Gemini and Genesis is eerily similar to the ties between FTX and Alameda Research, and we all know what happened there.Gemini took to the preferred social media platform for crypto-enthusiasts, X/Twitter, to refute the allegations, writing that it was simply the victim of fraud on the part of Genesis and DCG. It's notable the firm didn't comment on what they knew about Genesis's poor financial condition and when they knew it, placing the onus of blame on Genesis CEO Moro and DCG founder Silbert.Blaming a victim for being defrauded and lied to makes no sense and we look forward to defending ourselves against this inconsistent position," Gemini wrote.For his part, DCG founder Barry Silbert penned a statement that completely refuted his side of the allegations, writing that he is shocked by the baseless allegations in the Attorney General's complaint" going on to say that he intends to fight these claims in court." Cameron Winklevoss hasn't issued his own statement, but did retweet Gemini's post on the matter.Genesis ceased all cryptocurrency trading last month, as reported by CoinDesk, after filing for bankruptcy protection back in January. Today's lawsuit seeks to recoup the $1 billion in losses and hopes to ban all three companies from the financial industry in New York.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/winklevoss-owned-crypto-firm-hit-by-lawsuit-alleging-it-defrauded-investors-of-1-billion-183740973.html?src=rss

The British Museum has announced plans to digitize its entire permanent collection, totaling over eight million pieces, as reported by ARTNews. The museum announced the move as part of ongoing efforts to increase security and public access. Back in August, the museum reported the theft of thousands of pieces, including over 1,500 historical artifacts, so this announcement is likely in response to that.The project will require the documentation and upload of more than 2.4 million records and is estimated to take more than five years to complete, so you'll have a great time cruising a virtual version of the museum sometime in 2029. Digitization is also an expensive process, which has been one of the primary hurdles when it comes to these projects. British Museum will spend a grand total of $12.1 million on the process.It is my belief that the single most important response to the thefts is to increase access, because the better a collection is known - and the more it is used - the sooner any absences are noticed," interim museum director Mark Jones said in a statement.Despite the aforementioned theft being the primary motivator behind the digitization project, the museum's also using this announcement to fend off repatriation requests for the return of items. Museum board chairperson George Osborne told the UK Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee that they plan on using the digitization efforts as a response to these requests, saying the museum has a pretty good website" that offers digital access even if you cannot visit."However, the museum doesn't currently have the money to complete the project, though it vows to raise the funds via private investors and not by asking taxpayers or the British government. The museum has already digitized half of its collection as part of a project started back in 2020.Speaking of 2020, the early days of Covid forced many museums to hasten digitization efforts. The Grammy Museum digitized its entire archives and many NYC-based institutions followed suit, among numerous other instances.Even before Covid, there were plenty of digitization efforts in place, particularly following a report by the National Science Foundation that urged these projects as part of a comprehensive strategy to protect the actual items from outside elements and to allow increased access for researchers. However, that same report says it'll take decades before most museums are fully digitized at a global cost of $500 million, as noted by Science.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/british-museum-is-digitizing-its-entire-collection-in-response-to-recent-thefts-173426690.html?src=rss

The European Union (EU) has sent official requests to Meta and TikTok for information about their response to content relating to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The panel's decisions carry significant weight under the recently passed Digital Services Act (DSA), which gives European Commissioner Thierry Breton broad authority to impose heavy fines on the tech behemoths. It follows a move last week to open an investigation into X (formerly Twitter).The Commission is asking Meta for more information about what it's done to mitigate illegal content and misinformation related to the ongoing violence in the Middle East. The TikTok request specifically calls out the spreading of terrorist and violent content and hate speech" and misinformation on the platform. In addition, the Commission wants additional information from TikTok about its provisions related to the protection of minors online," and from Meta related to how it's protecting election integrity.By pointing out the responsibility of platforms - and their CEOs - in the management (or lack of management) of illegal content distributed on their platforms, we are sending out a very explicit signal: things have changed in Europe," Commissioner Breton said in a related speech Wednesday to Parliament. There is a law. It must be respected."

Games Done Quick speedrunning marathons have seen plenty of unusual attempts at beating games as quickly as possible in the name of charity. From races between multiple players to blindfolded runs, there's often something a little offbeat on the schedule to shake things up. A run that's earmarked for January's Awesome Games Done Quick event might take the biscuit, though: a Shiba Inu is set to become the first dog to take part in GDQ.Peanut Butter (who is named after the speedrunning term PB, or personal best) is scheduled to tackle NES game Gyromite alongside his human, JSR. The pooch's run will take place remotely, which may come as slightly disappointing news to those attending AGDQ in-person in Pittsburgh.According to a video JSR shared of a previous speedrun of the 1985 game, Peanut Butter uses a custom NES controller with four buttons. Those are mapped to A, B, Select and a fourth button that acts as pressing A and B simultaneously. JSR claims Peanut Butter handled all inputs for the run and that no assistance, autofire, macros or save states were used." However, it's worth noting that JSR did guide PB through Gyromite with the help of some tasty incentives.It took the three-year-old Shina Ibu 25 minutes and 28 seconds to finish the game in that earlier attempt. According to How Long to Beat, that's over an hour faster than it takes the typical player to complete Gyromite. So Peanut Butter is probably better than you at this game.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-next-awesome-games-done-quick-will-feature-a-speedrun-by-a-shiba-inu-163951266.html?src=rss

As expected, the commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines to move forward with a plan to largely restore Obama-era net neutrality protections. All three of the agency's Democratic commissioners voted in favor of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF), with the two Republican commissioners dissenting.FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who has long supported net neutrality rules, last month announced a proposal to reclassify fixed broadband as an essential communications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. It also aims to reclassify mobile broadband as a commercial mobile service.If broadband is reclassified in this way, the FCC would have greater scope to regulate it in a similar way to how water, power and phone services are overseen. As such, it would have more leeway to re-establish net neutrality rules.Supporters believe that net neutrality protections are fundamental to an open and equitable internet. When such rules are in place, internet service providers have to provide users with access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions. They can't block or give preference to any content and they're not allowed to, for instance, charge video streaming streaming services for faster service."The proposed net neutrality rules will ensure that all viewpoints, including those with which I disagree, are heard," Commissioner Anna Gomez, who was sworn in as the panel's third Democratic member in September, said ahead of the vote. "Moreso, these principles protect consumers while also maintaining a healthy, competitive broadband internet ecosystem. Because we know that competition is required for access to a healthy, open internet that is accessible to all."On the other hand, critics say that net neutrality rules are unnecessary. "Since the FCC's 2017 decision to return the Internet to the same successful and bipartisan regulatory framework under which it thrived for decades, broadband speeds in the U.S. have increased, prices are down, competition has intensified, and record-breaking new broadband builds have brought millions of Americans across the digital divide," Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the FCC, said in a statement. "The Internet is not broken and the FCC does not need Title II to fix it. I would encourage the agency to reverse course and focus on the important issues that Congress has authorized the FCC to advance."Restoring previous net neutrality rules (which the Trump administration overturned in 2017) has been part of President Joe Biden's agenda for several years. However, until Gomez was sworn in, the FCC was deadlocked, leaving that goal in limbo until now.The FCC suggests that reclassification will grant it more authority to "safeguard national security, advance public safety, protect consumers and facilitate broadband deployment." In addition, the agency wants to "reestablish a uniform, national regulatory approach to protect the open internet" and stop ISPs from "engaging in practices harmful to consumers."The FCC will now seek comment on the proposal with members of the public and stakeholders (such as ISPs) having the chance to weigh in on the agency's plan. After reviewing and possibly implementing feedback, the FCC is then expected to issue a final rule on the reclassification of broadband internet access. As the Electronic Frontier Foundation points out, this means net neutrality protections could be restored as soon as next spring.It's still not a sure thing that net neutrality protections will return, however. The implementation of revived rules could face legal challenges from the telecom industry. It may also take quite some time for the FCC to carry out the rulemaking process, which may complicate matters given that we're going into a presidental election year.Nevertheless, net neutrality is a major priority for the fully staffed commission under Rosenworcel. We're laserlike focused on getting this rulemaking process started, then we're going to review the record, and my hope is we'll be able to move to order," the FCC chair told The Washington Post.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fcc-moves-forward-with-its-plan-to-restore-net-neutrality-protections-154431460.html?src=rss