Saturday, August 12, 2023

Saturday Technology News and More...

Technology News and More...




Frontier offers 1st month free for $149 all-you-can-fly monthly pass — is it worth it?


16KThe Points Guy / 13h
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information. Few things get frequent flyers more excited than an all-you-can-fly pass. It’s like an indulgent buffet of dreams in the sky for travelers: You can fly to as many places as you want and — theoretically — pay one fixed price. In fact, one of the most iconic moments in modern-day travel deals was when JetBlue offered an unlimited pass


Elon Musk says he is actually going to fight Mark Zuckerberg; please forgive me
500+TechCrunch / 17h
Elon Musk says his fight with Mark Zuckerberg is definitely happening, and I’m so, so sorry I have to write these words and present them in this article. To pull back the curtain, every time Musk does something asinine and moronic, we in the media wrestle with the anguish of whether or not we actually have to write about this stupid shit – and the unfortunate answer, a lot of the time, ends up be


6 new features that are coming to AirPods Pro 2, thanks to iOS 17
500+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 19h
Not long now until iOS 17 becomes readily available to all – and there is a whole slew of Adaptive Audio, Mute and Unmute, Automatic Device Switching, and Dark Mode perks in the pipeline, depending on which set of Apple's ever-popular AirPods lineup you own. Just to clarify the state of play before we get into it, at the time of writing (Aug. 11) the third public iOS 17 beta has arrived (on Aug.



One of the most worrying WordPress malware threats is making a comeback
3 TTPs•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 29min
The Balada Injector malware is alive and kicking, and compromising poorly protected WordPress websites across the internet, as well as using them to target visitors, new research has claimed. A report from researchers at Cybernews claims to have found a compromised WordPress website during a “routine web monitoring operation”. The compromised website was apparently targeted by the Balada Injector


ICYMI: the week's biggest tech news, from iPhone launch date to Disney price hikes
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
It's holiday season in some parts of the world right now, which means there's no news around. Nothing happening. Dull, dull, dull. Except THAT'S A LIE, because tech news never stops, and we can prove it. How? Well, this article, our weekly ICYMI (or 'in case you missed it') roundup, is packed with big stories from the week. Below, you'll find news about iPhone launches and Samsung foldables, abou


Mexicana Making Comeback As Military-Run Airline
38One Mile at a Time / 2h
This has to be one of the strangest attempts to revive an airline brand that I’ve ever seen (and that’s saying a lot, because reviving an airline brand is rarely a successful endeavor). Mexico’s government is starting a new airline In the coming months, Mexico’s government plans to launch an airline, which will be run by a military general. This week, the Mexican government spent $48 million to p


A 1-year subscription to Setapp is on sale for under £70
Mashable / 3h
TL;DR : A one-year subscription to a Setapp Personal Mac Plan is on sale for £66.97, saving you 29% on list price. If you recently treated yourself to a new Mac or MacBook, you may be searching for apps to get the biggest bang for your buck. Instead of scrolling through the App Store's paid and subscription-based programs, you could get a one-year subscription to Setapp. A Setapp membership gets


How to unblock SBS On Demand for free
Mashable / 3h
SAVE 49%: ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking SBS On Demand. A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. SBS On Demand is a fantastic streaming platform offering free, unlimited streaming of shows, films, and events. The annoying thing about this streaming site is that it's only available to stream


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for August 12
Mashable / 6h
You made it! It's Saturday, and what better way to start the weekend than with a nice bit of Wordle . We're always here for you with some tips and tricks to help you figure out the solution. If you just want to be told the answer, you can jump to the end of this article for August 12's Wordle solution revealed. But if you want to solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategie


5 ways 'Red, White & Royal Blue' is different from the book
Mashable / 8h
Prime Video's adaptation of Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue is as fluffy and sweet as the original novel, but that doesn't mean there aren't some major differences between the book and the film. Directed by Matthew López, the movie still focuses on the relationship between Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), First Son of the United States, and Prince Henry of Wales (Nicholas Gali


Quordle today - hints and answers for Saturday, August 12 (game #565)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's good fun, but also difficult. What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also


Jurassic Park Celebrates Turning 30 by Stomping Into RealD 3D Theaters
Gizmodo / 8h
Back in 1993, Jurassic Park mined agonizing tension from the simple image of water rippling in a glass. Those heavy T-rex footsteps are going to make an even more menacing impact when Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi tale— which has been enthusiastically marking its 30th anniversary all year —hits theaters in RealD 3D. Read more...


Only a few hours left to save on passes to TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
TechCrunch / 8h
You have just mere hours left to save a bundle on passes to TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 , taking place September 19–21 in San Francisco. At this point, perhaps you need the help of Saint Expeditus, the patron saint of procrastinators. Hey, whatever it takes to keep money in your wallet, amirite? Buy a pass and save up to $600 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 Consider your cash flow, and expedite yourself i


Coasting in Neutral Doesn't Actually Save Gas
Lifehacker / 8h
It’s not your imagination: Gas prices have been climbing steadily this summer. Although they’re (fortunately) still well below the summer of 2022 , when gas came dangerously close to $5 a gallon, it makes sense to conserve fuel when you can. And while there are plenty of ways to do that , coasting in neutral is not one… Read more...


'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for August 12, 2023
Mashable / 8h
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


Anti-magnetizing-vaccine doctor loses medical license
63Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge / Cleveland doctor Sherri Tenpenny gives false testimony on June 8, 2021, saying COVID-19 vaccines magnetize people. (credit: The Ohio Channel ) Sherri Tenpenny, the Ohio anti-vaccine doctor who made national headlines for claiming in viral testimony that COVID-19 vaccines make people magnetic , has lost her medical license. The state medical board indefinitely suspended her license Wedne


Sites scramble to block ChatGPT web crawler after instructions emerge
71Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images ) Without announcement, OpenAI recently added details about its web crawler, GPTBot , to its online documentation site. GPTBot is the name of the user agent that the company uses to retrieve webpages to train the AI models behind ChatGPT , such as GPT-4 . Earlier this week, some sites quickly announced their intention to block GPTBot's access to their content. In the


The Best Books to Help You Build a Great Career
Lifehacker / 9h
Whether you want to switch careers or enter the workforce for the first time, there’s so much advice on how to figure out what you want to do , get a company’s attention , and pass an interview . But you may want longform advice from an expert, and these are some of the best books to read as you set out to get a job. Read more...


Blue Beetle Reactions Blast Low Expectations With Resounding Praise
Gizmodo / 9h
Social reactions for Blue Beetle buzz with excitement, marking an auspicious future for DC Studios’ clean cinematic start for its upcoming James Gunn and Peter Safran-led superhero slate . Read more...


These Plugin Pest Control Traps Actually Work
47Lifehacker / 9h
Each season comes with its own swarms of pests. I’m plagued by sugar ants all spring. At some point every summer, my rooms are buzzing with houseflies. During particularly crappy winters, pantry moths tend to proliferate. And mosquitos hunt me like it’s open season. Read more...


See the Flying Cities of Landscape With Invisible Hand
Gizmodo / 9h
Read more...


Use These Phrases When Negotiating Your Salary
36Lifehacker / 9h
So you’ve finished a grueling job search and you finally have that offer in hand—hooray! While we would all love to just be done at this point, most everyone in your life is going to encourage you to at least try to negotiate. Not every company is going to be open to negotiation, but it never hurts to try, lest you… Read more...


Hotel companies are on Instagram’s Threads, but don’t use it for complaints — yet
The Points Guy / 10h
The social media platform formerly known as Twitter (recently redubbed X) launched as a town square of the internet. But it also became a nifty tool for travelers to leapfrog ahead of long phone wait times to lodge customer service complaints, change reservations or rebook flights. The X platform’s functionality moved in a different direction under Elon Musk’s ownership, which began last fall. Mu



White House Pledges $1.2 Billion to Suck Carbon Out of the Air
Futurism / 10h
Direct Air Capture President Joe Biden's administration will fund a massive carbon removal project to suck the greenhouse gas straight out of the atmosphere using what's known as direct air capture — the first time the US has made a major investment in the controversial technology. White House senior advisor Mitch Landrieu called it "the largest investment in engineered carbon removal in history,


Watch NASA's New Moon Rover Yeet Itself Over a Boulder
Futurism / 10h
Gnarly Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab have built lightweight Moon rovers that are about the size of a carry-on. And in one video of them demonstrating their prowess here on Earth, that lightness helps one of them pull off a pretty sweet off-road stunt. According to a press release , these dexterous little dudes were built as part of the Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Explorat


See Bose's next earbuds and headphones from every angle in leaked images
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
A series of what appears to be marketing images have surfaced for Bose’s upcoming QuietComfort Ultra headphones and QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. Posted on MySmartPrice , the leak is fairly substantial as the photographs show both devices from a variety of angles. A list of specifications was not included so we don’t know exactly what the internal hardware will be or if there are any special featur


It’s official: Better.com is going public
45TechCrunch / 10h
We didn’t think we’d see the day. Digital mortgage lender Better.com’s proposal to combine with Aurora Acquisition Corp. via a SPAC (special purpose acquisition) has been approved by shareholders, the company confirmed today. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing , Better.com will combine with Aurora, or go public, “on or about August 22, 2023.” “At least 65% of the outst


OnePlus Claims Its New Screens Can Work Even in a Downpour
Gizmodo / 10h
Modern smartphones have become incredibly water resistant, so much so that even foldables are boasting they can survive a 30-minute bath without crapping out. The one issue is that wet touchscreens are still a pain to control, and holding a phone out in the rain guarantees you’re not scrolling until you dry it off.… Read more...


Man Arrested For Crime Spree Across Hotels: Setting Fire, Stealing Scooter, Showering In Woman’s Room
View from the Wing / 10h
They say that most crimes are committed by a very small number of people. Crack down on the super-offenders and you make an outsized difference in quality of life. Continue reading ...


Cram Your Summer Veggies Into a Waffle
Lifehacker / 10h
When summer veggies are pouring in from the garden, or the farmer’s market, it’s normal to start sneaking zucchini into muffins and cakes. It’s when you start needing a recipe that will happily accept red peppers, carrots, green beans, and snap peas that you might get stumped. Read more...


What it’s like to watch a space launch from Virgin Galactic’s spaceport
33The Points Guy / 10h
“Release, release, release!” With that cue, the Unity spaceship detaches from the belly of its mothership and begins to fall away, gliding forward and losing altitude. A few seconds later, the ship roars past the speed of sound, trailing a tail of fire across the sky. Six people — two pilots and four passengers — are thrown back into their seats as they pass Mach 3 and, within seconds, are more t


United’s best kept elite status secret: How to earn PQPs faster with partner flights
200+The Points Guy / 10h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information. You’re not alone if you’re struggling to earn the Premier qualifying points (PQPs) to requalify for your United Airlines status . Normally, you earn 1 PQP per base dollar you spend on airfare. So if you’re trying to earn the 24,000 PQPs required using the PQP-only path for Premier 1K status this year, that’s $


Cortana Is Now Gone in Windows 11
How-To Geek / 10h
Microsoft's Cortana virtual assistant was first introduced to our computers with the launch of Windows 10, back in 2015. While the idea was to eventually catch up to competitors such as the Google Assistant and Apple's Siri, it lagged behind despite having the massive advantage of shipping with Microsoft's operating system. Now, the standalone Cortana app is disappearing on Windows 11.


Gothic 1 Remake new trailer shows glorious in-engine footage of the Old Camp
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
At long last, Gothic 1 Remake just got a new trailer, this time showing off a modern recreation of the Old Camp. Believe it or not, over two decades on from the original game’s release, this new version looks quite a bit snazzier. For those out of the loop, Gothic 1 Remake was first announced all the way back in 2020, following THQ Nordic’s acquisition of the Gothic series’ developer, Piranha Byt


Okay, fine, I want Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg to fight
200+TechCrunch / 10h
Elon Musk has disappointed me many times. He bought my favorite social network and made it bad. He has mistreated workers across his companies, and he has permanently ruined the enduring comedy of 420 and 69 jokes. And today, he got my hopes up that he was actually going to cage fight Mark Zuckerberg. I know better than to take anything Elon says at face value. I have been part of numerous editor


Get a free Amazon gift card with your Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 or Z Fold5
Mashable / 10h
$150 or $200 GIFT CARD: As of August 11, you can score a $150 Amazon gift card with the purchase of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 , or a $200 Amazon gift card with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 . The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 (Mashable Score: 4) and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 (Mashable Score: 4.5) just went on the market, and they're already starting to cause quite a buzz. These new phones have a retro design


Microsoft finds vulnerabilities it says could be used to shut down power plants
3 TTPs•
33Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge (credit: Rockwell Automation) On Friday, Microsoft disclosed 15 high-severity vulnerabilities in a widely used collection of tools used to program operational devices inside industrial facilities such as plants for power generation, factory automation, energy automation, and process automation. The company warned that while exploiting the code-execution and denial-of-service vulnerabiliti


Sam Bankman-Fried is going to jail
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge / Sam Bankman-Fried. (credit: Bloomberg / Contributor | Bloomberg ) A federal judge in New York today ordered disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's to jail after revoking his bail, The New York Times reported . Bankman-Fried had been under house arrest, but prosecutors convinced Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Federal District Court in Manhattan that Bankman-Fried had fed documents to th


Disney Illusion Island Won't Let You Choose Violence, Only Cute Vibes
Gizmodo / 10h
Mickey and friends are summoned to the rabbit-filled land of Monoth in Disney Illusion Island , a new game for Nintendo Switch. They answer the call to protect it from impending doom because they’re the heroes from all the journeys we’ve seen them on —no matter that Donald points out all those adventures were just preten … Read more...


Outcast - A New Beginning gets new trailer showing its gorgeous open world
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Outcast - A New Beginning just got a brand-new trailer thanks to the THQ Nordic 2023 Digital Showcase, and we know a whole load of fresh details about it, too. In case you were unaware, Outcast - A New Beginning was announced two years ago during the THQ Nordic 10th Anniversary stream event. It serves as a sequel to 1999’s highly revered Outcast - an action-adventure title that got a full remake


Space for Sale gets new trailer, fans can sign up for beta now
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Space for Sale - the cutesy alien real estate game in development by Mirage Game Studios (the same team behind Little Big Workshop ) - just got a new trailer, where it was confirmed that closed beta applications are open right now. The sandbox-style strategy simulation title was first revealed during THQ Nordic’s 2022 showcase, and it was during the publisher’s new showcase tonight (August 11) th


X lowers the eligibility requirements for creator monetization
Mashable / 10h
Elon Musk really wants users to sign up for X Premium, the $8-per-month subscription service formerly known as Twitter Blue. He’s so desperate for people to sign up for the ad-share revenue program that the company has lowered the threshold to qualify. Now , you only need a paid X Premium subscription, 5 million impressions within the last three months, and 500 followers. In addition, the minimum


Action RPG series Titan Quest returns with a sequel announced by THQ Nordic
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Titan Quest 2 has just been announced by THQ Nordic and sees the series get a sequel nearly 20 years after the first game. The game has been revealed as part of the THQ Nordic 2023 Showcase today (August 11). It's a real 'rising from the dead moment' for Titan Quest , and the sequel looks to channel all that made the first installment excellent and upgrade it with all the bells and whistles of a



Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail for witness tampering
90Engadget / 10h
FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was sent to jail Friday after the judge overseeing his case revoked his bail . US District Judge Lewis Kaplan found probable cause that the disgraced former CEO repeatedly tampered with witnesses. In addition, Kaplan rejected Bankman-Fried’s attorneys’ request to delay his detention pending appeal. Prosecutors argued that Bankman-Fried tried to harass a crucial


These HD Digital Camera Binoculars Are $120 Right Now
Lifehacker / 11h
These HD Digital Camera Binoculars are $121.99 right now (reg. $199.99). Just like traditional binoculars, they allow you to get a closer view of things, but with the added function of being able to record video and take photos. They come with 12x magnification and allow you to see over half a mile away. Read more...


Judge Throws Bankman-Fried Back in Jail
76Gizmodo / 11h
Once the lord of a multibillion-dollar crypto empire under the FTX brand name, Sam Bankman-Fried will now have to prepare himself for his upcoming trial from a cell. A New York federal judge revoked Bankman-Fried’s bail and sent the crypto wiz to jail Friday to await trial later this year. Read more...


The Most Amazing Meteor Shower of the Year Is This Weekend
Futurism / 11h
The Perseids Break out the binoculars, folks. Time to see some shooting stars! As The Washington Post reports , the biggest and brightest meteor shower of the year, the annual Perseids, will be on full display this Saturday and Sunday. The Perseids, per NASA , is known for incredible fireballs amid a spatter of fainter, falling bits of light, which often leave mesmerizing streaks in their wake. I


Future Android tech may let you transfer phone calls across multiple devices
90TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
Google is reportedly working on a new smartphone feature allowing users to connect multiple Android devices to a single Google Account. The tech, known as “Link Your Devices”, was initially spotted by notable industry insider Nail Sadykov who posted his findings on his Google News channel on Telegram . According to an image provided by another insider Mishaal Rahman, the tool will be housed in th


Futurama Has Fun With Dune in Clips From Next Week's Episode
45Gizmodo / 11h
Futurama may have debuted over 30 years after Dune was published, but its homage to the classic sci-fi tale feels like another way the current revival season is tipping its cap to the pop culture of 2023 . While we wait for Timothée Chalamet to mount a sandworm on the big screen, the Hulu series is sending team Planet… Read more...


Baldur's Gate III localization studio apologizes for omitting contract workers from credits
100+Engadget / 11h
A studio that handled Baldur’s Gate III translations has apologized after outsourced workers were omitted from the game’s credits . "We take full responsibility for this omission of our freelancers' names and apologize for the effects that it had," Altagram Group founder and CEO Marie Amigues said in a statement. "We would like to thank Larian for allowing us to quickly fix that error and update


ChatGPT’s ‘Custom Instructions’ Are Free for Everyone Now
21Lifehacker / 11h
You can do a lot with ChatGPT , but it doesn’t really feel like its work is “yours.” If you ask your ChatGPT a question, then quiz a friend’s ChatGPT account on the same topic, you’ll likely receive a pretty similar answer. That is, unless you fine-tune ChatGPT to respond how you want it to. Read more...


Scientists Just Discovered a ‘Strawberry-Like’ Antarctic Invertebrate With 20 Arms
2KGizmodo / 11h
Another day, another terrifying sea creature for our fragile human minds to process. A team of marine scientists say they’ve confirmed the existence of a bevy of new species living around Antarctica. One of these apparent discoveries is an invertebrate that somewhat resembles a strawberry, albeit with 20 arms. Read more...


Sam Bankman-Fried Sent to Jail After Judge Revokes Bail
500+NYT > Technology / 11h
Mr. Bankman-Fried had been under house arrest at his parents’ home as he awaited trial on charges stemming from the collapse of his cryptocurrency company, FTX.


California deploys AI to detect wildfires before they start spreading
35Engadget / 11h
AI and climate change represent two ways humans may ravage life as we know it on Earth, but the former can also help with the consequences of the latter. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) revealed a new program today that uses AI to detect wildfires. Created in partnership with the University of California San Diego, the Alert California AI program takes feeds f


What is Clear airport security — and is it worth it?
1KThe Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This post is continually updated. Clear is an expedited security program available at 53 U.S. airports, as well as stadiums and other large venues, with more than 14 million members nationwide . As a secure identity platform, Clear uses member data, including fingerprint and iris scans, to automate most users’ identity-verification step in the U.S. Transportation Security Administr


Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail revoked ahead of October trial
TechCrunch / 11h
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, had his bail revoked ahead of his October trial, US District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan said on Friday. The decision came after allegations that Bankman-Fried leaked the diary of Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of FTX’s investment-arm Alameda Research, to the New York Times. Kaplan announced the decision in a federal court


Illinois just made it possible to sue people for doxxing attacks
34Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge (credit: gladder | iStock / Getty Images Plus ) Last Friday, Illinois became one of the few states to pass an anti-doxxing law , making it possible for victims to sue attackers who "intentionally" publish their personally identifiable information with intent to harm or harass them. (Doxxing is sometimes spelled "doxing.") The Civil Liability for Doxing Act, which takes effect on January 1


Sam Bankman-Fried to Be Sent to Jail After Judge Revokes Bail
500+NYT > Technology / 11h
Mr. Bankman-Fried had been under house arrest at his parents’ home as he awaited trial on charges stemming from the collapse of his cryptocurrency company, FTX.


Zoom Backtracks on Training AI on Your Calls
35Gizmodo / 11h
After massive backlash over its wishy-washy communication regarding training artificial intelligence with customer data , Zoom wants to set the record straight. Today, Zoom issued an update to its previous announcement on its plans for AI to formally claim that the company will not use audio, video, chat, or similar… Read more...


Get More Done With the ‘3-3-3 Method’
Lifehacker / 11h
Sometimes, determining which projects you should devote your time and energy to first takes energy you don’t have to spare (which is why we have tips for how to do it ). But even when you know what tasks need to be done, you still need to figure out how to prioritize them. Try the 3-3-3 method. Read more...


At Gen Con, Independent TTRPGs Got Their Spotlights Too
Gizmodo / 12h
As a parliament of nerds (affectionate) walked up and down the lanes of Gen Con , the annual tabletop gaming convention in Indianapolis, there seemed to be a never-ending supply of new games to try—and independent outfits were giving con-goers a massive variety to choose from. Read more...


AI Is Starting to Look Like the Dot Com Bubble
300+Futurism / 12h
As the AI industry's market value continues to balloon, experts are warning that its meteoric rise is eerily similar to that of a different — and significant — moment in economic history: the dot com bubble of the late 1990s. The dot com bubble — and subsequent crash — was an era defined by a gold rush-like frenzy and inflated valuations. Hungry to cash in on a new, lucrative age of technology, v


Hip Hop 2073: A Vision of the Future, 50 Years From Now
53Wired / 12h
To honor the genre’s 50th anniversary, WIRED contributor C. Brandon Ogbunu and Grammy-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco paint two scenes of how the duality of AI will shape the art form in five decades.



You Can Get Rosetta Stone and StackSkills for $160 Through This Weekend
Lifehacker / 12h
This “Lifetime Learning” bundle is offering lifetime access to Rosetta Stone and StackSkills for $159.97 (reg. $749) with the code ROSETTA until August 13 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Read more...


When you gaze into the AI, the AI also gazes into you
TechCrunch / 12h
Welcome to Startups Weekly. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday. Fri-yay indeed. We sigh, as humans spool up to take a break, while the semi-sentient machines continue writing their poetry in their air-conditioned underground data-center homes. In my column this week, I spent a bit of time thinking about the times that robots have had an impact on my life . That time I ran a chatbot


America's original hacking supergroup creates a free framework to improve app security
23Engadget / 12h
Cult of the Dead Cow (cDc), a hacking group known for its activist endeavors, built an open source tool for developers to build secure apps. Veilid , launched at DEF CON on Friday, has options like letting users opt out of data collection and online tracking as a part of the group’s mission to fight against the commercialization of the internet. “We feel that at some point, the internet became le


Zoom updates terms of service to clarify that it won’t use your calls to train AI
41Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge (credit: Zoom) Earlier this week, videoconferencing company Zoom made headlines for a recent terms of service update that implied that its customers' video calls could be used to train AI models. Those terms said that "service generated data" and "customer content" could be used "for the purpose of product and service development," such as "machine learning or artificial intelligence (inc


Everything is coming together for launch of NASA’s mission to a metal asteroid
24Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge / NASA's Psyche spacecraft is the centerpiece of a $1.23 billion mission to explore a kind of asteroid that's never been visited before. (credit: Stephen Clark/Ars Technica) TITUSVILLE, Florida—NASA's Psyche spacecraft is running a year behind schedule before the beginning of its journey to explore a metal asteroid, but mission managers said Friday the probe is essentially ready for launc


Biden administration earmarks $1.2 billion for two large-scale carbon capture projects
56Engadget / 12h
The Department of Energy is giving grants of up to $1.2 billion to two direct air capture (DAC) projects that aim to remove more than 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year. The agency says that's equivalent to the annual emissions of around 445,000 gas-powered cars. The DOE notes that the projects in Texas and Louisiana will "create 4,800 good-paying jobs" as well


AMD's answer to Nvidia's Frame Gen graphics may be coming in September
100+TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
AMD announced its answer to Nvidia’s DLSS 3 with Frame Generation graphics technology back in 2022 , officially dubbed FSR 3 graphics scaling with Fluid Motion Frames technology. AMD had gone into great detail on FSR’s progress since then during its GDC 2023 presentation to developers in March, detailing the progress from version 1 to its current version 3. According to a new report from YouTube


Jabra is reportedly readying new Elite 8 earbuds with premium ANC
400+Engadget / 12h
Jabra is preparing some earbud refreshes with high-tech features, according to reputable third-party source MySmartPrice. The Jabra Elite 8 Active earbuds look to be a refresh that combines elements from the Elite 7 Active and the well-reviewed Elite 7 Pro . The company also seems to be skipping an entire iteration, as it's also reportedly prepping the Jabra Elite 10 earbuds, just like how Apple


Flight Attendant Raps Her Announcements While Passengers Cheer
View from the Wing / 12h
If there's one thing that differentiates Southwest Airlines from other carriers, besides bundling checked bags into the fare and not assigning seats prior to boarding, it's that their employees don't seem to hate their jobs. This comes out most clearly on board with flight attendant hijinks, whether it's hiding inside of overhead bins, making crowns for passengers out of snacks, or offering a cre


How to Not Get Pickpocketed
Lifehacker / 12h
Despite the fact that crime rates haven’t actually risen much in recent years—and remain much lower than they were a few decades ago, in general—people still worry a lot about being victims of a crime (or maybe unwitting participants in one ). And just because crime rates aren’t all that high doesn’t mean you’ll never… Read more...


Baldur's Gate 3 Has Taught Me D&D's Eldritch Blast Memes Were True
300+Gizmodo / 12h
In the rare times I’ve had, well, the time to actually play Dungeons & Dragons , I’ve never played a Warlock. I usually go for some form of Ranger, or a more traditional caster class. But in my many years adjacent to the biggest TTRPG around, I’ve heard the rumors about Eldritch Blast being the D&D equivalent of… Read more...


Startup founders should care more about Serve Robotics’ listing
TechCrunch / 12h
We love mergers and acquisitions here at TechCrunch. We even kind of like reverse mergers. But this latest development in the robotics industry sure has us excited! Delivery robots maker Serve Robotics is going public via a reverse merger with a blank-check company , and it raised $30 million just before the deal. That could be great for the company, but we’re more interested in the visibility th


Southwest confirms it is set to limit EarlyBird boarding, adding new perks
200+The Points Guy / 12h
Southwest Airlines is making a slate of changes to its passenger experience. The Dallas-based carrier plans to introduce free inflight Wi-Fi for Business Select fares and will soon offer same-day standby to all passengers. Big changes coming soon! And by changes, we mean free same-day standby for