Friday, March 25, 2022

Friday Technology News and More

Technology News and More...




Russia Bitcoin Zavalny•
'Friendly' countries may be allowed to pay for energy with crypto-currency amid widespread sanctions.



MacBook Air 15-Inch•
500+Mashable / 5h
Apple might be launching a new 15-inch laptop — possibly a 15-inch MacBook Air — next year. According to a report by Display Supply Chain Consultants (via 9to5Mac ), the company is planning to release a laptop with a screen size of about 15 inches, while the current, 13.3-inch MacBook Air will also be slightly increased (though it will stay at 14 inches or below). The report also claims Apple is



FIFA EA Sports Likely•
EA Sports is moving ahead with its plans to drop the 'FIFA' moniker from its soccer sim series, according to a new report. We already knew that the developer was "exploring" the possibility of renaming its FIFA game series but, according to a report by VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb , EA Sports is now moving forward with its plans to drop the FIFA name. According to Grubb's sources, EA is making the ma




Mashable / 5min
TL;DR: As of March 25, a refurbished 21.5-inch Apple iMac from 2012 is available at Woot for only $174.99. A $175 Apple iMac? In this economy? It's more likely than you think. OK, so it's not exactly the latest and greatest machine available: We're talking about a refurbished, 21.5-inch iMac from 2012 that's technically " obsolete " (meaning Apple has discontinued hardware service and third-party



Gizmodo / 13min
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a movie you have to meet exactly where it is. It is not a subtle film, and it demands that when you watch it, you suspend all your disbelief at the door. As directing duo the Daniels ( Swiss Army Man ) propel us through a furious multitude of universes, the audience is left gasping… Read more...



EU DMA Europe Big Tech•
Wired / 25min
The EU targets tech giants' walled gardens with aggressive new rules, but the smaller companies the DMA is meant to help are skeptical it will work.



Lifehacker / 26min
Instagram has finally brought back the ability to view your feed in chronological order. The default feed on Instagram mixes recent posts with older ones, which makes it hard to tell which posts are actually new. The app also adds clutter to your feed in the form of “suggested” posts, from accounts you do not follow.… Read more...



Sierra Roberta Williams•
Engadget / 31min
Roberta and Ken Williams are back. After 25 years out of the video game industry, the legendary founders of Sierra On-Line are working on a new project with an old twist – they’re rebuilding the classic text-based game Colossal Cave Adventure as a 3D experience with a VR component. Maybe that’s an old project with a new twist, but regardless, Colossal Cave 3D Adventure is a complete reimagining o



Citi ThankYou Rewards is one of four major flexible points programs, along with Chase Ultimate Rewards , American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One miles . We consider these points to be more valuable than airline miles and hotel points because you can transfer your rewards to multiple airline and hotel loyalty accounts. You can effectively earn many different rewards currencies at once.



Microsoft is looking to take some of the strain out of learning on the job with a new expansion to its Viva platform. In a new entry on the Microsoft 365 roadmap , the company revealed that users will soon be able to discover Viva learning content directly through SharePoint, Office.com and Bing. Previously, users had only been able to access such content through the video conferencing platform M



Gizmodo / 37min
An ice shelf the size of Hong Kong has collapsed in eastern Antarctica, spawning a large iceberg and concerns that unusually warm temperatures in the region might be responsible. Read more...



Portrait of singer Aretha Franklin. Courtesy of the E. Azalia Hackley Collection of African Americans in the Performing Arts, Detroit Public Library



Gizmodo / 42min
Regulators in the European Union’s Parliament reached an agreement on a package of laws aimed at curtailing technology companies’ anti-competitive practices late Thursday. Read more...



There’s money to be made, though most institutions are wary of getting involved.



Google FDA Fitbit Passive•
SlashGear / 47min
Google recently released the results of a study involving its wearable tech and is seeking government approval of a new algorithm.



Lifehacker / 48min
At this point, Wordle needs no introduction . The game not only inspired many of us to enjoy guessing words every day, it also inspired a wave of clones and spin-offs , some of which were just as fun as the original. This latest one, however fun, turns up the difficulty dial to levels I’m not sure I’m comfortable with. Read more...



Overcast Redesign Podcast•
Engadget / 55min
Marco Arment's Overcast has long served as an alternative to Apple Podcasts with features you don't often see elsewhere, but there's little doubt Apple has stepped up its game in recent years — and Arment has redesigned his app to match. The newly released (and still free) Overcast 2022.2 for iOS centers around a major interface rework that better reflects how you listen to podcast episodes. You'



Lifehacker / 55min
The Academy Awards are upon us, and you still have a bit of time to catch up on the nominated films ...but not a lot. Theater-to-streaming windows are shorter than ever, which makes catching the nominees easier than ever, but ever-expanding runtimes (the average length of this year’s Best Picture nominees is a… Read more...



Wired / 55min
The film hasn't lost any of its creepy charm since it premiered in 1982.



Gizmodo / 55min
This Sunday, the 94th annual Acadamy Awards will grace your TV screen and with them, another cycle of film achievement comes to a close. Among the night’s nominees, the Acadamy rightfully recognized some of the best genre films of the year in various categories. But this slideshow isn’t about them. Read more...



63Futurism / 57min
Amazon Air Over the past few years, retail megacorporation Amazon has been investing serious resources into technology that it hopes will one day reliably deliver goods to consumers via flying drones. But the program, dubbed Amazon Air, has had a rough road so far. Case in point, Insider reported this week that last summer in Oregon, one of the company’s experimental delivery drones suffered a fa



Futurism / 58min
The best binoculars bring everything from birds to planets into view. Finding the right pair means taking a good look at when and how you plan to use them. It’s also a good idea to decide on a budget, as these devices can easily cost well over $2,000. However, you don’t need to take out a loan to see the moon, a sporting event, or wildlife with crystal clarity. The binoculars’ magnification, obje



Futurism / 57min
Amazon’s Fire Tablets offer the best balance of performance, features, and value, but the online retailer has made them an even better deal by lowering their prices. In fact, some Fire Tablet models are back down to their lowest prices this year (or ever). These deals aren’t part of a larger sales event like Prime Day or Black Friday, so they aren’t likely to last very long. Additionally, you don




How-To Geek / 58min
Making great coffee doesn’t have to be complicated, but there are certain elements of the process to consider when brewing your morning cup. One of them is ensuring you’re measuring your grounds properly. Read This Article on LifeSavvy ›



How-To Geek / 58min
Running out of storage space can make your Android phone feel old. An easy way to clear out some space is to remove duplicate files, but that can be a pain. We’ll show you an easy way to do it. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



For several years the IHG co-brand card from Chase has offered generous up front bonuses and has been worth keeping for its benefits - Platinum status, annual free night, and 4th night free on awards. Now, though, the card has gotten much better and new benefits are live. Oh, and there's still a generous up front bonus, too. Continue reading ...



If you love the consistency of brand-name resorts or find yourself staying in these hotels regularly for business (or some other reason), it may be a good idea to carry a cobranded hotel credit card . And with the two major hotel loyalty programs — Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy — you have a number of options. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credi



Google Chrome added a “Side Panel” feature that gives you quick access to your bookmarks and the Reading List in late March 2022. If you don’t want to see the Side Panel button in the Chrome toolbar, we’ll show you how to disable it. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Tesla has continuously struggled to estimate car delivery times, and it looks like things are getting even worse amid supply constraints. While delivery delays and increasing prices are nothing new, this week, delivery dates changed in the U.S. for new orders affecting all models. Read This Article on Review Geek ›



It’s easy to get entranced by high-end wireless earbuds, which offer a ton of wacky features but rarely push for new levels of sound quality, battery life, or comfort. These are the three features that actually matter, and shockingly, I found them in a $55 pair of earbuds—the Creative Outlier Air V3s. Read This Article on Review Geek ›



A slew of gadgets went on sale this week and many remain discounted as we head into the weekend. A number of Apple devices are on sale right now, including the AirPods Pro for $175, the iPad mini for $459 and the new iPad Air with the M1 chipset for $570. Elsewhere, Amazon's Fire HD 8 table is half off, while Sony's excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones remain discounted to $278. Finally, today is Tolk



Gizmodo / 1h
A paramount rule of the animal kingdom is not to be seen unless you want to be. It goes for predators as much as prey: going unnoticed means surviving longer, either because it allows you to catch food or keeps you from becoming it. Here are some of the more creative ways that natural selection has produced effective… Read more...



Gizmodo / 1h
You Won’t Be Alone had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year ( we were big fans ), and will be hitting theaters on April 1. It’s a movie full of imagery and ideas that hang out in your head for days, somehow making a gritty story about a shape-shifting witch into a startlingly lovely investigation… Read more...



There’s money to be made, though most institutions are wary of getting involved.



After a couple of nights at the Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina , our next stop was checking out the Four Seasons Hualalai , located on the Big Island. I’ve visited the Four Seasons Lanai and the Four Seasons Maui before, so was particularly curious to check out this property, as it’s regarded by many to be the best resort in all of Hawaii. Well, I won’t bury the lede — the Four Seasons Hualalai is



This is today’s edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. We spoke to a radiation expert in Kyiv about the current nuclear accident risk Russian troops have been bringing death and destruction to Ukraine since they invaded on February 24. But there’s a risk they could cause a nuclear accident too, according to Vadim



Norwegian Cruise PP•
A week ago Tuesday, Norwegian Cruise Line executives got some good news — and some bad news. The good news was that Norwegian Escape, which had been damaged when it ran aground off Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic on Monday, March 14, was deemed seaworthy and able to sail back to its home in Port Canaveral, Florida. The bad news? The line’s expert consultants thought it best that passengers



Gizmodo / 1h
Apple’s MacBook Air has received some crucial internal updates recently, but the larger design of this ultra-portable laptop has remained the same for nearly a decade—always a 13-inch screen. That could soon change with the introduction of a 15-inch model. Read more...



Instacart Valuation•
Instacart is not done making news. Earlier this week, the well-known grocery delivery unicorn announced a software suite as part of a self-described third act . Today, Bloomberg reported that Instacart reduced its valuation from around $39 billion to $24 billion, representing a roughly 38.5% reduction in the company’s worth. Commentary indicates that the company’s new “valuation” was set by a 409



Editor’s note: This article was originally published on Dec. 1, 2021, when AAdvantage miles were set to begin expiring on Dec. 31, 2021. It has since been updated to reflect the new expiration start date of April 1, 2022. It’s almost unbelievable that airline miles (or hotel points, for that matter) still have expiration dates . It’s like saying that a dollar bill in your pocket can only be used



ePaper Ink Gallery Plus•
Gizmodo / 1h
Offering better visibility in bright conditions and lower power consumption, E Ink’s electronic paper screens are gaining in popularity as alternatives to LCD and OLED panels for digital signage, and the company has just made them even more appealing with an updated version of its color e-paper panels featuring much… Read more...



Last week’s streaming list was the definition of jam-packed. Not only did we see new arrivals on almost every major streamer, but we extended our usual seven entries to eight, such was the quality of small screen offerings available to subscribers. Well, we’ve done the same again this weekend, as new TV shows on Hulu and Paramount Plus – Atlanta and Halo, specifically – nestle their way in alongs



The water dispenser on your fridge is a modern convenience that many of us take for granted. Usually, it tastes better than the tap and it’s perfectly chilled. But sometimes, the dispenser can develop issues that cause the water to taste funky, even if the fridge itself is new. Here are some potential causes and… Read more...




49Futurism / 2h
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is almost certainly the most advanced orbital observatory in human history, and it’s just now starting to trickle out amazing images of the cosmos. Haunting its success, though, have been consistent complaints from members of the astronomy community who have pointed out that its namesake, James Webb, was the head of NASA during a period when the agency was ov



When you work with tables in Word, formatting the text inside is just as important as the rest of the text in your document. If you want a uniform look, we’ll show you how to center text in a table, either horizontally or vertically. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Every configuration of the Surface Pro 8 tablet is currently on sale. Most models get an impressive $200 discount, while one mid-tier configuration is $300 off. If you’re looking for a killer 2-in-1 Windows tablet, now’s the time to take the plunge. Read This Article on Review Geek ›



Vidar Microsoft Help•
A new cybercrime campaign has been discovered that abuses Microsoft HTML help files to distribute the Vidar malware . Cybersecurity researchers from Trustwave reported of a threat actor distributing Vidar through an email spam campaign. In it, the attackers would send a relatively generic-looking email , with the attachment file “request.doc”. That file is not a .doc file, but instead, an .iso di



2022 Polestar 2 EV US•
Enlarge / A Polestar 2 (foreground) and a Polestar 1 (background) at Polestar's showroom in Marin County, California. (credit: Polestar) In 2020, we got our first drive in the then-new Polestar 2, an electric fastback sedan from a startup automaker owned by Volvo and Geely. The car had a great interior and some nifty infotainment features courtesy of Google's Android Automotive OS. At launch, the



The 2022 Google Nest Hub is rumored to have an updated form factor.



Wolverine Halo Master•
Halo has come to the world of footwear, with Halo Infinite developer, 343 Industries, partnering with shoemaker Wolverine to produce a limited edition boot inspired by Master Chief himself. The officially licensed shoe is designed to riff off the classic color, shape, and style of Master Chief’s armor in Halo Infinite . That means it's shaped to look like armor plating, colored a military green,



AMD FSR 2.0 Xbox Nvidia•
The most popular graphics card out there (at least going by Steam’s hardware survey stats ) falls below the recommended requirements for AMD’s incoming next-gen frame rate boosting feature. Team Red recently revealed FSR 2.0 (the successor to the original FidelityFX Super Resolution tech), and made it clear that version 2.0 will not be usable (in theory – more on that later) by those with an Nvid



Gizmodo / 2h
Just announced this morning, a new illustrated edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium, The Silmarillion , is going to be available in October 2022. This year is going to play host to Fantasy Rings Fall , with both the Amazon Studio’s show, Rings of Power out in September and now this new book, complete with Tolkien’s… Read more...



Premium transcontinental flights are some of the most coveted domestic awards. Given the stiff competition between airlines, these routes feature elevated service and often better seats as well. However, they’re pricier than your average domestic award, and finding saver-level award space is challenging. Well, good news: TPG has spotted widespread business class award space on premium transcontin



Last week, I discovered that I can touch my toes (and maybe you can, too). In the past I never really felt like I got much out of stretching, and I know that it doesn’t do much to prevent injury or improve performance . But I practice what I preach when it comes to trying things you don’t like to see if maybe they’re… Read more...



Netflix BFE Fight Studio•
Netflix has acquired Texas-based independent game developer Boss Fight Entertainment, the company announced in a blog post. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The deal, which marks Netflix’s third acquisition of a gaming company, is part of the streaming service’s ongoing push toward gaming. Boss Fight was founded in 2013 by former Zynga Dallas and Ensemble Studios employees. Net



Western officials think the attack on US company Viasat hit military and government communications.



Roland Boss Space Echo•
It's a good week for guitarists who love a classic echo effect. Just a few days ago, Line 6 released the DL4 MkII , a long-awaited update to its DL4 delay and looper pedal, one of the more widely-used effects pedals of the last 20 years. And now Boss, one of the most prolific and well-known manufacturers of guitar effects pedal out there, has just announced the RE-202 and RE-2 Space Echo pedals ,



With FromSoftware’s launch of Elden Ring, the term “Soulsborne” has once again entered the gaming vernacular. If you’re confused about its definition, here’s what you need to know about Soulsborne, Soulslike, and why they matter. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



vintageeveryday : Aretha Franklin, 1970s. Photograph by Gai Terrell.



NK Korean Google Chrome•
Google has confirmed it has patched a serious security vulnerability in its Chrome internet browser which allowed malicious actors to spy on people and potentially take over their devices. In a blog post , Adam Weidemann of Google’s Threat Analysis Group said the flaw was being used in the wild as early as January 4 by two separate cybercrime entities. These two groups are known as Operation Drea



38Wired / 2h
The corded SteelSeries Arctis 1 plugs into nearly every gaming console around and has a removable mic.



EU US Privacy Shield•
President Biden said that the agreement included “unprecedented protections.”



Instacart Valuation 40%•
Despite the company’s fast growth during the pandemic, the market for technology stocks appears to have cooled.




Wordle Today March•
Have you been struggling with today's Wordle answer? I certainly have - after a run of 'swift-threes' (getting the answer in a couple of minutes in three attempts) I nearly came to a grinding halt this morning. Looking at the data around search trends, it seems that you lovely readers are also struggling with this current puzzle, as there's a definite search spike for the phrase 'Wordle hint' tod



A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips. Continue reading ...



We know communication is the bedrock of any success romantic relationship, and that includes how we communicate our needs and desires in the bedroom. So why does talking dirty seem so…awkward? As simple as it might look in movies and porn, in real life dirty talk doesn’t always flow off the tongue quite as easily as… Read more...



Apple EU DMA Google•
The European Union has laid out its plans for the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will mainly target messaging apps to offer a better choice for users, and could have big repercussions for tech giants like Apple and Google. According to the European Union , its regulators agreed on new rules to the act, such as targeting companies that have over 45 million users, and have a market cap value of $



38TechCrunch / 2h
Hello and welcome back to Equity , a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. It was a live recording this week, which was good fun. Our co-host Natasha was off, so Mary Ann and Alex teamed up with Grace to hammer our way through the news of the week live, with friends on Hopin, Twitter Spaces, and other locations on deck to hang out and



A hardware security key makes your online accounts even more secure. When you sign in, you’ll have to plug in your key and press a button—or touch it to your phone. They work on websites like Google, Facebook, and many more. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



As a New York City-based flyer, I’m lucky to have multiple airlines (and airports) at my disposal. Still, even with the privilege of choice, I find myself flying Delta Air Lines more often than any other domestic carrier. That’s why in 2021, I decided to pursue Delta Medallion status for the first time. Initially, I wasn’t sure how far I could make it up the ranks of the Delta elite status ladder



24Gizmodo / 3h
Mandy ’s Panos Cosmatos is working on a new fantasy nightmare with A24. J.K. Simmons talks about being a dad for Batgirl . Jensen Ackles teases the infamous comic book moment coming to The Boys ’ third season . Plus, more Moon Knight footage, and MST3K prepares for its next season. To me, my spoilers! Read more...



On a recent return to Australia after two years away from friends, family and my hometown of Adelaide, I spent a weekend in Melbourne to see how the city had changed during the pandemic . My hotel of choice? The W Melbourne, which officially opened in February 2021, before going through several openings and closures due to the pandemic. Despite all that, it remained one of Australia’s most-antici



Searching for a job can feel like a full time job itself. It’s easy to feel defeated when it feels like you’re sending your resume out into the void and hearing nothing back the majority of the time. Maybe you’re graduating soon, or making a career pivot, or jumping back into the workforce after some time away—the job… Read more...



England Onshore Wind•
Those living in close proximity to onshore wind farms could see subsequent lower energy bills. This is according to the UK government who recently told the BBC that this scheme would be similar to a model currently being rolled out by Octopus Energy in parts of Yorkshire and South Wales. The government is said to want to expand this concept across the rest of the country, however, this would ‘onl



Sandra Bullock, Daniel Radcliffe, and the cast and crew of The Lost City dish out all the fun deets about filming the adventure comedy.



Funny, stirring, weird, embarrassing: There are all sorts of reasons to love an acceptance speech. The greatest sin one can commit in giving one isn’t, as some seem to think, forgetting to thank your agent: it’s being boring. We love to be moved and inspired by a speech, no question, but an off-color joke, a lost… Read more...



As of next month, it’s estimated that the use of so-called vampire devices will cost £3.3 billion a year. Many items in our home use huge amounts of energy, including washing machines, dryers and fridges. However, most households are aware of these costs and only use the items when necessary. But, many of us neglect to pay attention to the small devices that are continually plugged in, such as ph



Sweeteners Cancer Study•
Gizmodo / 3h
The long-running argument over the harms and benefits of artificial sweeteners will be further complicated by new research out this week. The results of a large observational study suggest that higher consumption of artificial sweeteners is linked to a higher risk of cancer. Importantly, though, this sort of data… Read more...



A Boston Dynamics ‘Spot’ robot's abstract paintings are raising money for Ukrainians displaced by war. One of its artworks, ‘Sunrise March’, sold at auction for $40,000. The campaign was organized by Polish-American artist Agnieszka Pilat , with all proceeds going to the Polish Dominican Friars . The auction show raised more than $250,000 in total.



Metaverse Fashion Week•
Images of Fashion Week will likely conjure sleek runway photos, celebrity-ridden front rows, and barricades: across New York, Milan, Paris, and London, the events are cordoned off, confined only to press, buyers, and people who have social media communities surpassing the million mark. But now comes the metaverse , where life is different — and where Fashion Week is more of a democratic, free-for



Chase & IHG have just refreshed their credit card portfolio , and as part of that they’ve introduced the new IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card . It’s exciting to see an IHG business credit card launched, and in this post I wanted to go over all of the basics of the card. IHG Premier Business Card basics The IHG Premier Business Card is largely modeled after the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit



Elite status is one of the best ways to make your travel more comfortable and enjoyable. Although most travelers think that the only way to earn elite status is by spending thousands of dollars with the same airline or hotel, in many cases, you can leverage your existing elite status to earn status with a different company without having to start from the bottom. For more TPG news delivered each



Year Academy Packer•
27Wired / 3h
The 2022 Academy Awards telecast is expected to have some real (and contrived) firsts. And it’s possible very few people will see it.




Bitcoin Ukraine Crypto•
Wired / 3h
Plus: Prophecies of digital cash, Russia’s virtual isolation, and bleak conditions for black tie.



30Wired / 3h
Theoretically, yes. But it’s not terribly practical. And it might mean you’re a supervillain.



Gizmodo / 3h
Although companies like Apple never do anything by accident, users were perplexed when Apple revealed its Magic Mouse 2 back in 2015 with the charging port inconveniently located underneath it . It’s an issue that still plagues the mouse seven years later, and it’s apparently an issue that Apple is determined to… Read more...



Firstbase Series Perkins•
37TechCrunch / 3h
Firstbase announced a Series B round of funding today, led by Kleiner Perkins. TechCrunch covered the company’s Series A one year ago , when the world’s remote work shift was fully underway. Now in a more hybrid world, with corporations large and small trying to figure out how they will balance in-office employees and staff working from home, we were curious about how Firstbase is planning for th



Bigblue Raises D2C•
French startup Bigblue has raised a $15 million Series A funding round. The company operates an order fulfillment platform for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. In other words, a D2C brand can outsource all things related to logistics to Bigblue so that they can focus on product and marketing. Runa Capital is leading the round, with LPV acting as the “secondary lead investor.” Existing investor Sa



Having reliable internet access is essential these days, which is why in-car internet or Wi-Fi is becoming so common. Of course, some newer cars still don’t have it, and older vehicles certainly don’t, but you can easily add Wi-Fi to your vehicle with a portable hotspot, OBD2 plug, and more. Read This Article on Review Geek ›



You don’t have to sign up for a subscription service in order to stream great horror movies. There are numerous free streaming outlets with a range of horror options. Here are the 10 best horror movies to stream for free. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Ever furrow your brow over a basket of hot, crispy fries and wonder if other countries love this side dish as much as we do stateside? Well, the quick answer is . . . yes! Fries are thoroughly enjoyed worldwide, but quite differently than they are in the United States. Read This Article on LifeSavvy ›



Wolverine Halo Boots•
Wolverine wants to help Halo fans finish their fight in style. The boot company has teamed up with Microsoft to create rugged limited-edition footwear inspired by Master Chief. Halo developer 343 Industries worked with Wolverine for over a year to design the boot, which is based on the company's Hellcat footwear. Wolverine says when it revealed the Hellcat in August 2020, many people noted that t



Nvidia NeRF AI 2D 3D•
A new technology called Neural Radiance Field or NeRF involves training AI algorithms to enable the creation of 3D objects from two-dimensional photos. NeRF has the capability to fill in the blanks, so to speak, by interpolating what the 2D photos didn't capture. It's a neat trick that could lead to advances in various fields, such as video games and autonomous driving. Now, NVIDIA has developed



CVE-2022-23121•
Western Digital has pushed a new firmware update for its My Cloud OS, fixing a high- severity vulnerability that was discovered during a recent hacking contest. As reported by BleepingComputer , cybersecurity experts from the NCC Group exploited a flaw in Netatalk Service, an open-source implementation of the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) that allows for Unix-like operating systems to serve as file



Experts have uncovered a new cybercrime campaign abusing Excel spreadsheets to distribute nasty trojan malware . Cybersecurity researchers from Morphisec Labs have spotted the Russian threat actor, FIN7 (aka Carbanak), distributing a small, lightweight Remote Access Trojan (RAT), a variant of JSSLoader, through mailed XLL and XLM files. These files carry weaponized add-ins, which allow the attack



It’s time to talk about all of those other new Apple gadgets. This week, Engadget Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham joins Devindra to dive into Apple’s Studio Display, a nice looking 5K monitor that’s really only meant for the Mac faithful. Also, they discuss why the new iPad Air is a fabulous tablet, and explore what could be the best 5G laptop for RV nomads. Stay tuned to the end for a chat with Da



Wordle Creator GDC•
Wordle Enlarge / Josh Wardle speaks at the 2022 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco about his gaming sensation Wordle . (credit: Sam Machkovech) SAN FRANCISCO—Josh Wardle, creator of the game Wordle , arguably holds a world record for the fastest sale of a massive new game the instant it became a worldwide phenomenon. Hence, his presentation at the 2022 Game Developers Conference has a di



Las Vegas has long been the place to go for an over-the-top vacation, but in recent years, there’s a noticeably new vibe emerging. Gone are the days of megaresorts competing with one another to offer the most incredible buffet or wildest pool party. Instead, a more surprising transformation is occurring, one filled with an increasingly diverse selection of activities and experiences to enjoy. So



Apple iPhone Carbon•
Apple is using the first industrially-produced carbon-free aluminium to build the iPhone SE as it seeks to reduce the environmental impact of its products. The company has made the first order of the aluminium, which is produced by a new smelting process called ‘ELYSIS’ that produces oxygen rather than greenhouse gases. ELYSIS was created using funds from Apple’s $4.7 billion Green Bond investmen



The post appeared first on Popular Mechanics .



Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) Portrait of singer Aretha Franklin. Printed on front: “Aretha Franklin. QBC, exclusive booking, 1650 Broadway, Suite 1410, New York, New York 10019.” Courtesy of the E. Azalia Hackley Collection of African Americans in the Performing Arts, Detroit Public Library



EU US Privacy Shield•
The US and the European Union have struck a preliminary agreement on an updated Privacy Shield framework to re-enable the flow of data between the two regions. A previous agreement was struck down by the EU's top court in 2020 over concerns that Europeans would not be fully protected from mass surveillance by the US. "We have found an agreement in principle on a new framework for transatlantic da



MacBook Air 15-Inch•
New rumors doing the rounds suggest that Apple could release a new 15-inch MacBook Air in 2023. This could either be the best decision Apple has ever made – or a big mistake. The rumor comes from a report by Display Supply Chain Consultants which suggests that Apple is working on a MacBook Air that has a screen around 15-inches in size, which will launch alongside a “slightly larger” 13-inch MacB




You already know that your Oculus Quest 2 headset can take you on journeys into outer space, or let you enjoy a round of VR mini-golf with your friends, but there are probably a bunch of features you have no clue it has. Here, you'll find a collection of our favorite hidden Quest 2 features that you might want to take advantage of next time that you're in VR. From tracking your fitness data, to i



AK UW100 Wireless Sound•
Astell & Kern has launched its first pair of true wireless earbuds - and if they live up to the specs, they could be an excellent alternative to the Apple AirPods Pro for audiophiles. The AK UW100 wireless earbuds come with a host of features designed to eke out as much detail from your music as possible, including a high performance 32-bit DAC and aptX Adaptive support for hi-res audio streaming



Seagulls have become a nuisance along the Grand Canal in Venice, and hotels have adopted a variety of strategies to ward them off. Two in particular – Marriott’s excellent Gritti Palace and Preferred Hotels’ Hotel Monaco – have started issuing water pistols to guests. Continue reading ...



Until very recently, I hadn’t felt the wind in my hair out on a cruise ship deck since the before times. We had last cruised in January 2020 . We had a great time and decided to ramp up our cruise bookings and scheduled additional cruises for later in 2020 and 2021. But, alas, those were ultimately not meant to be. For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter . By t



30Wired / 5h
This week, we walk through what it takes to make your own Web3 decentralized autonomous organization. (Yes, there are tokens.)



Reddit TikTok Video•
96Wired / 5h
To protect frontline creators and preserve evidence, the platform needs to learn from the wartime failings of other social media companies.



Nintendo Switch Joy-Con stick drift is a problem that has plagued the platform since its release. Though Nintendo claims to have made changes to newer Joy-Con to mitigate the problem, many people will come across this issue over the course of their console’s lifespan. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



The portfolio of co-branded Chase & IHG Rewards cards has just been refreshed . Not only have we seen improvements to the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card ( review ), but we’ve also seen the launch of the new IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card ( review ). Both of these cards offer the opportunity to earn free night certificates, which are more valuable than ever before. I’d argue that both



Microsoft LAPSUS$ Seven•
Gizmodo / 5h
Police in London have arrested seven young people between the ages of 16 and 21 for allegedly hacking Microsoft and Okta under the hacker group name LAPSUS$. All seven people have been released and none have been formally charged with a crime. At least not yet. Read more...



Ethan Hawke may have walked into the role of Arthur Harrow in the new Marvel movie Moon Knight (or rather he walked into a random coffee shop, got chatting to Oscar Isaac, and then casually got asked by Isaac to play the part), but that doesn't mean he's going to give up its secrets lightly. In the clip above from The Tonight Show , Jimmy Fallon reads Hawke several fan theories about the new film



Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) So you've heard about mechanical keyboards and you want to learn more. Sure, a standard membrane keyboard will get the job done, but the long-lasting keys and trademark tactile responsiveness of mechanical keyboards offer a premium experience that many people swear by. If you've ever remarked with dismay about a keyboard's "mushiness," a mechanical keyboard might b



Everything Everywhere All at Once Enlarge / Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert—collectively known as Daniels—are the directors of the new sci-fi action/dramedy Everything Everywhere All at Once , starring Michelle Yeoh. (credit: A24 ) The incomparable Michelle Yeoh plays a harried Chinese American laundromat owner facing an IRS audit in the new science fiction action comedy Everything Everywhere Al



Google Nest Hub Detachable•
Google is working on a new Nest Hub with a removable tablet that's due to be released in 2022, according to a report from 9to5Google . The screen could be detached from the hub/speaker base, then presumably be used like any other tablet. The idea would make a lot of sense in terms of boosting Nest functionality, especially since Google recently made the 2nd-gen Nest screen more tablet-like with a



Wordle Creator GDC One•
Wordle's list of answers so far have included some real doozies. But if you think it's already walking the line of fiendishly difficult, it could've been outright hellish. Luckily for us all, an angel of mercy stepped in. Kinda. Josh Wardle – self-proclaimed 'not a game developer' – took to the stage at GDC to talk about the inception of the brainteaser. Among the tidbits to come out of his talk



Android App tAL tAS•
You may have been using the popular calculator app PCalc for years, not realizing that there was a secret game hidden inside. Now, it's been separated as its own app, available to download for free from the App Store for iOS and macOS . Called About by PCalc by developer James Thomson , you can manipulate the app's logo by flicking it around, changing the gravity, throwing bananas at it and even



Intel’s Core i9-12900KS , the incoming pepped-up version of Intel’s Alder Lake flagship, was spotted on sale at a big US retailer, before the product listing got yanked down – but the price Newegg briefly listed for the CPU is (perhaps predictably) expensive. The price tag was a hefty $799.99 direct from Newegg (around £610, AU$1,070), although obviously we can’t take it as read that this will be



GIF inventor Stephen Wilhite has died from COVID-19 at the age of 74, NPR has reported. He worked at CompuServe when he developed the Graphics Interchange Format, designed to allow photo transfers over slow modem connections, inventing the format in 1987 virtually on his own, according to his spouse. With limitations like 256 colors per animation, the format could easily have died out long ago. H



300+Mashable / 5h
It’s time for spring cleaning — but not the kind that involves de-cluttering your closet. We’re talking about de-cluttering your devices and freeing up space by putting your big files, photos, and videos in the cloud. Clean drive, clean mind, right? Most major platforms provide some sort of cloud storage, but not all storage is as seamless and nicely priced as pCloud. Even before pCloud’s 500 GB



There are a number of shows out there with opening title sequences you wouldn't want to skip , and it looks like Apple TV+'s Pachinko is about to join their number. Based on Min Jin Lee's novel of the same name, the Soo Hugh's eight-episode series follows four generations of a Korean family after they immigrate to Japan in the early 20th century. Set to The Grass Roots' song "Let's Live for Today




Gran Turismo GT7 April•
A recent Gran Turismo 7 update sparked outrage , not just because it raised the prices of in-game cars, but also because it led to a server outage than lasted for over a day. Now Polyphony Digital President Kazunori Yamauchi has issued an apology "for the frustration and confusion" caused by the patch, along with the announcement of a big update rolling out in early April to "improve player exper



Enlarge / Astra's LV0009 takes off from Kodiak Island, Alaska, on March 15. (credit: Brady Kenniston/Astra ) Welcome to Edition 4.36 of the Rocket Report! As I took last week off for Spring Break, there is quite a bit of news to get to this week, including positive steps forward for some US small launch companies and SpaceX reaching another milestone with its Falcon 9 rocket. As always, we welcom



83Wired / 5h
Researchers got the machine to run nearly 13 feet per second. It ain't graceful, but this powerful technique is preparing robots for the chaos of the world.



24Wired / 5h
This appliance is perfect for taking your waffles beyond breakfast.



Amazon Staten Island•
76Wired / 5h
In long-awaited elections, workers in two US warehouses will decide whether they want union representation at the ecommerce company.



From loading up your computer’s operating system to opening an internet browser or running an application, your PC requires a minimum amount of RAM to function effectively. However, throwing more RAM at your PC doesn’t necessarily mean better performance. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Sony Psvr 2 GDC 2022•
Developers have been getting their hands on PSVR 2 at GDC 2022, and one outspoken dev has moved to allay fears about Sony’s VR headset having a wire and shared their enthusiasm for the device. In a post on Resetera (thanks, Push Square ), a developer at Truant Pixel, who is making the PSVR 2 motorcycle title RUNNER, said: “Stop sweating about the wire. It’ll disappear once you start playing – unl



Microsoft NPM Packages•
More than 200 malicious npm packages were recently removed from the npm registry, security experts have confirmed. The goal of the packages was to steal personally identifiable information (PII) from the endpoints of Microsoft Azure developers. As per a report from The Register , security firm JFrog’s automated analysis of the repository started raising alarms about suspicious uploads earlier thi



EU US Privacy Shield•
100TechCrunch / 6h
The European Union has just announced reaching an agreement in principle with the U.S. on a revived trans-Atlantic data flows deal — potentially signaling an end to the many months of legal uncertainty that has dogged cloud services after a landmark court ruling in July 2020 that struck down the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. “We have found an agreement in principle on a new framework for trans-Atlantic



UK EV Charging 2030 300000•
The UK plans to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations to 300,000 by 2030. That would increase the current number of charge points in the country by tenfold. The government has committed £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) to the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy. The effort to upgrade the charging network includes a focus on fast-charging stations for longer journeys and making



Only Murders in the Building fans have been whipped into a frenzy at the crime-comedy show's second season reportedly received a release date. The fan favorite Disney Plus and Hulu series, which holds a 100% 'certified fresh' rating among critics on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes , seems set to return to our screens this summer. Or, rather, this winter for those of you in the southern



Google FDA Passive Fitbit•
Google is seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an algorithm that would let its fitness trackers monitor your heart rhythm for irregularities at all times, making it more likely that potential problems will be picked up early. The Fitbit Sense and Charge 5 are two of the best Fitbits currently available, partly thanks to their ECG sensors that measure the timing of t



Gran Turismo 7 GT7•
The next big Gran Turismo 7 update is bringing some much-needed changes to the PS5 sim racer after intense player backlash. Chief among these changes will be a significant boost to in-game Credit rewards across most of the game's content, as well as a wide range of new races to experience. Gran Turismo 7 creator Kazunori Yamauchi took to the official PlayStation blog to announce the update, which



In late January we learned of major changes coming to IHG Rewards’ co-branded credit card portfolio , including changes to the two existing cards, and the launch of a new business card. These changes are now live, and they’re overwhelmingly good news, so let’s take a look at all of the details. Keep in mind that in addition to the credit card refreshes, there are changes coming to the IHG Rewards



OnePlus 10 Pro March 31•
OnePlus is finally giving the OnePlus 10 Pro a global launch soon, with the event scheduled for March 31 , but you don’t have to wait until then to secure your place in line, as – in the US at least – reservations are already open. If you’d like to reserve one, you can head to OnePlus’s site to do so, where you’ll have to pay $1, with the remainder of the payment to be made before the device ship



Netflix has added a new feature to its service as it seeks to find out more about the tastes of its subscribers. The streaming giant has always given its customers the chance to rate the shows and movies they watch to help its algorithm offer up future recommendations, but previously that had been confined to two binary choices, "I like this" and "Not for me". Now though, the streamer is branchin



Google Pixel 6 March•
Google can be great for supporting its phones with consistent feature updates, and the latest for March has brought some useful upgrades, like a battery widget that shows you the charge left on connected gadgets, and the ability to auto-transcribe phone calls. These features rolled out a few weeks ago, but the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro got them late (likely due to using a different chipset, which m



Drivers in Great Britain can now be fined for taking a photo or browsing playlists on their phone.



47Mashable / 6h
Are you a Wordle fanatic? Do bears do their ablutions in woodland areas? Why, yes! Well, you've come to the right place. If you eat, sleep, breathe all things Wordle related , then you might be interested to learn about something called "hard mode." Hard mode is not just what everyone thought Wordle became after the New York Times bought it , but is really a setting you can activate to alter your




100+Mashable / 6h
If you're in need of a wacky rom-com, peppered with action and headlined by dazzling stars, The Lost City is for you. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum team up to play the fool, fall in love, and track down a long-lost artifact of legend — essentially unofficially remaking 1984 comedy Romancing The Stone . But instead of being helmed, as that film was, by the deliciously irreverent director Rober



Kim Hollywood North Korean•
23Gizmodo / 7h
North Korean state TV aired a bizarre video Friday afternoon showing off the country’s latest nuclear-capable ICBM. And while the Hwasong-17 missile was meant to be the star of the show, we all know the real star. Read more...



US Russian Kansas Two•
US prosecutors say the alleged hackers placed malware in safety systems at energy plants worldwide.



27Mashable / 7h
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a tornado of a movie: dizzying, filled with turns, and peppered with eye-catching elements. Yet at the core of its frenetic swirls of allusions, action sequences, and madcap mayhem, there lies a poignant parable about this ruthlessly overwhelming age. Its message may be simple, but delivered by the director duo Daniels, who brought us the farting-corpse jetski



If you thought math was just a fleeting trend , think again. For a second week in a row, math is making a comeback on our FYPs, along with the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. Plus, find out why people are listing their (totally irrational) worst enemies on main. SEE ALSO: Take a look: 'Reading Rainbow' is having a moment on TikTok TikTokkers are doing math, listening to Pharrell, and fixating on thei



TL;DR: Get lifetime access to VPNSecure Online Privacy for just $27.99 with the code DOWNLOADNOW , which will save you 97% on its value of $1,194. Not all VPNs are created equal. And the truth is, even some of the best VPNs on the web have suffered breaches involving insecure servers. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one — that just means you might not want to spend your life savings on a subs



If you want a better home movie experience than a TV in the dark, then you can start creating your own home theater. Like your own private bar or building a computer, home theaters can sound extravagant and complex, but they can be manageable to assemble. It only takes a few pieces of equipment to turn a room in your home into an immersive home theater, and with these 5 deals on screens and proje



TL;DR: As of March 25, get a yearlong subscription to Parallels® Desktop Pro Edition for $79.99, which is 20% off its regular price of $99. Apple lovers are die-hard when it comes to their gadgets — usually packing a Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and maybe even some accessories to boot. They typically don’t venture too far from what they know, unless it’s necessary. For instance, there are some



Ghostwire Tokyo Japanese•
Ghostwire: Tokyo unexpectedly reminded me of the old and somewhat deep-cut Xbox 360 game Crackdown . That 2007 release finds an incredibly sticky basic gameplay loop in giving players free run of a futuristic city that's dotted with collectible upgrade orbs. The more orbs you pick up, the higher you can jump. And higher jumps, in turn, make it easier to snatch even more orbs. It creates a compell



Spring allergies suck. But as a trade off, they come alongside the coloring of the earth with plants of all shapes and sizes. For a limited time, you can get in on the action with these discounted grow kits from Wellness Tree. Whether you're a gardening newbie or a seasoned pro, these kits make the process of sowing and growing your own plant babies a breeze. From edible herbs and veggies to colo



36Mashable / 7h
After winning big at the Screen Actors Guild Awards , the Producers Guild Awards , and the Writers Guild Awards , CODA has emerged as a major contender to take home the top prize at the 2022 Academy Awards . Its late awards season momentum has divided pundits, with some dubbing it this year's Oscar "villain" and others viewing it as a scrappy Sundance darling -turned Oscar underdog. Awards discou



Russian troops have been bringing death and destruction to Ukraine since they invaded on February 24. But there’s a risk they could cause a nuclear accident too, according to Vadim Chumak, head of the external exposure dosimetry lab at Ukraine’s National Research Center for Radiation Medicine in the country’s capital, Kyiv. Russia has taken control of two nuclear power plants inside Ukraine. Some



With an improved camera, boosted performance and excellent battery life, Apple's 2021 256GB 10.2-inch iPad is already a solid deal at the regular $479 price. However, you can now pick one up at Amazon in silver or space gray for $429 , an all-time low and a full $20 less than the lowest price we've seen so far. Buy 10.2-inch 256GB iPad at Amazon - $429 Sure, the 2021 iPad has rocked the same desi



Australia Pre Covid•
Australia is going from more or less having its borders fully closed, to (by some metrics) having fewer restrictions on international travel than the United States. Australia drops COVID-19 testing for travel as of April 17 For the first 18+ months of the pandemic, Australia’s borders remained closed. Not only could visitors not enter the country, but Australians couldn’t even leave the country u



I never thought I'd love a vibrator I could buy on Amazon, but the Luna Massage Wand has proven me wrong. I shouldn't have been too surprised, though: At the time of writing, the wand has more than 44,000 reviews, with 70 percent being five-star endorsements. Still, I was skeptical when I received my purple wand in the mail. As it's cute and lightweight, I assumed it wouldn't pack too much of a p



If you're a content creator or someone who does a lot of 3D work or video editing, then you're going to need a pretty strong PC to be able to be editing everything on. It's especially important to have a good PC in order to edit 4K content, or work with complex 3D designs that have a lot of layers and details. An editing PC has a few key components to focus on - a good CPU, a strong GPU, and plen



Huawei continues to expand its mid-range nova series with the new nova 9 SE tailored for content creators on a budget. The phone has an AI powered quad-camera array on the back, housed in an oval block similar to last year’s nova 9 . These are the best Android phones so far this year The big upgrade here is the 108MP sensor that can shoot high-res images and high-definition video, followed by an



The world never run out of bad 'B' movies to mock, apparently, because Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) is back for a 13th season, Variety has reported. Thanks to a Kickstarter campaign last year that raised $6.52 million , a full 13-episode season of the series will arrive on a dedicated streaming platform called Gizmoplex starting on May 6th. As usual, some ordinary humans have been kidnapp
YESTERDAY



Honor MagicBook India•
Honor yesterday introduced the new Honor MagicBook X14 and X15 series here in the UAE. With a productivity focus, the Honor laptops come with the same collaborative features that we first saw from Huawei. Price and availability The Honor MagicBook X14 is available to purchase in the UAE for AED 2399 on Honor’s official online store, Sharaf DG and Noon. The Honor MagicBook X15 is available at the




Pakistan COLABS Lahore•
100+TechCrunch / 11h
Lahore-based coworking space startup Colabs is set to roll out a SaaS product to enable businesses to meet back-office needs including company registration, talent sourcing and management, payroll processing, and legal and tax compliance. It also plans to hire more staff, which will include increasing the product team for its SaaS workspace business service that is emerging from the beta phase. T



Mozilla MDN Developer•
Mozilla has launched a new paid subscription service to further support the development of its Mozilla Developer Network (MDN). While developers already rely on MDN to find documentation and code samples for CSS , HTML and JavaScript , MDN Plus will add three new features in the form of Notifications, Collections and MDN Offline. As technology is every changing, staying on top of the latest devel



28Mashable / 11h
TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Start.Me Pro Web Productivity is on sale for £37.06, saving you 51% on list price. When you open up your web browser, what’s the first thing you do — open up your social media accounts, check your email, or start doomscrolling the news? It feels like the internet is built to distract you. And if you’re logging on to get work done, you’ll likely lose valuable time



Reddit TikTok Video•
Engadget / 12h
Reddit is looking into the possibility of introducing some video features reminiscent of TikTok's, according to TechCrunch . While the project is still in its very early stages and hasn't even entered the testing phase yet, TechCrunch says it could include TikTok -like video editing tools that make it easy for you to "react" to another person's post or to incorporate it into your content. On TikT



Glance Gambit NFT Gaming•
26TechCrunch / 12h
Glance has acquired India’s Gambit as the Google-backed firm looks to supercharge its mobile games offerings and introduce NFTs to its Gen-Z users, TechCrunch has learned and confirmed. Piyush Shah, co-founder of InMobi Group and COO of Glance, confirmed the acquisition but declined to share the financial terms of the deal. In an interview with TechCrunch, he said the acquisition will help the Ji



Wordle Today March•
Mashable / 12h
Good morning Wordlers! It's a beautiful day to break your brain by staring at a virtual keyboard until all the letters look fake and you forget literally every five-letter word you've ever read or spoken. Today's Wordle answer can be found down the bottom of this post, but if you're still trying to come by the solution to Wordle #279 honestly on this fine Friday, scroll slowly down through the ha



TikTok Moderators Sue•
100+TechCrunch / 12h
A pair of former TikTok content reviewers is suing the company, alleging that it failed to adequately support them as they engaged in the deeply disturbing work of removing objectionable videos from the social network. NPR first reported the lawsuit , which was filed Thursday in federal cour


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