Saturday, March 05, 2022

Saturday Morning Technology News and More

 Technology News and More...





Sony Honda Electric 2025•
500+How-To Geek / 16h
Japanese electronics brand Sony and carmaker Honda are teaming up to create a new car brand, focusing on making and selling electric vehicles. The two announced the news on Friday, stating that the first goal is to establish the new company and then begin sales of an all-new vehicle by 2025. Read This Article on Review Geek ›



Russia Facebook Twitter•
The Russian communications regulator said on Friday that Facebook has been blocked in the country.



Russian Ukraine Putin•
Targeted ads follow us around the internet, pitching us everything from meme-based T-shirts to Mahabis slippers wherever we go. Now the power of tracking pixels and pop-up ads is being used to try to tell ordinary Russians what’s really happening during the invasion of Ukraine. “We’ve seen the powerful role that civil society can play in telling the story of Ukraine, advocating for its interests,




I’m a big fan of indulgent sweet treats such as cake and cookies, and none more so than the humble brownie. This chocolatey-based cake has a crisp top and a fudgy center - whether you’re looking for elevenses or an afternoon pick me up, a brownie is the perfect sweet treat. However, baking them can be time-consuming, taking around 35 minutes to cook in the oven, and the results can be unpredictab



Samsung Russia Ukraine•
Engadget / 3h
Samsung has stopped shipping its products to Russia following the country's invasion of Ukraine, the company told Bloomberg News . The tech giant said it's monitoring the "complex situation," and that it's donating $6 million, which includes $1 million worth of consumer electronics, to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. According to the publication, the shipment suspension affects all Samsung produ



Mashable / 3h
There is no such thing as too many streaming sites. Sure, you might already be subscribed to Netflix and Prime Video , but there might be hit shows and newly-releases movies still out of reach. We're not suggesting you subscribe to everything out there, but one more subscription couldn't hurt. If you're looking to expand your content options, you might have considered HBO Max. This popular stream



Mashable / 3h
SAVE 82%: PureVPN is a high-speed service that can unblock extra content on sites like Netflix. A two-year subscription to PureVPN is on sale for £35.85 — 82% off list price for a limited time. PureVPN can't compete with this likes of ExpressVPN when it comes to streaming, but it can still reliably unblock top streaming sites like Netflix, and it costs less than £40 for a two-year subscription. T



Mashable / 3h
WATCH THE PREMIER LEAGUE FOR FREE: Prime Video is hosting two Premier League fixtures in March 2022, and you can watch for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. The Premier League season is quickly reaching its climax, with absolutely everything to play for at both ends of the table. There are plenty of massive games scheduled for March, and you can watch two for free with Prime Video. If you



Mashable / 3h
TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to the Ultrahuman Holistic Fitness App is on sale for £37.38, saving you 87% on list price. If you want to sign up for a fitness app, but can’t fathom yet another monthly subscription, this deal on Ultrahuman might tickle your fancy. Right now, you can score a lifetime subscription to this holistic fitness app for just £37.38. You’ll save 87% and don't have to worry



After launching Google One VPN for Android smartphones back in 2020, the search giant's VPN service is now rolling out on iOS. Just like on Android, Google's VPN is only available to Google One members on its Premium plan (2TB and higher) through the Google One app. While the company offers a Basic plan for $1.99 per month or $19.99 for the year and a Standard plan for $2.99 per month or $29.99 f



21TechCrunch / 4h
The startup ecosystem in Africa has until now been dominated by Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt (‘the Big 4’), countries that continue to receive the bulk of venture capital and other forms of investment. However, the situation seems to be slowly changing as noteworthy startups begin to rise from other countries within the continent, and as investors scout for fresh opportunities to spread



40Mashable / 6h
As Sex and the City's Samantha Jones once said, "Honey, they don't call it a job for nothing." And, as you might have guessed from the headline, we're talking about blowjobs. Specifically, whether consuming pineapple affects the taste of your, err, semen. In layman's terms — and please do pardon the graphicness — does it make your cum taste better? This burning question is one that's currently do



TikTok Ukraine War•
A Ukrainian 20-year-old has had tens of millions of views on videos she's shared of fighting there.



Ukraine Russians Telegram•
35Mashable / 7h
Russians have turned to the popular hybrid messaging-forum app Telegram for news and conversations about the war in Ukraine that's not the officially state-sanctioned version of events. But some of these Telegram users might want to tread lightly. Telegram has a reputation as a secure messaging app, but, contrary to that reputation, not all communications on the platform have the highest level of



Founders Fund Two Thiel•
Founders Fund has garnered a lot of money from investors; it has also returned quite a bit of capital. A lot of the action on both fronts has happened very recently. Yesterday, the 17-year-old outfit took the wraps off more than $5 billion in fresh capital commitments across two new funds — a $1.9 billion early-stage and a $3.4 billion growth-stage vehicle — that brings its total assets under man



In recent years, the ski industry has seen a major shift toward mega passes, with the Alterra-owned Ikon and Vail-owned Epic passes being the two biggest players. Day lift ticket pass prices have been skyrocketing, exceeding $200 at some resorts, giving skiers and riders almost no viable choice but to purchase a season pass if they plan on skiing more than a few days per season. For more TPG news



Lawmakers have passed legislation granting benefits and protections, but allowing Lyft and Uber to continue to treat drivers as contractors.



86Mashable / 8h
Scammers and other bad actors are once again up to their old tricks in search of ill-gotten profits, and this time they've set their sights on Ukraine. In order to take advantage of the ongoing war in the country, they're using an old, reliable tool to trick internet users: Domain names. More than 4,200 Ukraine-related domain names have been registered since Russian troops invaded the country las



Lawmakers have passed legislation granting benefits and protections, but allowing Lyft and Uber to continue to treat drivers as contractors.



SlashGear / 9h
Despite hopes for a more affordable Apple-branded display, what may next arrive could be even more expensive than the Pro Display XDR already on sale.



To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important stories delivered to your inbox every day at 3 p.m. PST, subscribe here . Hello and welcome to Daily Crunch for Friday, March 4, 2022! It’s Friday, y’all, which means this newsletter is full of good vibes and impending relaxation. Naturally before the weekend, there’s lots to do, so check out the latest from Early Stage (going to rock) a



Today is Friday which means it’s a great day for a deal, especially one that involves envisioning yourself in warmer weather courtesy of Spain . Round-trip flights departing from across the U.S. are available at nearly 50% off to Barcelona (BCN), starting at $356 with one stop each way, through October. Additionally, Delta is currently offering flights to both Madrid (MAD) and BCN, starting at 32



Russia Facebook Twitter•
[no content]




Gizmodo / 9h
I confess that when I saw Mictic’s colorful musical bracelets at Mobile World Congress I was not very impressed. These are two simple bands very similar to a FitBit-style sports tracker, but without any type of screen or button. Of course, when you put them on and they come to life in your arms, you can’t help but… Read more...



Doctor Guilty Capitol•
33Ars Technica / 9h
Enlarge / Pro-Trump supporters storm the US Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. (credit: Getty | Samuel Corum ) Dr. Simone Gold, a prominent anti-vaccine doctor who founded a group notorious for widely peddling COVID-19 misinformation, pleaded guilty on Thursday to joining the insurrectionists who violently attacked the US Capitol building



Activision Blizzard•
Enlarge / Activision's publishing HQ in Santa Monica, California. (credit: Activision ) The parents of former Activision employee Kerri Moynihan have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging that the harassment she suffered working at the company contributed to her 2017 suicide at a corporate retreat. The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit , which was filed Thursday an



Samsung Pro Intel GB2P•
Gizmodo / 9h
Samsung has just announced two new ultra-light laptops: the Galaxy Book 2 Pro, with a traditional format, and the Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360, a 2-in-1 with a flip-up touch screen. In line with last year’s models , these iterations integrate even better with Samsung’s device ecosystem, enabling continuity between Windows… Read more...



22TechCrunch / 9h
Late-stage tech startups are facing a changing public market environment, but their early-stage counterparts are in a different world altogether. The cohort has had access to ample capital in recent quarters, giving them a bubble of venture capital that somewhat protects them from rapid changes in the greater economy. While the bubble is not popping, it’s changing shape. We may not see early-stag



Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information. Wave season is here! It’s the span between January and March when cruise lines offer some of their lowest fares to travelers planning sailings for the year ahead. That means savings and perks for you, the cruiser, as you consider planning your future travels. During this time, look for extra-value promotions, such as reduced deposits



TechCrunch / 10h
You are more likely to close a sale if you have actionable insights into your prospective customer’s needs. But for enterprise software startups, this presents a special problem. Unless you’re a former CIO who already has a clear understanding of the decision-making process, you can only fall back on basic best practices that usually result in a generic sales pitch: “How do you do, fellow CIOs?”



Fuel Prices Airlines•
The price of oil has been on a meteoric rise since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, hitting its highest levels in more than a decade. That’s sure to pinch consumers — especially by sending prices up at the gas pump — but will it do the same for airfares? Rising oil prices do put upward pressure on fares, but the cost of oil isn’t the only factor in determining airline ticket prices. In the U.S., stron



38TechCrunch / 10h
Gecko Robotics’ mission statement is “To protect today’s critical infrastructure, and give form to tomorrow’s.” It’s certainly the sort of thing that rings true in the startup’s home town of Pittsburgh, where the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed under the weight of five vehicles in late-January, the day President Biden was visiting to talk infrastructure. Gecko’s combination of robotics and software



United Airlines has just revealed plans to launch a nonstop route between Washington and Cape Town, complementing the carrier’s Newark to Cape Town service . However, getting approval for this might not be all that easy. United’s Washington to Cape Town route plans United has filed with the Department of Transportation (DOT) requesting permission to operate 3x weekly year-round flights between Wa



Activision Blizzard•
Engadget / 10h
Activision Blizzard is dealing with particularly serious fallout from the sexual misconduct allegations surrounding the company. The Washington Post has learned Activision Blizzard is facing a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Kerri Moynihan, a woman who died by suicide in April 2017 during a company retreat. The family alleges sexual harassment at the game developer played a "significant



United Airlines has asked the government for authority to fly Washington Dulles - Cape Town, South Africa three times a week using a Boeing 787-9, effective November 17, 2022. They already offer scheduled service from Newark to both Cape Town and Johannesburg. But they may not be allowed to do this. Continue reading ...



Gizmodo / 10h
We’ve been hearing about LiFi technology for a while now, but it’s taken a while to roll out. Now companies like pureLiFi already have everything they need ready to bring this electricity connection to homes. It will be very useful for the home Wi-Fi to finally cover that corner where there is never coverage. Read more...



Doomsday Plane Putin•
65Gizmodo / 10h
On March 1, shortly after Vladimir Putin activated his nuclear forces, the Nightwatch took flight from an Air Force base in Nebraska. The plane is a modified Boeing 747 that is sometimes popularly known as The Doomsday Plane. Read more...



Editor’s note: On March 3rd, French officials announced that the Vaccine Pass will no longer be required as of March 14th as long as certain health criteria related to COVID-19 case numbers are maintained. We will update this story accordingly. Since France most recently updated its entry protocols for incoming travelers, including Americans, on Feb. 12 , we took last week off from answering more



44TechCrunch / 10h
When Winnie was first founded in 2016 by Sara Mauskopf and Anne Halsall , it was focused on childcare solutions built for parents. “The other SaaS solutions in the childcare space have gone after the providers first and that’s been really hard and challenging because it’s a very fragmented market and it’s really hard to get traction,” Mauskopf said. “As parents who really needed this ourselves we



The days of being served a one-course meal in international business class are coming to an end. Delta Air Lines is restoring its “normal,” pre-pandemic catering offering to its signature long-haul Delta One experience beginning on Tuesday, March 15, a carrier spokesperson confirmed to TPG. Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free new biweekly Aviation newsletter. Once the revamped



32TechCrunch / 11h
A half-dozen enterprise stocks reported earnings this week, but with the world in turmoil, the market gave them kind of a rough reception. It’s hard to say what had the stock market in a tizzy, but it certainly wasn’t the companies’ straight revenue numbers, as all reported strong quarters: Image Credits: TechCrunch There is a lot going on in the world right now, and the stock market has been on



Google Russia Ukraine•
SlashGear / 11h
Google paused advertising online inside Russia, appearing to do so in response to Russia's demands for information control through Google's platforms.



Samsung GOS Throttling•
TechCrunch / 11h
Samsung has addressed complaints that the tech giant is throttling the performance of thousands of apps on some of its Android phones. In a statement sent to TechCrunch, a spokesperson for the company said Samsung will release a software update to allow users to have more control over throttling. Samsung has not provided details about when the update will roll out to users. “Our priority is to de




YouTube Up To $300000•
Engadget / 11h
YouTube might be eager to compete against giant podcast hosts like Amazon , Apple and Spotify . Bloomberg sources say YouTube is offering podcasters "grants" to produce videos, including filmed versions of their shows. Individual show creators would receive $50,000, while podcast networks would receive $200,000 or $300,000. Parent company Google declined to comment. YouTube is already a home for



Ras Al Khaimah Opens•
Every year here at TPG, we scour the globe for the most exciting destinations and hotels where you should spend your hard-earned points, miles and cash. It’s a difficult job (seriously!) because there are so many incredible places, new hotels, attractions and events worth traveling for, but each year we whittle it down to make travel planning a little easier for you. For 2022, some incredible pla



Lenovo IdeaPad 3 3I•
Gizmodo / 11h
Lenovo has released a new range of laptops it says are perfect for “younger” or “new” gamers entering the world of gaming – they also wouldn’t be terrible portable machines for more casual play, with a max weight of 2.5 kgs. Read more...



Apple Pro Display XDR•
Apple is working on a new professional workstation monitor called the Mac Studio Display, and it might give even the best 8K monitors a run for their money, according to a report. Details on the new display were apparently leaked to 9to5Mac from internal sources. These are presumably the same sources that spilled the news that a new Mac Studio workstation , a cross between the Mac Mini and the Ma



200+Futurism / 11h
Not Funny In what may be the least funny dad joke in history, one UK father is getting backlash online for tricking his family into thinking Russia launched a nuclear bomb attack. According to a report published in the New York Post this morning, the 32-year old convinced his family they were going to die because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. “It went brilliantly. Beyond expectations,” the



100+Futurism / 11h
Memory Palace Forming a memory may be more complicated than scientists first thought. A new report in Quanta Magazine brings context to a study published in January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The study was led by a team at the University of Southern California who managed to capture images of a memory forming in laboratory fish — in real time, striking. The scientist



Russia Facebook Twitter•
Engadget / 11h
Russia has moved to block access to Twitter just after a similar crackdown on Facebook, Interfax reported. Russian regulator Roskomnadzor reportedly said it was complying with a February 24 request from Russia's Prosecutor General. Twitter didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The company had previously confirmed its service was being "restricted for some people in Russia," and the



SlashGear / 11h
At the moment, this is the best way to make a whole bunch of money (Units) in No Man's Sky, complete with details steps for your average gamer.



Microsoft Russia Ukraine•
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, Microsoft president Brad Smith has announced that the company will suspend all new sales of both its products and services in the country. In a new blog post , Smith explained that Microsoft is stopping many aspects of its business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanctions as it works together in lockstep with the US, EU and UK governments. The



Apple Mac Studio M1•
With the Apple March 8 event right around the corner, there's understandably a lot of attention being paid to the MacBooks, iPad, and the iPhone SE that might be revealed. It's possible, however, that a new M2-powered Mac Mini could be a star in the product show. The Apple Mac Mini (M1, 2020) breathed some much-needed life into this fan-favorite mini PC, thanks to the powerful new Apple M1 chip t



Musk Starlink Ukraine•
32Ars Technica / 11h
Enlarge / Boxes of Starlink terminals in Ukraine seen in a picture posted by Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. (credit: Mykhailo Fedorov ) SpaceX CEO Elon Musk yesterday warned that Starlink user terminals in Ukraine could be targeted by Russia and advised users to take precautions. "Important warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukrai



25Ars Technica / 11h
Enlarge (credit: Pramote Polyamate ) Earlier this week, the Pew Research Center announced the results of polling that asked the US public its thoughts on how to address climate change. While the usual partisan split was apparent, the survey highlights an even larger challenge that policymakers will face: the US public supports contradictory things when it comes to climate policy. Nearly 70 percen



400+The Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information. Last April, the Department of Homeland Security announced a second extension to the deadline for implementing Real ID requirements: On May 3, 2023, U.S. travelers must be Real ID -compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities with only a license. “As our country continues to recover from t



SlashGear / 11h
There's a missing link in Apple's Mac desktop line-up, but that could soon be filled. The long-anticipated "mini Mac Pro" might give prosumers a cheaper option.



23TechCrunch / 11h
Vasco Pedro Contributor Vasco Pedro is the CEO of Unbabel . More posts by this contributor Artificial intelligence and language According to a recent Bloomberg Intelligence report , the metaverse is an $800 billion market. Still others argue about what the metaverse actually is, but with so much money and curiosity surrounding it, it has everyone talking. Undoubtedly, AI will play a huge role in



NBC Hulu TV Peacock•
Engadget / 12h
As of September, new episodes of some NBCUniversal shows such as Saturday Night Live, The Voice and American Auto will no longer hit Hulu the day after they air. NBCUniversal has ended a content deal between the two sides, meaning those series will stream exclusively on Peacock. It's not clear which other shows will be affected by the move, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline . The d



Microsoft Xbox Mouse•
Cloud gaming keeps growing, and Microsoft is one of the leaders in the space. The company is looking to appeal to hardcore gamers by adding support for mouse and keyboard to its cloud gaming service, though it isn’t clear exactly when. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Russia Facebook Twitter•
200+Mashable / 12h
The Russian government is tightening its grip on social media as it attempts to control the message over the war in Ukraine. Russia is now moving to block access to Facebook across the entire country, according to a March 4 official press release , translated by Google. Notably, only the Facebook platform itself appears to be the target of Russia's ire — Meta-owned apps like WhatsApp and Instagra



SlashGear / 12h
Samsung's secret decision to throttle tens of thousands of apps on its Galaxy S22 series left owners furious. Now, it's promising to make things right.



Apple Mac Studio M1•
Engadget / 12h
Those longstanding rumors of a 'headless' Mac between the Mac mini M1 and Mac Pro might be gathering steam. 9to5Mac sources claim Apple has been developing a "Mac Studio" desktop based on the Mac mini, but with considerably more power — think of it as a replacement for the higher-spec Intel Mac mini lingering in the company's lineup. A base version would reportedly use the M1 Max processor from t




Facebook Russian Ukraine•
400+Wired / 12h
The Kremlin’s latest escalation shows the stark choices ahead if US platforms want to keep operating in Russia.



Futurism / 12h
If you’re looking to improve the quality and speed of your printing, one of the best laser printers may be a good option. Laser printers are a long-time staple in the workplace and classroom since they’re reliable, fast, and cost-effective. This makes them an excellent choice for a home office as well, especially for those who do a lot of document printing. Laser printers generally outperform ink



Gizmodo / 12h
If a gaming-oriented phone with a discreet and beautiful design is difficult to find, one that is also affordable is a rare bird. Read more...



Apple Mac Studio M1•
keep unread//
hide





INSIGHTS

Add note





Apple appears to be developing a new workstation called the Mac Studio, which is reportedly a cross between the Mac Mini and Mac Pro.

There are two versions of the Mac Studio in development, according to the report from 9to5Mac. The first will feature the M1 Max chip (also in last year’s 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro models) while the second will use an Apple silicon chip variant that’s more powerful than the M1 Max.

The internal codename of the Mac Studio is allegedly J375 and will be aimed at the professional market. Supporting the claim is the fact that it matches the Apple Studio Display, which is also rumored to be in development. If so, Apple will likely market them together for professional work.

This hasn’t been the first mention of the Mac Studio either. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously stated that Apple was working on a smaller Mac Pro which would include an Apple silicon chip with 40 CPU cores and 128 GPU cores.

As with all things Apple, none of this has been confirmed. Apple will be hosting its March event next week where we expect to see the tech giant reveal new Mac devices, but it’s not likely that a Mac Pro device of any kind will make an appearance. WWDC is a much more likely showcase for professional equipment, and since that is right around the corner, we may see the Mac Studio sooner rather than later.







Every domestic American Express Centurion Lounge has reopened from its pandemic-related closure, except for one. Interestingly, that outpost also happens to be one of Amex’s newest. The Los Angeles (LAX) Centurion Lounge opened on March 9, 2020, just days before the pandemic brought travel to a halt. Amex proceeded to shutter its entire lounge network days later, which included the recently opene



If you don’t want to hear someone’s audio in a voice channel, or you’d like to stop getting message notifications from a user, you can mute that user on Discord. We’ll show you how to do that on your desktop and mobile. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›



Razer just debuted an analog version of its beloved Huntsman Mini mechanical keyboard. The new Huntsman Mini Analog features a full set of optical analog keys, programmable backlighting, and that clicky-clacky mechanical sound. Read This Article on Review Geek ›



25How-To Geek / 12h
Buying an electric vehicle is a lot like buying a subscription to a car. Almost no one can work on them except the manufacturer, features get locked behind in-app purchases or software updates, and those features can get disabled at the flip of a switch. If carmakers can dictate how you use your car, do you really even own it? Read This Article on Review Geek ›


Backblaze
Posted by at