Tuesday, February 07, 2023

Technology News Tuesdays and More...

Technology News and More...



Elon Musk Says First SpaceX Starship Launch Could Happen Next Month


100+SlashGear / 1d
SpaceX's giant Starship spacecraft may be only weeks away from its first test launch, marking a major milestone for Elon Musk's private space company.


Tesla’s Cybertruck Is Coming Soon. Maybe.
6KNYT > Technology / 23h
Already two years behind schedule, the Cybertruck has experts wondering how the company will manufacture its unusual stainless steel “exoskeleton.”


Twitter stops forcing 'For You' timeline on iOS and Android users
Mashable / 11min
The people have spoken, and Twitter has relented: The controversial "For You" timeline is no longer default on any platform. In January, Twitter started showing the algorithmic, "For You" timeline as default on the web and on mobile. Users still had the option to switch to the "Following" timeline, which displays a chronological list of tweets from the accounts you follow, but if you closed the T



Tinder will let you hide from people unless you like them first
Mashable / 1h
Love is a scam. Anyway, Tinder is adding a new Incognito Mode for paid users, which will only show other potential paramours your profile if you've already swiped right on them. The new feature was announced today alongside several other free updates designed to improve safety on the dating app. The unfortunate truth of dating is that you can't find someone unless you put yourself out there to be


Sequoia reveals in filing how much is sitting in its Sequoia Capital Fund (and yes, it’s a lot)
TechCrunch / 1h
Almost a year ago to the day, the 50-year-old investing powerhouse Sequoia Capital announced that it had reorganized itself around a singular, permanent structure: The Sequoia Capital Fund. Now, thanks to an SEC form filed on Friday, we know how much is sitting in the fund: $13.6 billion. The number represents two things: the value of the stock that Sequoia has rolled into its permanent fund from


Twitter reportedly had only 180,000 subscribers in the US by mid-January
Engadget / 1h
Elon Musk may have to think of a lot more ways to make Twitter Blue appealing to potential subscribers if he wants the subscription service to be a major source of revenue. According to The Information , only 180,000 people in the US have been paying for a Twitter subscription by mid-January, and that's apparently around 0.2 percent of the website's monthly active users. The publication said it s


SoftBank loses nearly $6 billion in a quarter as downturn continues
65TechCrunch / 1h
SoftBank Group’s investment vehicles posted a loss of nearly $6 billion in the quarter that ended in December as the Japanese tech investor continues to bleed through the market downturn and significantly pares back new backings. This is the fourth consecutive quarter in which SoftBank Group has lost money, prompting many to challenge the fundamental thesis of the giant, which has deployed more c


Dotfile is a one-stop identity verification API for compliance purposes
TechCrunch / 2h
Meet Dotfile , a new startup backed by eFounders that just raised a $2.7 million funding round (€2.5 million) to help companies verify users and other companies with a single application programming interface (API). Serena is leading the funding round through its V13 Invest fund (backed by FDJ). Kima Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Super Capital, Upscalers, Polymatter Ventures as well as several busin


PhonePe taps cross-border UPI payments in revenue push
52TechCrunch / 2h
Indians traveling to many foreign markets including the UAE and Singapore may soon be able to use the popular UPI payments to make purchases when they land there. Bengaluru-headquartered fintech giant PhonePe said on Tuesday that it’s extending support for UPI international payments in the UAE, Singapore, Mauritius, Nepal and Bhutan. “Users will be able to make payments in the foreign currency di


Twitter will stop forcing its algorithmic timeline on iOS and Android
TechCrunch / 3h
The circle of Twitter decisions is complete. The social network will finally stop forcing its algorithmic “For You” timeline to users on iOS and Android. Twitter said that the apps will remember your choice of the timeline when you close them. Essentially, if you were looking at the chronological “Following” timeline while exiting the app, you won’t be forced back to the algorithmic timeline when


Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's First Reactions Are Here
Gizmodo / 4h
The Multiverse Saga is about to kick into high gear. Next week, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opens in theaters, officially ushering in the beginning of Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe . It sees our heroes, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) head to the quantum realm—where they’ll… Read more...


5 of the best free Python courses available this week
Mashable / 4h
FREE COURSES: A wide range of online Python courses are available for free on Udemy. You can enroll for free without a voucher code. Savvy shoppers will look at something offered for free and immediately search for the catch. We totally get this reaction, because we're exactly the same. Generally speaking, a freebie will come with restrictions that make it unusable or an automatic renewal that ti


'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for February 6
Mashable / 4h
If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need. What is Quordle ? Quordle is a five-letter word guessing gam


'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for February 7
Mashable / 4h
If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need. What is Quordle ? Quordle is a five-letter word guessing gam


The best iPhone VPN is on sale for 49% off
Mashable / 4h
SAVE 49%: ExpressVPN is a top choice for pairing with your iPhone. A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £85.41 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. No iPhone is complete without a VPN. These popular cybersecurity services protect your data and identity when you're online, whilst unblocking extra movies and shows on leading streaming apps. iPhon


A lifetime subscription to TransferCloud is on sale for under £60
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR : A lifetime subscription to TransferCloud Premium Lite is on sale for £64.11, saving you 92% on list price. Sometimes, there just isn't room to spare on your hard drive. In those cases, all the cloud or external storage in the world isn’t going to be useful because you can’t download or use anything you have stored. TransferCloud works to solve that problem. This deceptively simple service


Today's Wordle Answer #598 – February 7, 2023 Solution And Hints
SlashGear / 4h
If you're having trouble taking a bite out of today's Wordle, we have a few hints and the answer to help you keep your Wordle streak intact.


How 1,000 Volvos Made A Lasting Impact In North Korea
SlashGear / 4h
The Volvos provided an inroad for diplomacy while the Western world's relationship with North Korea is contentious.


Wordle today: Here's the answer, hints for February 7
Mashable / 4h
How's your brain feeling this fine Tuesday? Sharp as a tack, or stretched on the rack? Overwhelmed, underwhelmed, or maybe just whelmed? However you're traveling, if you want to keep that streak alive, it's time to solve today's Wordle ! If you're ever feeling stuck, we're here to help, every day. The bottom of this article features February 7's Wordle solution. If that's not why you're here, scr


KEF's new Dolby Atmos speakers include an 'acoustic black hole' for better sound
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
KEF has refreshed its high-performance R Series speaker range with a new set of devices for 2023. The line-up boasts audio tech upgrades to deliver superior stereo or home theater sound whether you want a new set of speakers to fit on a bookshelf or stand on the floor. KEF is known for building premium audio products that deliver high-end sound, like the KEF LS50 Wireless II stereo speakers. KEF


Tinder adds an incognito mode and more safety features
Engadget / 4h
On Safer Internet Day (and with Valentine's Day fast approaching), Tinder is starting to roll out some new safety features and updates to some others. Users will now be able to take advantage of an incognito mode, which Tinder says is a "step up" from hiding your profile completely. Only folks that you Like will see you in their recommendations. That should give you more granular control over you


Tinder rolls out new safety features, including an Incognito Mode
22TechCrunch / 4h
Tinder is rolling out new features aimed at making it easier for users on the dating app to control how they interact with others. The new features, which are rolling out globally, were announced today to mark Safer Internet Day. One of the new features is called “Incognito Mode” and is a step up from fully hiding your profile. Members can still Like and Nope in the app, but only those whom they’



Gameball raises $3.5M to scale its CRM platform for consumer brands
TechCrunch / 4h
The uptake of customer relationship management (CRM) tools has grown immensely over the last few years such that the market size is expected to experience a 12.5% compound annual growth rate, and to be worth $145.79 billion in the next six years. This growth is largely attributable to the uptick of online merchants using CRM tools to boost sales, increase profits and beat mounting competition fro


Ridley Scott's New Short-Film, Shot Entirely On The S23, Shows Off The Galaxy's Camera Capabilities
SlashGear / 8h
The film shows the distinctive film-making style of Scott and the low-light tricks of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which it hyped up during the launch event.


Recycleye grabs $17M, calling plastic crisis a ‘tremendous business opportunity’
22TechCrunch / 8h
Highlighting the plastic industry’s infamous track record on recycling, London-based Recycleye says it raised $17 million in new funding led by “deep tech” investor DCVC . The startup claims its recycling-picking robots can identify materials “at an unrivaled 60 frames per second” and sort them more accurately than humans can. Ultimately, the startup says its tech cuts the “cost of sorting materi


The Best Wireless Mouse of 2023
Futurism / 8h
The wireless mouse—or mice, plural—was first conceived to declutter work spaces from superfluous cords and wires. Wireless mice typically transmit data via radio, whether connecting to the computer through Bluetooth or WiFi or a receiver that plugs into the computer, such as a USB port. They’re also highly portable and can be slipped right into the pocket of a laptop bag, tote, or purse. As an ad


renato-crepaldi : This spicy red Nonpareil marbled paper is one of the new papers to be released next Tuesday 7th at (U...
Music, Arts & Literature / 8h
renato-crepaldi : This spicy red Nonpareil marbled paper is one of the new papers to be released next Tuesday 7th at (UTC 21). renatocrepaldi.bigcartel.com


D.A.D.A. Auto Show, souvenir book of cartoons, season 1907-08 / Detroit Automobile Dealers Association ; American Print...
Music, Arts & Literature / 8h
D.A.D.A. Auto Show, souvenir book of cartoons, season 1907-08 / Detroit Automobile Dealers Association ; American Printing Company. Title from cover. Primarily consists of cartoons featuring members of the Detroit Automobile Dealers Association by cartoonists Leipziger, Nash, Allan, Hassinger and Marschner. Includes advertisements, floor plan, excerpt of rules, and musical programs by Finney’s Or


Apple execs on M2 chips, winning gamers and when to buy a Mac
20TechCrunch / 8h
Apple’s M series chips were incredibly well telegraphed when they arrived in late 2021. Apple had been designing its own silicon since the A4 appeared in the iPhone 4 just over a decade earlier. The appearance of Apple’s in-house efforts in the Mac was really just a question of when, not if. When the M1 came, it landed with a resonating bang. In addition to being genuinely noticeably faster, the


A wave of tool theft spurs hi-tech security systems
33BBC News - Technology / 9h
Desperate to protect their tools from being stolen, tradespeople are considering sophisticated security systems.


Earthquake Aftershocks May Rock Turkey and Syria for Months, Even Years
100+Wired / 9h
Monday’s massive earthquake has triggered a swarm of aftershocks, which will make a humanitarian disaster even more devastating.


James Cameron did the experiment: Titanic’s Jack probably wouldn’t have survived
Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Titanic Enlarge / Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) sacrifices his spot on a makeshift raft to save Rose (Kate Winslet) in Titanic . (credit: CBS/Getty Images) (Major spoilers for the 1997 film below. Psst: The ship sinks.) Ever since James Cameron's blockbuster film Titanic hit movie screens in December 1997, fans have been arguing about a specific scene in which Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) nobly gives up a


New battery seems to offer it all: lithium-metal/lithium-air electrodes
25Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge (credit: Chanakarn Phinakan ) Current lithium-based batteries are based on intercalation—lithium ions squeeze into spaces within electrode materials such as graphite. As a result, most of the battery's volume and bulk is dedicated to things that don't contribute to carrying charges between the electrodes, which sets a limit on the sorts of energy densities that these technologies can reac


Out of This World Dining at Walt Disney World's Space 220
Gizmodo / 9h
Get ready for lift off in this look inside Space 220 in Walt Disney World . io9 was invited by Disney Parks to try out lunch at Epcot’s immersive dining experience , which simulates a trip to a space station where you can have lunch, dinner, or drinks with a view of Earth and the stars. Read more...


Best Western Rewards Promo: Up To 16K Bonus Points
94One Mile at a Time / 10h
Best Western Rewards isn’t the most generous loyalty program out there, and for that matter Best Western doesn’t have that many aspirational properties. However, the program does pretty consistently offer promotions. Best Western’s last promotion ended on February 5, and the latest promotion has launched as of February 6. It’s nice to see offers without interruption! Best Western Rewards spring 2


‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ becomes the most-watched Marvel premiere on Disney+
20TechCrunch / 10h
Five days after getting its streaming debut on Disney+, “ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ” is now the most-watched Marvel premiere on Disney+ based on hours streamed within the first five days, the company announced today. Disney didn’t provide specific viewing numbers, so it’s not exactly clear how the movie’s streaming performance compares to other Marvel titles on Disney+. However, the claim m


FRIDA’s robot arm attempts to bring DALL-E-style AI art to real-world canvases
TechCrunch / 10h
One could make a very reasonable argument that FRIDA (Framework and Robotics Initiative for Developing Arts) is as much a thought experiment as it is a research project. Certainly it butts up against similar questions around art and creativity as AI projects like DALL-E and ChatGPT — though the question is arguably even more in your face when it’s a robot arm doing the painting on a real-world ca


Daily Crunch: Bitcoin-demanding cybercriminals use bug from 2021 to initiate global ransomware attack
TechCrunch / 10h
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, Crunchers! Our fave read today was Connie ’s piece with advice for startups that have the government as their target customer . In honor of Black history month, we want to share some good news for BIPOC founders, as more funding is becoming available: Domini


Max Q: Space raise
TechCrunch / 10h
Hello and welcome back to Max Q! In this issue: Voyager Space’s new funding Orbital Sidekick’s hyperspectral ambitions News from The Exploration Company, Capella Space, LeoLabs and more Voyager Space raises $80M as it continues development on private space station, Starlab Voyager Space , a company developing a private space station, has raised $80.2 million in new capital. The new funding comes


US woman has walked around with untreated TB for over a year, now faces jail
300+Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge / Scanning electron micrograph of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause TB. (credit: Getty | NIH/NIAID ) A woman in Washington state is facing electronic home monitoring and possible jail time after spending the past year willfully violating multiple court orders to have her active, contagious case of tuberculosis treated and to stay in isolation while doing so. Last week, the


Getty sues Stability AI for copying 12M photos and imitating famous watermark
59Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge (credit: SOPA Images / Contributor | LightRocket ) Getty Images is well-known for its extensive collection of millions of images, including its exclusive archive of historical images and its wider selection of stock images hosted on iStock . On Friday, Getty filed a second lawsuit against Stability AI Inc to prevent the unauthorized use and duplication of its stock images using artificial


This Comforting Breakfast Pasta Comes Together in 15 Minutes
Lifehacker / 10h
Pasta is a breakfast food. Like toast, it is carb. It also tastes good with eggs, bacon, and cheese, three things I like to eat in the morning. (American breakfast foods are one of the few things that make me feel vaguely patriotic.) My breakfast pastas tend to be involved however, whether it’s a bowl of carbonara or… Read more...



Digital pound likely this decade, Treasury says
400+BBC News - Technology / 10h
The Treasury and Bank of England will formally start a consultation for the digital currency, on Tuesday.


Microsoft Answers Google Bard With Surprise Event, And ChatGPT May Be On The Docket
SlashGear / 10h
Only minutes after Google announced its Bard AI project, Microsoft revealed plans for a big event that'll likely involve OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot.


Apple HomePod Review (2023): New Siri Speaker Sticks To The Old Strategy
SlashGear / 10h
The newest version of the Apple HomePod keeps everything that was good in the original version and drops a few of the negative elements. But is it enough?


Here's What Happened To Paul Walker's Super Rare BMW M1 AHG
SlashGear / 10h
Paul Walker's passion for fast and furious cars extended beyond the silver screen. Find out what happened to his BMW M1, one of only ten worldwide.


Darkest Dungeon 2 Gets A May Release Date For Its 1.0 Launch On Steam
SlashGear / 10h
If you're a fan of roguelike games, you've likely heard of "Darkest Dungeon." It's been a long slog, but the devs have finally settled on a 1.0 release date.


Meet Bard, Google's Answer to ChatGPT
100+Wired / 10h
The search giant’s new chatbot is in testing and will be launched “in the coming weeks.” An API will make it available for developers to build on.


Twitter will now remember your tab preference on Android and iOS
Engadget / 10h
When Twitter introduced its curated “For You” tab at the start of this year, the feature shipped with an oversight. If you closed the Twitter app or web client after switching to the platform’s reverse chronological “Following” timeline, both would default back to the For You feed after you came back. At the end of January , Twitter took an initial step to address that oversight, tweaking the web


EV maker VinFast downsizes in US, Canada
TechCrunch / 10h
Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast is cutting jobs in the United States and Canada as part of a restructuring that will merge operations across the two countries. The restructuring comes as VinFast prepares to enter the U.S. public market and delays deliveries to its first customers in the country. VinFast has not shared how many employees have been cut, but a LinkedIn post from a former e


Here's What the New Planet of the Apes Movie Is About
Gizmodo / 10h
Wes Ball’s new Planet of the Apes movie , Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes , has been filming and adding cast members for a few months—and now, we might finally know what all those people will be doing. Read more...


Microsoft is holding a surprise event and it might be about Bing and ChatGPT
21TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Microsoft is holding a surprise, and secretive, launch event at its Redmond headquarters on Tuesday, Feb 7. It might be Bing ChatGPT integration 's coming out to party or something else altogether, we just don't know yet. The Windows 11 parent company sent out invites to a select group of tech media and analysts last week, but is only allowing everyone to talk about it – after some possible leaks


Airbnb regulations will make your next New York City trip even more expensive
The Points Guy / 10h
Regulation is once again dangling over the short-term rental sector , best known for vacation rentals found on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Places like Maui, Hawaii, and Atlanta cap how many units a host can list online. Other cities like Paris limit the number of days a host can rent out a unit. New York City’s latest law requires hosts to register with the city or run the risk of not having


Use these shopping portal bonuses to earn extra miles on Valentine’s Day gifts
1KThe Points Guy / 10h
E ditor’s note: This is TPG’s permanent page with all currently available airline shopping portal promotions, so you can bookmark it and check back regularly for updates. Right in time for Valentine’s Day, three airline shopping portals are offering 500 bonus miles after you meet a spending requirement. Whether you’re doing everyday shopping or looking for a special gift, this offer can help you


The original 'Legend of Zelda' has been remade in Minecraft, without using mods
Engadget / 10h
A Minecraft mad scientist has recreated The Legend of Zelda inside the blocky sandbox game without any third-party mods or resource packs. Fan and YouTuber C1OUS3R, who has also made Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. inside Minecraft , took nearly a month to craft the Zelda tribute. The developer used command blocks, custom textures and other in-game features to recreate the 1986 NES class


7 Apps to Recreate the Best Windows Features on Your Mac
Lifehacker / 11h
Making the leap from PC to Mac is no longer as monumental as it used to be. You’ll find many of your programs are cross-platform (Google made sure of that), and that much of what you already do on Windows translates cleanly to macOS. And yet, Mac is fundamentally different than Windows, which means there will be… Read more...


Samsung Pass Isn’t Limited to Galaxy Phones Anymore
How-To Geek / 11h
Samsung Pass is the company’s password manager for mobile devices, but unlike the other best password managers, it’s not really cross-platform. That’s finally changing, thanks to a new Windows app. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›


Modular eel robots combine soft and rigid components
TechCrunch / 11h
Here’s an interesting comment from MIT’s Alfonso Parra Rubio, “Treating soft versus hard robotics is a false dichotomy.” For, I suppose, obvious reasons, thinking around technology tends to be a bit…binary. Certainly we’ve traditionally regarded soft robots as being something that exists in direct opposition to their more traditional counterparts. But the organic beings that inspire them are ofte


Elon Musk says Twitter API will be free but only for bots making "good content"
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
Shortly after Twitter stated it will begin charging developers to use its API, company CEO Elon Musk is now somewhat reneging on that decision. Over the weekend, Musk tweeted that after responding to some feedback , Twitter will offer a new “light, write-only API for bots” so long as they provide “good content that is free”. The original plan was to charge users about $100 a month to use the API,


AI-generated Seinfeld parody suspended by Twitch for transphobic content
Mashable / 11h
What's the deal with the AI-generated Seinfeld parody "Nothing, Forever?" On Sunday night, "Nothing, Forever" found itself in hot water after its AI-generated dialogue included a rant about trans people while streaming on Twitch. The show mimics the hit 90s sitcom, Seinfeld , and follows Larry Feinberg, a robotic 3-D animated stand-in for Jerry Seinfeld, and his three pals have all sorts of zany


Dealmaster: Best Super Bowl deals for 4K, OLED, and QLED TVs
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
(credit: Iain Watson ) Whether you're looking to kick off your Super Bowl party or just in the market for a new TV, this is one of the best times to shop for a new big-screen TV for your living room. We found plenty of deals and discounts on QLED, OLED, and LED TVs. And even though 4K is now the standard, you can also opt to future-proof your next television by going with a discounted 8K set. The


Hackers are mass infecting servers worldwide by exploiting a patched hole
Data Encrypted for Impact (Enterprise T1486)•
34Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) An explosion of cyberattacks is infecting servers around the world with crippling ransomware by exploiting a vulnerability that was patched two years ago, it was widely reported on Monday. The hacks exploit a flaw in ESXi, a hypervisor VMware sells to cloud hosts and other large-scale enterprises to consolidate their hardware resources. ESXi is what’s known as a bar



“This Hotel Is Being Sold” Scam When The Hotel Wants To Raise Your Room Rate
View from the Wing / 11h
On February 12, the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in the Phoenix area. Events like this drive up hotel room rates. But if you book a year in advance you can often reserve a room at normal pricing, or book nights on points. And the hotel may look to try to wiggle out of the reservation. Continue reading ...


Smother Your Loneliness With These Valentine's Day Food Deals
Lifehacker / 11h
In the world of food deals, it’s a bit of a secret that Valentine’s Day is actually among the best days for food deals. That is, at least in part, because you don’t need a significant other to score some good food (for two) at a good price—and then keep it all for you. You can practice some self-love this Feb. 14 by… Read more...


ShareWell wants to scale mental health support with its 10,000 support groups
TechCrunch / 11h
Therapists — if you can even find one that takes your insurance or new clients — can add a layer of sadness to your wallet even as you’re trying to rectify your own mental health wobbles. ShareWell believes it has an alternate take, with a far more affordable peer-support model, which lands it somewhere between special interest forums and online communities, coaching and therapy. The company’s th


Google experiment ditches WebKit for its own engine in Chrome for iOS
Engadget / 11h
Apple's App Store policies require that the Chrome browser on iOS uses the WebKit engine rather than the usual Blink , but that isn't stopping Google from indulging in a "what if" scenario. The Register has noticed that Google recently started work on an experiment that would port Blink to iOS. The project is limited to the stripped-down "content_shell" app rather than Chrome, and the Chromium te


Getty Images Claims Stable Diffusion's Creator 'Copied' 12 Million Copyrighted Images
Gizmodo / 11h
For months, Getty Images has mumbled its simmering resentment over its photos being used for AI image generators. Now, the stock image site has finally turned up the heat on one of the companies crafting these AI systems. Read more...


Binance Announces Temporary Pause on U.S. Bank Transfers
Gizmodo / 11h
The world’s biggest crypto exchange, Binance, is set to halt transfers to and from U.S. bank accounts beginning Wednesday, February 8. The company tweeted out confirmation of the USD bank transaction suspension on Monday, following early reports from multiple news outlets . Read more...


FTC Admits Defeat in Antitrust Battle With Facebook
Gizmodo / 11h
The Federal Trade Commission will not appeal the court ruling rejecting its attempt to block the acquisition of VR fitness company Within by Facebook and parent company Meta. The regulator’s decision marks a major win for Meta and draws renewed scrutiny on the agency’s capacity to successfully bring similar antitrust… Read more...


Scientists Alarmed by Video of Deep Sea Mining Company Spewing Waste Into Ocean
32Futurism / 11h
Sea-ing is Believing A group of scientists hired by a Canadian firm to monitor its deep sea mining operations was so alarmed by the firm's careless discharging of sediments into the ocean, The Guardian reports , they covertly recorded the dumping and leaked it to the public. The footage shows sediment streaming out the side of the operation's ship and into the ocean. A closer angle from aboard th


Elon Musk's Twitter Is Reportedly Failing Miserably to Contain Horrific Child Abuse Content
57Futurism / 11h
After declaring that "removing child exploitation is priority #1" back in November, Twitter's newly-minted CEO Elon Musk is reportedly yet again not doing much in terms of living up to his many promises. As The New York Times spotlights in a shocking new report , child abuse content is running rampant on the social media network. According to the NYT 's investigation, images of child sexual explo


AI-generated ‘Seinfeld’ suspended on Twitch for AI-generated transphobic jokes
22TechCrunch / 11h
After charming the internet ( and us ) with its absurdist nature, the AI-generated “Seinfeld”-spoof “ Nothing, Forever ” was suspended from Twitch for 14 days. As part of its parody of “Seinfeld,” one of the recurring scenes on “Nothing, Forever” shows Larry Feinberg — the Jerry Seinfeld character — performing stand-up routines. Usually, Larry’s jokes went something like, “What’s a bear with no t


Air Fry Some Store-Bought Bacon Bits
Lifehacker / 11h
As a prolific eater of wedge salads , macaroni and cheese , and other things that taste better with a bit of bacon, I tend to keep a bag of real but store-bought bacon bits on hand. They’re serviceable—after all, they are bacon—but they come out of the bag gummy and lackluster, without any of the texture we associate… Read more...


Google's Bard is a ChatGPT rival that could change the way we use Search
73TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
Google has finally snapped and announced a ChatGPT rival called Bard – an "experimental conversational AI service" that'll be released to the public in "the coming weeks". Like ChatGPT, the chatbot promises be able to answer complex questions and teach you about in-depth topics in a conversational style. But the main difference from ChatGPT, for now, is that Bard will be connected to the web, all


ChatGPT: How to Use the AI Chatbot for Free
How-To Geek / 12h
AI tools have been making waves. First, it was AI image generators, then came ChatGPT with the ability to generate human-like text conversations. The potential for this technology is incredible, and you can use it right now. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›


Google and Microsoft Are in a Race to Ruin Search With AI
How-To Geek / 12h
It’s been a rough year for the tech industry—investors are skittish, layoffs are dominating the news, and a pesky tool called ChatGPT threatens to destroy search engines. So, ironically, Google and Microsoft are responding to this threat by racing to ruin their own search engines. Read This Article on Review Geek ›


30 Games Built to Run Heists, Burglaries, and Bank Jobs
25Gizmodo / 12h
While you see a lot of games out there that can be used to run heists ( Bully Pulpit Games ’ Fiasco comes immediately to mind), this selection is specifically built around heists. Not games that can be used for heists or games that can be twisted to run heists , but games that have their mechanics built to pull off one… Read more...


What is World of Hyatt elite status worth in 2023?
100+The Points Guy / 12h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information. Hotel elite status is a great way to make your travels more rewarding and less stressful. Each major chain offers several perks to loyal members, but how much are the different tiers worth? Is one program more rewarding than another? And is it even worth pursuing elite status at all? Today we’ll dive into the status


Chase cardholder benefits at Madison Square Garden
The Points Guy / 12h
Next time you find yourself at Madison Square Garden with a Chase card, make sure you check out the newly renovated Chase lounge. It’s now open to the public, and one of the many benefits Chase cardholders can access at this impressive and iconic venue. Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden is the home base of both the NBA’s New York Knicks and the NHL’s New York Rangers. It is also one of the most p


Google and Bing Are Preparing ChatGPT-Like AI Web Search
How-To Geek / 12h
ChatGPT, the AI chatbot that can’t stop lying, has exploded in popularity over the past few weeks. Despite many problems with the technology, Google and Microsoft are pushing ahead with plans to turn web searches into conversations. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›


Apple could skip an M2 Mac Studio update to boost Apple Silicon Mac Pro
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge / Apple's Mac Studio desktop. (credit: Andrew Cunningham) If rumors are to be believed, Apple has had to scale back its ambitions for the Apple Silicon Mac Pro. A planned performance-boosting "M2 Extreme" chip has suposedly been canceled, and some of the perks people normally associate with the Mac Pro—upgradeable RAM and graphics—likely won't be supported because of the way Apple Silicon


Report: Microsoft expects UK to block Activision merger deal
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge / A small selection of the characters that would be part of Microsoft if its proposed Activision/Blizzard merger is allowed to go through. Microsoft's legal team now expects Britain's Competition and Markets Authority to formally oppose its long-planned $69 billion merger with Activision Blizzard. That's according to "four people briefed on the matter" cited many paragraphs deep in a New



Monstrous DIY mechanical keyboard cost $14,000 to build
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge / So big it takes two to maneuver. (credit: Glarses/YouTube ) Sometimes, bigger is better. And sometimes, bigger is just... massive. That's the word that comes to mind when looking at and pricing the latest DIY mechanical keyboard from YouTuber Glarses that's as long and costly as he is tall. Colossal keyboard completed. (credit: Glarses/YouTube ) As you might imagine, mechanical keyboard


Twitter suspended 400K for child abuse content but only reported 8K to police
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge (credit: NurPhoto / Contributor | NurPhoto) Last week, Twitter Safety tweeted that the platform is now “moving faster than ever” to remove child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). It seems, however, that’s not entirely accurate. Child safety advocates told The New York Times that after Elon Musk took over, Twitter started taking twice as long to remove CSAM flagged by various organizations. T


A 'Crazy-Looking Cat' Loose in Missouri Was Actually a Wild African Serval
23Gizmodo / 12h
A “crazy-looking cat” spotted by Missouri farmers in recent months turned out to be an African serval. Thankfully, the wild feline survived the harsh winter and was captured without any problems. Though it’s unknown how the animal ended up where it did, it’s now reportedly safe and sound at a nearby sanctuary. Read more...


Pakistan unblocks Wikipedia after a three-day ban
Engadget / 12h
People in Pakistan can once again use Wikipedia , three days after the country blocked the website over content that regulators deemed "sacrilegious." As TechCrunch notes, prime minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered officials to unblock Wikipedia after determining that the ban was “not a suitable measure to restrict access to some objectionable contents/sacrilegious matter on it.” Sharif's office said


Meet a fleet of artificially intelligent cans of Spam
Mashable / 12h
Behold! An army of cans of Spam typing up an original version of Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World", but swapping key words with pig-related replacements. It's all the focus of an art project by Neil Mendoza using a neural network and machine learning to create strange unique results.


Dashlane has made its mobile source code available to everyone
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Top password manager Dashlane has gone open-source with the code for its iOS and Android device apps, make it public for everyone to get a hold of. In a blog post on the company's website, it cited various reasons for opening up its code, such as increasing transparency and trust as well as wanting to contribute to a more integrated developer culture within the tech industry. The code is availabl


14 DIY Cleaning Recipes for People Who Hate Chemicals
21Lifehacker / 12h
Many commercially produced cleaners are loaded with harsh chemicals that aren’t great for you or the environment. For this reason, you might opt to make your own cleaning solutions at home—or maybe because you just didn’t have a chance to run to the store. Read more...


Scientist Suggests Tweaks for Genetically Altered Supersoldiers
Futurism / 12h
In a story about an upcoming gene editing conference, one of the summit's organizers seemed to have a lot of thoughts about how militaries might use gene editing to create supersoldiers. A free-wheeling story in The Guardian begins with a discussion of the now-maligned Chinese geneticist He Jiankui , who revealed at the last International Summit on Human Genome Editing in 2018 that he'd altered t


Wikipedia Briefly Banned in Pakistan for 'Blasphemous' Content
Gizmodo / 12h
Pakistan lifted its Wikipedia ban today after degrading the site on Saturday following the site’s refusal to remove what local government officials called blasphemous and anti-Islam content. The Pakistani government said they gave the site 48 hours to remove the “anti-Islam” information which hurts Muslim sentiment. Read more...


Meet Bard, Google's Answer to ChatGPT
67Gizmodo / 12h
Nothing has made the tech industry cower quite the way ChatGPT has. While some have tried to hop on board asap, others—like Google —are attempting to compete. The tech giant has just announced its answer to the wildly popular chatbot, and it’s called Bard. Read more...


The Reckoning For Image-Generating AI Is Here, Starting With Getty Images
SlashGear / 12h
Getty Images is pushing back on the breach of copyright perpetuated by AI art generation, filing a suit against an AI company for stealing image content.


2023 Volkswagen Jetta Sport Review: More Than Just A Cheap Car
SlashGear / 12h
The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta Sport delivers a relatively low-cost, high-value proposition at a time when high-price vehicles are all the rage.


The Hidden Costs Of 'Buy Now Pay Later' Apps
SlashGear / 12h
Expensive goods typically offer 'Buy Now, Pay Later' options at checkout to alleviate financial burden, but these interest-free plans do have pitfalls.


Google Launches 'Bard' Giving ChatGPT Some AI Competition
SlashGear / 12h
The Artificial Intelligence revolution continues, with Google declaring war on ChatGPT with its new Bard tech. Here's what you need to know.


Overwatch 2's third season will let you turn Doomfist into One-Punch Man
Engadget / 12h
Following a rocky release , it looks like Overwatch 2 is starting to hit a stride. On Monday, Blizzard detailed all the content that’s coming with the game’s latest season , and there’s plenty here for fans to be excited about. To start, season three will introduce the franchise’s first crossover event. Starting on March 7th, players will have the chance to earn cosmetic items inspired by One-Pun


Bard is Google's answer to ChatGPT. Everything we know
200+Mashable / 12h
On Monday, Google announced an AI chatbot to compete with ChatGPT called "Bard." In the announcement , Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Bard is now available to "trusted testers" and will be more widely available "in the coming weeks." Following the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in December 2022, the generative AI tech's popularity prompted Google executives to declare a " code red " and scramble to c


Choose from a range of Microsoft Surface Pros, iPads, and other tablets this week
Mashable / 12h
Here’s the pick of deals on tablets this week: BEST TABLET DEAL UNDER $300: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (S-Pen, Wi-Fi, 64GB) is a value-for-money device, and its latest price makes it a smart investment — $249 $349 (Save $100) BEST TABLET DEAL UNDER $600: A Microsoft Surface Pro can be pretty expensive, but this deal on the Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Microsoft Surface Pro 8 could convinc


Atlassian patches serious Jira authentication flaw
Create Account (Enterprise T1136)•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Atlassian has revealed it has fixed a major flaw in their Service Management Server and Data Center products. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-22501, allows threat actors to impersonate people and gain access to a Jira Service Management instance under certain circumstances. It has been given