Saturday, April 06, 2024

Technology News and More-Saturday Edition...

Technology News and More...






Conspiracy Theorists Say Everyone Should Stare at the Eclipse Without Eye Protection
500+Gizmodo / 20h
The total solar eclipse will be visible to millions of people in North America on April 8, and experts warn that it’s vital everyone wears proper eye protection . But there are some conspiracy theorists on TikTok and X who are insisting the experts are lying and that it’s completely safe to just stare at the eclipse. Read more...


YouTube CEO warns OpenAI that training models on its videos is against the rules
500+Engadget / 20h
AI models using individual's work without permission (or compensation) is nothing new, with entities like The New York Times and Getty Images initiating lawsuits against AI creators alongside artists and writers. In March, OpenAI CTO Mira Murati contributed to the ongoing uncertainty, telling The Wall Street Journal she wasn't sure if Sora , the company's new text-to-video AI tool, takes data fro


ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest news stories from Meta AR glasses to Disney Plus' password sharing crackdown
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 1h
This week has been another hectic one in the world of tech. Samsung's One UI 6.1 update – which was supposed to make its tech better – actually made Galaxy S23 phones worse (though there is a temporary fix), OpenAI released a weird AI-made music video, and Meta teased its first AR glasses. To help you get up to speed on the latest tech stories we've recapped these and the others so you can get ca


5 AI features the iPhone 16 could have to challenge the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 53min
Apple is very likely to lean on generative AI features for the much-rumored iPhone 16 . Like it or not, the Cupertino crew will need to adopt this new generation of artificial intelligence tech to not cede ground to the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Google Pixel 8 line-up, both of which come with generative AI tools baked in. But Apple doesn’t simply ape the tech of others. While it may be slow a


Apple changes App Store rules to allow retro game emulators globally
58TechCrunch / 2h
Apple updated its App Store rules Friday to allow emulators for retro console games globally with an option for downloading titles. However, the company warned that the developers are responsible for making sure that they follow copyright rules. Android users can already access a ton of emulators to play old classics on their devices. Apple’s update […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For


X makes Grok chatbot available to premium subscribers
43TechCrunch / 3h
Social network X is rolling out access to xAI’s Grok chatbot to Premium tier subscribers after Elon Musk announced the expansion to more paid users last month. The company said on its support page that only Premium and Premium+ users can interact with the chatbot in select regions. Last year, after Musk’s xAI announced Grok, […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


This cybercrime group uses the most basic tactics around — but they seem to be working just fine
4 TTPs•
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Hacking techniques don’t have to be particularly advanced to be successful. Case in point - Lazy Koala. Cybersecurity researchers from Positive Technologies Expert Security Center (PT ESC) recently uncovered a new threat actor, which they dubbed Lazy Koala. Nothing about this group is notably progressive or sophisticated, but it is achieving outstanding results. As per the report, the attackers a


TSMC bounces back after Taiwan earthquake — top chipmaker says its production is already back up to speed, despite devastating quake
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
On Wednesday, 3 April, the strongest earthquake to strike Taiwan in 25 years killed at least nine people and injured or trapped hundreds more. The 7.4 magnitude quake was followed by more than 200 aftershocks, dozens of which were at least 6.5 magnitude or stronger. Taiwan, which frequently experiences earthquakes due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, produces 80-90% of high-end chips


27 of the best AI and ChatGPT courses you can take online for free
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: A wide range of free AI and ChatGPT courses are available on Udemy. Learn how to boost your business, create search-friendly content, and so much more with this technology. The possibilities are almost endless with AI , but do you really know how to harness the power of this technology? Most people don't know the ins and outs of artificial intelligence, so you could give yourself a serious


This expert-led cybersecurity and IT training bundle is on sale for under £30
Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: The Ultimate Cybersecurity and IT Career Certification Pathway Training Bundle is on sale for £22.25 with the code SECURE20. With so much of our lives entangled online, companies of varying sizes and industries are constantly on the lookout for skilled individuals who can protect their respective systems and make them virtually impenetrable. The good news is if you're interested in venturi


How to watch Republic of Ireland Women vs. England Women online for free


Mashable / 4h
TL;DR: Stream Republic of Ireland Women vs. England Women in a UEFA EURO 2025 qualifier for free on ITVX . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . UEFA EURO 2025 will bring together some of the best international women's team in the world, but there isn't enough room for everyone. Qualification is always tough, and some very good teams will not make it. Wh


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 6
Mashable / 6h
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for April 6's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. Where did Wordle co


Tesla will unveil a robotaxi on April 8, according to Musk
61Engadget / 7h
Tesla is introducing a robotaxi on August 8, Elon Musk has announced on X a few hours after Reuters published a report that the automaker is scrapping its plans to produce a low-cost EV. Reuters also said that Musk's directive was to "go all in" on robotaxis built on the company's small-vehicle platform. Tesla has been promising a more affordable EV with prices expected to start at $25,000 for ye


NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 6
Mashable / 7h
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the e


NASA knows what knocked Voyager 1 offline, but it will take a while to fix
49Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge / A Voyager space probe in a clean room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1977. (credit: Space Frontiers/Archive Photos/Getty Images ) Engineers have determined why NASA's Voyager 1 probe has been transmitting gibberish for nearly five months, raising hopes of recovering humanity's most distant spacecraft. Voyager 1, traveling outbound some 15 billion miles (24 billion km) from Earth, s


IVP’s Eric Liaw talks Klarna controversy, sticky successions, and why the great valuation reset doesn’t really matter
TechCrunch / 8h
When IVP recently announced the closing of its 18th fund, I called Eric Liaw, a longtime general partner with the growth-stage firm, to ask a few questions. For starters, wringing $1.6 billion in capital commitments from its investors right now would seem a lot more challenging than garnering commitments during the frothier days of 2021, […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal us


Tesla Is Going All In on Robotaxis—Buckle Up
61Wired / 8h
Autonomous vehicle tech has proven tricky for even the most sophisticated tech developers. But Tesla seems to be staking its future on it.


Making TV History with Star Trek: Discovery
Gizmodo / 8h
Read more...


Tim Ventura Interviewed Brian Wang
Next Big Future / 9h
I talked with Tim Ventura about technology. We discussed SpaceX, teslabot and nuclear power among other topics.


X’s AI Bot Is Reporting Joke Posts as Actual News
LifeHacker / 9h
If you pay for Twitter (sorry, X), you now have access to Grok, the company's AI bot. Part of that privilege includes access to a trending news feed in the Explore tab powered by the company's artificial intelligence. The only issue? It's garbage. Here's how Grok's trending news feed seems to work: The bot pulls together the "top" posts concerning any given news story, then generates a summary of


Snapchat turns off controversial ‘Solar System’ feature by default after bad press
37TechCrunch / 9h
Less than a week after The Wall St. Journal reported on how a Snapchat feature dubbed “solar system” was adding to teens’ anxiety, the company has responded by adjusting how the feature works. The ranking system for paid subscribers today shows you how close you are to your Snapchat friends by displaying your position in […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Android 15's new Bluetooth tool may alter the way users interact with their phone
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Recent Android 14 betas have been a treasure trove of information about possible features coming to Android 15 . We learned not too long ago that the operating system may introduce Private Space for securing sensitive information on a smartphone. Now new details are emerging on future changes that could alter how users interact with their mobile devices. News site Android Authority unearthed thes


The Most Rewarding Card For Unbonused Spend Now Has An Up Front Bonus
22View from the Wing / 9h
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express now has an initial bonus offer. Most of the time it hasn’t. Frankly, the card is too good, and extra points should get you to pay attention. Continue reading ...


Quordle today – hints and answers for Saturday, April 6 (game #803)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
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, more than two years after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult. But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for today's Wo


The New Star Tours Update: Everything You Need, and Want, to Know
Gizmodo / 9h
Before Disney bought Star Wars, the two brands began their courtship with a ride . Star Tours opened in 1987 and has seen many new upgrades and additions over the years . This week, for its Season of the Force event , Disney gave the ride another refresh. And this time, for the first time, it’s with characters from… Read more...


When Did Elon and Tesla Know About FSD and Robotaxi Getting Solved?
Next Big Future / 9h
June 27, 2023 Elon and Tesla realize that FSD version 12 would be good enough to get off beta. Version 12 won’t be beta — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2023 March 11, 2024 Said FSD Beta 12.3 is such a big release it should be called Version 13. Elon: FSD Beta 12.3 is such ... Read more


The Podcast Landscape Is a Mess, and That’s a Good Thing
LifeHacker / 10h
I love the phrase "wherever you get your podcasts." I celebrate, just a little, every time I hear a podcast host say that to promote their show. So much of the internet is dominated by a few massive would-be monopolists who force you to use their applications in order to access the things you want. Podcasting could have easily gone the same way. The phrase "wherever you get your podcasts" is a mo


Don't Let Clouds Ruin Your Eclipse
LifeHacker / 10h
Now that you’ve got your eclipse-viewing gear ready , you've picked a perfect location, and you're prepared to get awesome photos of the April 8 eclipse , you might think the only thing that can ruin your plans are clouds. But it's not so—even under heavy cloud cover, a solar eclipse can still be an incredible experience. As of the morning of April 5, forecasters at the National Weather Service s


$158,000 ALS drug pulled from market after failing in large clinical trial
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge (credit: Amlyx ) Amylyx, the maker of a new drug to treat ALS, is pulling that drug from the market and laying off 70 percent of its workers after a large clinical trial found that the drug did not help patients, according to an announcement from the company Thursday . The drug, Relyvrio, won approval from the Food and Drug Administration in September 2022 to slow the progression of ALS (


Apple now allows retro game emulators on its App Store—but with big caveats
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge / The classic Sega Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog running on an iPhone—in this case, as a standalone app. (credit: Samuel Axon) When Apple posted its latest update to the App Store's app review and submission policies for developers, it included language that appears to explicitly allow a new kind of app for emulating retro console games. Apple has long forbidden apps that run code from


Aerolineas Argentinas Axes New York Service As New Leadership Confronts Financial Turmoil
View from the Wing / 10h
Aerolineas Argentinas has cumulatively lost $8 billion in taxpayer money since it was renationalized in 2008. And Argentina can’t afford to go deeper. The country’s annual inflation rate was 211.4% last year. They had negative 5% GDP growth. Just 5% of people lived in poverty in Argentina ten years ago, now 40% do. Continue reading ...


How Star Tours Laid the Stage for Disney's Galactic Ambitions
Gizmodo / 10h
Even in the era where the House of Mouse is Star Wars’ home , few things about the galaxy far, far away have defined its relationship with Disney other than Star Tours, the Disney Parks ride that shaped generations of collaborations between Lucasfilm and Mickey Mouse. Now, as Star Tours gets ready to evolve again in… Read more...


Elon Musk's X pushed a fake headline about Iran attacking Israel. X's AI chatbot Grok made it up.
74Mashable / 10h
A shocking story was promoted on the "front page" or main feed of Elon Musk's X on Thursday: "Iran Strikes Tel Aviv with Heavy Missiles," read the headline. Captured trending on X on April 4, 2024. Credit: Mashable screenshot This would certainly be a worrying world news development. Earlier that week, Israel had conducted an airstrike on Iran's embassy in Syria, killing two generals as well as o


Roku has patented a way to show ads over anything you plug into your TV
41Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Enlarge / A promotional image for a Roku TV. (credit: Roku ) Roku TV sets come with ads. Generally, these are restricted to Roku's home and menu screens, its screensavers, and its first-party video channels , and once you start playing video, the only ads you'll see are the ones from the service you're streaming from. That said, Roku TVs have shown ads atop live TV before . Now, the company is ap


Will there be a Dune: Part Three? Yes… with caveats on timing
Ars Technica - All content / 10h
Dune: Part Three Enlarge / Legendary Pictures has confirmed that it plans to make Dune: Part Three with director Denis Villeneuve. (credit: YouTube/Warner Bros.) Dune: Part Two is still raking in the moolah at the box office, and deservedly so. But judging by my various feeds, fans are already swooning over the prospect of director Denis Villeneuve extending his vision into a trilogy by adapting


Elon Says They Will Reveal the Robotaxi on Aug 8, 2024
Next Big Future / 10h
Elon Musk says Tesla will unveil the robotaxi on Aug 8, 2024. Tesla Robotaxi unveil on 8/8 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 5, 2024 What does this mean? It means Elon and Tesla are super confident about FSD. It gives more credibility to the Tesla Korean engineers who work on FSD saying that Tesla would ... Read more


Book now: Turkish Airlines business class award availability for summer and fall travel
The Points Guy / 11h
Beginning on June 11, Turkish Airlines will launch a new nonstop route from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Istanbul Airport (IST). To kick off the exciting new transcontinental flight, several Star Alliance partners are offering business-class award seats for as low as 88,000 miles with open availability from July through late fall, first reported by Instagram user @Findflightsforme . Even


Elon Musk Says Tesla Robotaxi Will Be Unveiled Aug. 8 Despite History of Broken Promises
Gizmodo / 11h
Elon Musk denied the accuracy of a report from Reuters early Friday that claimed Tesla was scrapping plans to produce a low-cost electric vehicle in favor of a robotaxi. But the billionaire just announced on X that he’ll be unveiling a new robotaxi on August 8, raising obvious questions about whether Reuters really… Read more...


TikTok Myth of the Week: 'Oatzempic' Is a Weight Loss Hack
LifeHacker / 11h
There’s a new Ozempic dupe taking over TikTok, and this time it’s not the supplement berberine —it’s a drink you can make at home. With oats and water. Isn’t that called oatmeal? No, the proper hashtag is #oatzempic. Look, I’m not the first person to write about this in a non-TikTok outlet, so an important note on how these things go viral. Sometimes, a TikTok myth is genuinely believed (or prese


It's Not Just You, Google Pixels Are Glitching Right Now
LifeHacker / 11h
Look, I know there's a joke that nobody uses a smartphone as a phone anymore, but I don't really think that's true. In between the relentless spam calls, there are still plenty of reasons your smartphone needs to be connected to your carrier's network. As much as data-driven communication platforms have changed the game, traditional phone calls and SMS-based text messages are still part of daily


How to use your Hilton Honors points to meet Travis Kelce — or at least go to his music festival
The Points Guy / 11h
Points and miles can get you more than just a business-class seat or an upgraded room at a swanky resort — they can also help you score once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. You can use them to live out your “Fast & Furious” fantasies or snag seats at concerts with hard-to-get tickets. We saw this with Marriott Bonvoy’s promotion for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour.” Now, Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelc


What you need to know about British Airways Executive Club Tier Point changes
34The Points Guy / 11h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Back in February, British Airways announced a big change to Tier Point collection year-end dates, aligning all members to the same date starting from April 1, 2025. We’re now in the transitional year of Tier Point collection, changing over to the new process. Prior to April 1, each British Airways Executiv


Elon Musk says he’ll unveil a Tesla robotaxi on August 8
100+TechCrunch / 11h
Just hours after Elon Musk claimed Reuters was “lying” about plans to ditch its $25,000 low cost EV and instead focus all its efforts on a robotaxi, the Tesla CEO announced on X that he would reveal said robotaxi in an event on August 8. The announcement comes as Tesla EV sales have lagged and […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Elon Musk Is Poaching Tesla Engineers for xAI. Wait, What?
100+Futurism / 11h
Poached Egg Elon Musk is big mad that OpenAI keeps trying to poach Tesla engineers — so instead, he's stealing them for another of his ventures. Responding to reporting from The Information about Tesla machine learning researcher Ethan Knight going over to xAI , Musk's latest artificial intelligence gambit, the multi-hyphenate billionaire admitted that the move came only after OpenAI tried to poa


He Got a Pig Kidney Transplant. Now Doctors Need to Keep It Working
25Wired / 11h
Researchers think a combination of genetic edits and an experimental immunosuppressive drug could make the first pig kidney transplant a long-term success.


James Mangold's Star Wars Jedi Movie Has Tapped an Andor Writer
Gizmodo / 11h
Of the many Star Wars film ideas floating around right now , it’s one of the most intriguing: James Mangold’s plans to take us back tens of thousands of years before the films, before almost everything we’ve ever known about Star Wars, to explore the origins of the earliest wielders of the Force. And now it’s found a… Read more...


Roku’s New Idea to Show You Ads When You Pause Your Video Game Is Horrifying
Gizmodo / 11h
As a company that wants to make money, Roku wants you to watch as many ads as possible. That’s not currently possible when you exit Roku’s streaming player and do something like play a game on the Nintendo Switch or watch a show on your Apple TV. But if the company gets its way, this may cease to be a problem one day,… Read more...


6 Predictions for Earthquakes in New York Dating Back Over 100 Years
Gizmodo / 11h
New York and New Jersey were jolted by a 4.8 earthquake on Friday morning , a rare occurrence in the region. But we can’t say we weren’t warned. Scientists have been predicting The Big One could hit New York at some point. And the predictions date back over a century. Read more...


Crypto Magnate Do Kwon Found Liable for Multibillion-Dollar Fraud
47Wired / 11h
When Do Kwon’s crypto empire fell to pieces, tens of billions of dollars were wiped out. A civil jury in the US has found he lied to investors.


AT&T Will Keep Offering $30 Internet as Federal Discounts End
How-To Geek / 12h
Reliable internet service is essential for all families. Still, millions lack internet access due to income or location. The U.S. Affordable Connectivity Program eased this problem by providing substantial internet discounts to low-income families, but internet discounts are now expected to end. Thankfully, AT&T will continue providing discounted internet service to former ACP customers.


Why the East Coast Earthquake Covered So Much Ground
32Wired / 12h
Friday morning's earthquake was felt from New York City all the way to Washington, DC. Blame ancient fault lines and bedrock for the jolt.


The Dell XPS Looks Great, Doesn’t Feel Great
Gizmodo / 12h
Read more...


These Are the Best Smart (and Dumb) Bathroom Scales
LifeHacker / 12h
Keeping track of what you weigh is pretty important, even though there are reasonable arguments against keeping track of it too much. There are all kinds of scales out there that can help you, no matter how serious you want to get about it or how much you want to spend. Here are some great ones. The best bathroom scales with cool features These have additional or cool features like body fat measu


Refurbished Dell Latitude 7320 Detachable Tablets Are Starting at $379.99 Right Now
LifeHacker / 12h
Some tablets are powerful enough to do the work of your laptop—the Dell Latitude 7320 Detachable is one of them. For a limited time, Woot is selling refurbished i5 and i7 Dell Latitude 7320 Detachable tablets starting at $379.99 . The deal goes on until April 14, 2024, at 2:59 a.m. ET or until the tablets sell out. Keep in mind that these tablets are refurbished, so they might come with signs of


Meta asks a judge to throw out an FTC antitrust case
20Engadget / 12h
Meta has asked a judge to dismiss a Federal Trade Commission antitrust case against the company before it goes to trial. Alongside 48 states and territories, the FTC sued Meta in 2020 in an attempt to force the company to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, which it bought in 2012 and 2014, respectively. The agency and dozens of attorneys general claim that Meta (then known as Facebook) bought the two


Earthquake Strikes While Man Is Midway Through Vasectomy
61Futurism / 12h
Ball Drop When a small earthquake rattled the New York City area and surrounding states on Friday morning, Pennsylvania resident Justin Allen was lying down on an operating table getting a vasectomy. As The Guardian reports , the geological rumbling alarmed his surgeon enough to momentarily pause the procedure. "I thought maybe a train was passing by or it was just something that happens at that


Virgin Galactic Accuses Boeing of 'Shoddy' Work in Its Countersuit Over Failed Agreement
Gizmodo / 12h
Virgin Galactic has responded to Boeing’s lawsuit, which accuses the company of retaining its trade secrets. In response, Virgin Galactic has filed a lawsuit of its own, blaming Boeing for repeated failures that ultimately led to the termination of their commercial partnership. Read more...


Deal alert: Book Air France nonstop premium economy to Paris from $1,200
55The Points Guy / 12h
We’re seeing more and more deals to Europe coming up for air. This latest one offers premium economy seats to Paris , a city always near the top of any overseas destination wish list. Scoring a seat with more room and better amenities and getting free checked luggage makes long-haul flights much more pleasant. This sale includes discounted premium economy seats on Air France flights departing fro


IHG One Rewards Premier Business card review: The annual fee is justified
56The Points Guy / 12h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card overview The IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card offers sufficient perks that, if utilized, can easily justify the card’s annual fee of $99. However, business owners who aren’t loyal to IHG One Rewards may be better off with other business card products


All the Citizen Science Projects You Can Participate in During the Eclipse
Gizmodo / 12h
Several eclipse-focused projects are set to make big scientific contributions this coming Monday, April 8. While many projects are already in full swing, there’s still time for you to take part and contribute. Read more...


New U.S. ‘green bank’ aims to steer over $160B in capital into climate tech
TechCrunch / 12h
The EPA awarded $20 billion in grants to kickstart loans and equity investing in climate technologies across the country. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


FBI Investigating NYC Mayor’s Free Turkish Airlines Upgrades
View from the Wing / 12h
The FBI is investigating New York City Mayor Eric Adams over free upgrades from Turkish Airlines on both official business and leisure travel. It’s part of a wider corruption investigation into the Mayor’s 2021 campaign. These allegations have prompted searches and seizures by the FBI, targeting Adams’s electronic devices as well as the homes of others linked to these arrangements, including a fo


Wells Fargo transfer partners: How to use Go Far Rewards points
The Points Guy / 12h
Editor’s note: At the time of publication, the Wells Fargo Rewards® website states it is “temporarily unavailable.” The new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card is now available online with a 60,000 bonus point