What Syria means for Hezbollah's efforts to rebuild Lebanon
With a ceasefire in place, Hezbollah wants to rebuild Lebanon. But its supply chains across Syria have been weakened by Israeli airstrikes, rebel fighting and the ouster of its ally Bashar al-Assad.
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
ryan@hates.company ("ryan wolf") wrote:
malcolm "gladwell"? more like "sadbad". i spent 10,000 hours on this joke so it's funny
NASA thinks it’s figured out why the Mars helicopter crashed
A color image taken by Perseverance’s Mastcam-Z instrument of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter in April 2023. | Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS
Ahead of a full technical report that’s expected to be released in the next few weeks, engineers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and AeroVironment have revealed what’s believed to be the cause of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter’s crash on January 18th, 2024. The craft’s vision navigation system, which was designed to track textured features on the surface of Mars, was confused by a featureless stretch of rippled sandy terrain, resulting in incorrect velocity estimates that led to a hard landing.
Relying on remote data, including photographs taken after the flight, the investigators believe that “navigation errors created high horizontal velocities at touchdown,” which most likely resulted in Ingenuity experiencing a “hard impact on the sand ripple’s slope,” causing it to pitch and roll.
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Illustration: NASA/JPL-Caltech
A graphic shared by NASA depicts what’s thought to be the most likely scenario for Ingenuity Mars Helicopter’s final flight.
NASA’s engineers originally assumed that Ingenuity’s spinning rotor blades were damaged after making contact with the surface of Mars during the crash. They now believe they snapped off because “the rapid attitude change resulted in loads on the fast-rotating rotor blades beyond their design limits.” A part of one of the rotor blades was located about 49 feet away from the craft’s final resting place.
Communications were lost during the crash as a result of excessive vibration in the damaged and unbalanced rotor system that resulted in an excessive power demand. However, despite being permanently grounded, communications were reestablished the next day, and Ingenuity “still beams weather and avionics test data to the Perseverance rover about once a week,” which NASA says “is already proving useful to engineers working on future designs of aircraft and other vehicles for the Red Planet.”
Initially designed to perform only up to five experimental flights over the course of a month on Mars, Ingenuity operated for almost three years and accumulated over two hours of flight time across 72 flights.
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
praxeology@post.lurk.org ("Hart of the Wud") wrote:
Maybe we should stop calling them *Notifications* and instead refer to *Interruptions*.
"Working on some stuff so I've turned off interruptions for a while."
"Right on."
Reblogged by fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻"):
@fromjason Thanks for the shout out! In fact, your post “Where have all the websites gone?” was a major inspiration for this talk.
Airbnb’s anti-party tech is cracking down on ‘unauthorized’ get togethers
Airbnb would prefer if you have your rowdy New Year’s Eve bash elsewhere. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
If you were thinking of booking an Airbnb to host a rowdy New Year’s Eve shindig, the company is already one step ahead of you. Airbnb says it’s rolling out anti-party technology worldwide to help prevent “unauthorized and disruptive” get togethers over the holiday.
Airbnb describes its anti-party technology as machine learning tools to identify and block risky bookings. The tech will be rolled out globally, but Airbnb specifically called out the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Puerto Rico, Spain, and New Zealand. It assesses things like trip length, when the reservation is being made, and how far the booking is from your current location.
If a booking is deemed a high risk, guests will either be blocked or redirected to different accommodations. For folks hoping to book an entire home for a short holiday getaway, reservations of one to three nights will also be blocked. Guests booking entire homes will also have to agree to a “mandatory anti-party attestation.”
Airbnb says it blocked 74,000 such bookings last New Year’s Eve, with roughly 33,000 of those coming from the US.
The company’s stance against disruptive parties isn’t new. It started banning “party houses” in 2019 and added tighter restrictions in 2020 during the covid-19 pandemic as a public health measure. Airbnb then decided to permanently ban rowdy parties worldwide in 2022. The decision came after several shootings occurred at parties hosted at Airbnbs, including an incident where two teenagers were killed and eight people wounded at a Pittsburgh rental.
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
2024 Is the Year Creators Took Over | The New Yorker:
"In each case, creators exerted their newly appreciated superpower to reach their audiences directly, without the approval of traditional media gatekeepers. Whether hippopotamus or tradwife, they are self-contained celebrity machines, merging recognizability with online-distribution capacity."
I believe it was Katherine Dee of Default Blog who said that eventually, trad media will ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2024/12/13/is-the-year.html
The Backbone One with USB-C is just $50 for today only
The USB-C Backbone One (second-gen) offers the same experience as the Lightning version pictured.
As good as the Backbone One is (read our review of the original version), it can be hard to justify earmarking $100 for a mobile gaming controller. Even at its common $70 sale price, you’re entering pro controller territory. That said, a 50 percent discount for the second-gen Backbone One (USB-C) seems worth jumping over the fence for. Today only, you can get it for $49.99 at Best Buy, which is a record low price and just in time for the Resident Evil 2 remake that’s soon launching on the iPhone.
The Backbone One’s USB-C connector means it works both with Android smartphones and iPhones 15 or newer. It’s sleek with a bubbly grip sized just right to comfortably reach any of its face buttons, triggers, bumpers, or analog sticks. Ergonomically, it’ll lose to bulkier controllers, but should feel pretty good in most hands and is infinitely better than pecking away at the screen. The controller also has USB-C passthrough charging and 3.5mm for headphones and headsets.
The Best Buy-exclusive Warzone Mobile edition on sale here is mostly a spiritual tie-in: it’s visually and functionally identical to the standard Backbone One, but comes with free in-game rewards. You can use it with any games or apps with controller support, including cloud streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now. The purchase includes a free one-month trial of Backbone Plus ($40 a year afterward), which unlocks more app features like gameplay recording, live streaming, and Play on Any Screen (the latter enabling wired gaming on PC and tablets). You’ll also get three months of Apple Arcade ($7 a month value).
More deals and discounts
- The Logitech G203 Lightsync is on sale starting at $18.99 ($21 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Logitech. The wired gaming mouse doesn’t boast the same button count or overall features from the brand’s flagship models. That said, it still has six programmable buttons total, plus an accurate sensor 8,000 DPI optical sensor and a scroll wheel with lock. It even has a touch of RGB lighting that you can customize with your favorite colors or sync to the action in your game using the G Hub app.
- You can get the Anker Power Bank (30W, Fusion, Built-In USB-C Cable) in black for $19.99 (50 percent off) from Amazon when clipping the on-page coupon.The versatile travel-friendly charger has a built-in folding wall plug on one end to charge the 5,000mAh battery inside, but you can use the USB-C cable on the opposite end to do the same. There’s versatility in charging modes, too — you can use it in battery mode with the USB-C cable to charge smartphones or other devices at 22.5W speeds, or plug it into an AC outlet and use it as a 30W USB-C adapter.
- Besides its name potentially stoking cravings for a sweet roll, the Ultimate Ears Minirollmay pique your interest for other reasons, one being the record low $49.99 price Amazon, Sweetwater, and Ultimate Ears have it for right now. The portable Bluetooth speaker is circular, roundish, and small enough to stow in a bag or pocket, and the integrated clip lets you attach it to belt loops, straps, pole, and any other object thin enough to clamp. The IP67 speaker has oversized buttons and floats in water, too, and lasts up to 12 hours per charge. You can buy a second one and sync it for stereo sound, but you may find it surprisingly loud on its own.
Tumblr adds Reddit-like ‘communities’
Illustration: The Verge
Tumblr is introducing a new Community feature — in-app groups organized by topic or interest.
Communities are similar to subreddits or Facebook groups and had previously been in beta. Topics include things like film photography, marine biology, LGBTQ, and video games, and each topic has its own landing page where posts shared with the community populate. Many of the features mirror Reddit, like a count of how many members are online, moderators, and community guidelines. Posts shared to communities also get a new comments section that’s only visible within the group. Communities have the option to be public or private.
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Image: Tumblr
Tumblr’s video games community
Tumblr pulling a page from Reddit’s playbook shouldn’t be surprising. As other communities and forums on the web have died off or been eaten by Google, Reddit has been on the up-and-up, growing its user base and turning a profit for the first time. But Subreddits managed by users are both Reddit’s crown jewels and a thorn in the side of corporate interests, as demonstrated by the coordinated action taken last year in protest of changes to the platform’s API pricing structure. As Google Search degrades in usefulness — or is replaced by AI summaries — platforms like Reddit have become a central part of finding helpful information online.
Reddit is also adding search engine-like features, including an AI-powered summary tool called Answers announced earlier this week. Though Tumblr’s communities feature — and Tumblr in general — isn’t the search destination Reddit is, the new grouping feature does streamline how users can find and engage with topic-based content and peers with similar interests. Communities is available on the web, iOS, and Android.
cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen") wrote:
"As a perfectly spherical person, I want to be able to accomplish my task with maximum convenience and least amount of thought."
cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen") wrote:
Phrases like "average user"... "normal people"... kind of set me on edge. We should just say "imagine a perfectly spherical person".
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
OpenAI introduces “Santa Mode” to ChatGPT for ho-ho-ho voice chats - Ars Technica:
"The conversations with Santa exist as temporary chats that won’t save to chat history or affect the model’s memory. OpenAI designed this limitation specifically for the holiday feature. Keep that in mind, because if you let your kids talk to Santa, the AI simulation won’t remember what kids have told it during previous conversations."
As ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2024/12/13/openai-introduces-santa.html
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
American cars are evil, I've decided.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/13/one-habit-i-wish-we-could-break/
Attachments:
Apple MacBook Pro (M4 Pro and Max) review: still on top
The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are still the best laptops for creative professionals. This year they’re a little faster, with better webcams, new anti-glare screen options, and that’s mostly it.
Searching for the first great AI app
Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge
ChatGPT launched roughly two years and two weeks ago. Now, as we near the end of 2024, the AI race is... well, where is it, exactly? It’s more competitive than ever, there’s more money being poured into new models and products than ever, and it’s not at all clear when or even whether we’re going to get products that make it all worthwhile.
On this episode of The Vergecast, we talk about a lot of different AI news, all along a single trend line: the tech industry trying desperately to build a killer app for AI. (Ideally, for them, also one that makes money.) The Verge’s Richard Lawler joins us as we discuss Google Gemini 2.0, Project Astra and Project Mariner, and everything else Google is doing to put AI in the products you already use every day. We also talk through the new Android XR announcement, and Google’s renewed commitment to making headsets and smart glasses that work. It’s all an AI story, no matter how you look at it.
After that... more AI! We talk about the launch and near-immediate disappearance of OpenAI’s Sora, what’s new in iOS 18.2, Reddit’s clever-but-primitive new Answers feature, and more.
Finally, in the lightning round, it’s a smorgasbord of tech news. YouTube is big on TVs; Instagram is testing a way for you to test your posts; the TikTok ban is coming, but a sale sounds like the answer; Sonos once again made a great soundbar; and what the heck happened to Cruise? The year’s almost over, but the news keeps coming.
If you want to know more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started, beginning with Google:
- Google’s AI enters its ‘agentic era’
- Gemini 2.0: what’s new in Google’s new flagship AI model
- Google’s AI-powered smart glasses are a little closer to being real
- Google’s new Jules AI agent will help developers fix buggy code
- Google is testing Gemini AI agents that help you in video games
- Google built an AI tool that can do research for you
- I saw Google’s plan to put Android on your face
And in other AI news:
- OpenAI has finally released Sora
- iOS 18.2 is out now, adding ChatGPT integration and more Apple Intelligence tools
- From The Wall Street Journal: iOS 18.2 Review: The AI Apple Promised Us
- ChatGPT’s side-by-side ‘Canvas’ view is now available to everyone.
- Reddit’s new AI search tool helps you find Reddit answers without Google
And in the lightning round:
- YouTube is still growing fast on TVs in the living room
- Instagram will let creators test experimental reels on random people
- Adam Mosseri’s post on trial reels
- It sure sounds like Trump would be okay with a TikTok sale
- Sonos Arc Ultra review: don’t call it a comeback (yet)
- Cruise’s robotaxi service will likely shut down as GM pulls its funding
- Amazon’s online car ‘dealership’ with Hyundai is now live
Foreign students advised to make plans before Trump. And, 2024's final news quiz
Why universities are advising international students to return before Inauguration Day. And, the last NPR news quiz of the year.
The UnitedHealthcare shooter got exactly what he wanted
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images
The shooter had a message, and the internet was happy to spread it.
Microsoft kills off Skype credits and phone numbers in favor of subscriptions
Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Microsoft has quietly ended the sale of new credits and phone number features for Skype this week. Skype Credit and Skype Number are both being discontinued in favor of Microsoft pushing subscriptions instead.
Skype Credit was a pay-as-you-go plan for making calls both locally and internationally, and Skype Number allowed you to have a phone number that people could call and get through to your Skype account. Both have existed in Skype for years, making it a popular choice for calling landlines and mobile phones over the internet.
“New sales of Skype numbers and Skype credit have stopped, but customers can still use existing Skype numbers and credits,” says Amit Fulay, vice president of Microsoft Teams and Skype, in a statement to The Verge. “Users can also purchase new outbound PSTN calling services through monthly Skype subscriptions or use Skype’s free VoIP services for voice or video calls.”
While existing Skype phone numbers will continue to work for now, it seems inevitable that Microsoft will eventually force existing users into a subscription, too. Existing Skype Credit can also be used, but you can’t buy any additional top ups. Even with Microsoft’s Skype subscriptions, there’s still no direct replacement for having a phone number that people can ring to get to your Skype.
Microsoft made the surprise decision to remove ads from Skype earlier this year, alongside new features like AI image creation. The communications app, acquired by Microsoft in 2011, has struggled to remain relevant in recent years up against WhatsApp, Zoom, FaceTime, and other video calling apps. Microsoft has also turned its attention more to Teams in recent years, especially after launching a personal version of Teams in 2020.
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
The bought puppet dictator.
The decision makers are the donors....
Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, David Sacks, Michael Milken, Travis Kalanick, Steven Mnuchin, et al.
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/why-elon-musks-million-dollar-presidential
Attachments:
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
jdlbt@techhub.social ("Julien :ve: 🔭:python:") wrote:
@sethmlarson Of course not everyone one can afford it but those who can should support Signal for the benefit of all.
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
blogdiva ("your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦") wrote:
Y’ALL! I DID IT! AM DONE!
Attachments:
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
lcamtuf@infosec.exchange ("lcamtuf :verified: :verified: :verified:") wrote:
Dear employees,
In recognition of your excellence, here's the pink slip
Attachments:
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
✔️🎯
Via Rupar—
Chris Murphy: "There's no doubt that this administration's policy toward the Middle East is going to be compromised by the fact that they're making money off the very people they're sitting across the table from and supposedly having a conversation about the interests of the US" #Trump
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
nnedi@mas.to ("Nnedi Okorafor") wrote:
Here's an excerpt from my forthcoming novel DEATH OF THE AUTHOR here (January 2025).
This chapter flashes its scifi side, but *please* understand this book...stretches. When you start the novel (this excerpt is chapter 3, not 1), you'll see what I'm talking about, 😁.
https://reactormag.com/excerpts-death-of-the-author-by-nnedi-okorafor
Attachments:
Intel executives hint at potential manufacturing spinoff
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
After the surprise ousting of former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger last week, the chip maker is facing an uncertain future that could involve splitting the company up. The temporary co-CEOs of Intel both appeared at Barclays investment banking conference on Thursday, hinting at a potential manufacturing spinoff.
Intel’s manufacturing business finances and operations are already being separated into a standalone subsidiary, according to Reuters. Intel’s chief financial officer, David Zinsner, admitted “that’s going to happen,” but stopped short of confirming whether Intel would ever fully spin off its manufacturing business. “Does it ever fully separate? That’s an open question for another day,” said Zinsner.
Intel Products CEO, Michelle Johnston Holthaus, also discussed the possibility of a manufacturing spinoff, as the two co-CEOs wait for Intel’s board to find a Gelsinger replacement. “Pragmatically, do I think it makes sense that they’re completely separated and there’s no tie? I don’t think so. But someone will decide that,” said Holthaus.
The decision on splitting up Intel will be a key one for the company, and any incoming CEO. Intel had to outsource the manufacturing of its Lunar Lake laptop chips to its rival TSMC earlier this year, in what turned out to be a financial mistake.
It won’t be easy for Intel to spin off its own foundries, though. Intel receives nearly $8 billion in CHIPS and Science Act funding from the US government, and the US Department of Commerce has oversight over any change of control. If Intel does end up spinning off its manufacturing business, then it will turn into a company that designs chips much like its direct rivals.
Now, it’s all eyes on Intel’s “18A” process which is set to arrive next year and may struggle to beat TSMC and deliver a flagship PC chip to rival AMD. Intel has faced a series of setbacks this year, ranging from the Lunar Lake financial mistake to crashing 13th and 14th Gen chips and underwhelming next-gen desktop CPUs.
People in colder countries understand the magic of winter. What's their secret?
Researcher Kari Leibowitz traveled to places with some of the harshest winters on Earth to understand how people thrive in the cold and dark. Her findings may inspire you to find comfort and joy in the season.
The Conspiracy World Is Pushing Paranoia About a Post-Inauguration “Plandemic”
In the lead-up to Donald Trump’s second inauguration, professional conspiracy peddlers are hard at work finding ways to gin up panic and paranoia—even if their preferred candidate is about to take office. The fear mongering is ginning up skepticism about the next pandemic—and any vaccine that could fight it. Some have suggested that the Deep […]
For kids with rare genetic disorders, customized CRISPR treatments offer hope
The gene-editing technique is effective for treating some illnesses but it's been too expensive to consider it for rare conditions. A new approach in the works could make it more widely available.
Curl Up With the Best Books We Read This Year
Nonfiction “In a sense all stories are about the same thing, and that thing is thwarted desire,” the literary critic Becca Rothfeld writes at one point in All Things Are Too Small. The same could be said of this collection of essays, which offers a celebration of our unruly desires and an ode to the […]
Malaria Is Rising With a Vengeance, Killing Massive Numbers, Most in Africa
This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Malaria killed almost 600,000 people in 2023, as cases rose for the fifth consecutive year, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). Biological threats such as rising resistance to drugs and insecticides, and climate and humanitarian disasters continue […]
Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with widespread aerial strikes
Russia launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine on Friday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described it as one of the heaviest bombardments of the country's energy sector since Russia's full-scale invasion.
Father and son reflect on Black love and loss
In this week's StoryCorps, a father and son talk about sources of love in their lives.
Here are the deadlines for mailing your holiday gifts to ensure they arrive on time
Mail carriers and shipping companies will be closed on Christmas Day.
How much do you remember about 2024? What does 2025 hold? Find out in the quiz
Who or what died? Who or what broke up? Why so many bears? And what color IS "brat green," anyway? Test yourself in this year's final news quiz.
How D.C. tackled a child care crunch through a tax hike on the rich
In Washington, D.C., a tax on residents earning more than $250,000 a year is boosting the wages of child care workers. Two years in, it's proving to be a great investment.
Stanley recalls about 2.6 million travel mugs
The company behind the uber-viral water bottles is recommending customers affected by the recall reach out for a replacement part.
Dear Lazyweb, why does my VolumeIcon show up blank in Finder on an exfat thumb drive?
% file .{_,Vol}
._.: AppleDouble encoded Macintosh file
._.VolumeIcon.icns: AppleDouble encoded Macintosh file
.VolumeIcon.icns: Mac OS X icon, 811484 bytes, "ic12" type
._.VolumeIcon.icns: AppleDouble encoded Macintosh file
Attachments:
The 2024 Game Awards recap: All winners and most surprising reveals
Astro Bot, Balatro, and Metaphor Re: Fantazio claimed the most trophies at The Game Awards in a night dominated by sweeps, surprising reveals and fourth-wall breaks.
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
Petition · Bluesky Must Enforce its Community Guidelines Equally - Canada · Change.org:
"Now is a critical moment in the growth of the Bluesky platform to avoid the clear and obvious mistakes made by other social media platforms in the past."
I signed this petition, which now has 17k signatures, to be a part of something-anything-that attempts to hold social media companies accountable.
That said, Bluesky was built off a ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2024/12/12/petition-bluesky-must.html
Everything We Saw At The 2024 Game Awards
It’s that time of year when the video game industry gathers in Los Angeles to hear Geoff Keighley talk about what a good year it was, whether that’s actually true or not. But as we reflect on the last 12 months, we also get several trailers for games that are coming out in the future. If you weren’t able to catch the…
Naughty Dog reveals sci-fi game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
The Game Awards’ final world premiere was Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Developed by Naughty Dog, Intergalactic is a futuristic space opera with the kind of retropunk vibes that remind me of Cowboy Bebop. Indeed, the trailer even featured an anime playing in the background reminiscent of Dirty Pair.
Here’s Naughty Dog’s description of the game, from the YouTube trailer:
Set thousands of years in the future, Intergalactic puts players into the role of Jordan A. Mun, a dangerous bounty hunter who ends up stranded on Sempiria — a distant planet whose communication with the outside universe went dark hundreds of years ago. Jordan will have to use all her skills and wits if she hopes to be the first person in over 600 years to leave its orbit.
The game stars Tati Gabrielle who played Prudence Night in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It also will feature comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani in some way.
There’s no release date yet, but the game is in development for the PS5.
Here Are All Of The 2024 Game Award Winners (And Losers)
And so, another Game Awards is done. Geoff Keighley’s annual trailer-a-thon once again included some game awards shoved in between all the ads and teasers and more ads. If you want to know who won what (and who lost), we’ve got you covered.
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
Drake is suing everyone BUT Kendrick:
“I’m a firm believer that, no matter what music you like, you have not met your favorite artist yet. You have to keep listening. You have to keep looking. Because your favorite artist is out there and they’re trying to get to you, but there’s a machine in the way."
Josh Johnson casually dropping poetry in the middle of a comedy set. https://youtu.be/RIWQQaHS3FM?si=R9JFiX-ointNYR2y
Last Of Us Studio Reveals Next Game And It's A Sci-Fi Bounty Hunter Adventure
The Game Awards ended with a big finale, a new trailer revealing Naughty Dog’s next game. It’s called Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and it looks really, really cool and stylish, mixing lo-fi tech and sci-fi bounty hunters.
Okami is getting a sequel
Image: Capcom
Capcom had quite the surprise in store at The Game Awards. The developer announced a sequel to Okami, a beautiful and beloved action-adventure game that originally launched back in 2006.
The sequel — which doesn’t currently have a name — was revealed in dramatic fashion with a musical performance. Original director Hideki Kamiya is returning for the game, which will be developed by his new studio Clovers. It’s still very early though; during the reveal TGA host Geoff Keighley said that “production is about to begin.” Capcom, meanwhile, says only that “a new adventure in the same vein as Okami has been set in motion.”
Not only has it been quite some time since Okami debuted, its announcement also comes at a time when Capcom seems intent on doubling down on its biggest franchises. Right now that means a lot of Monster Hunter and Resident Evil. Up next is Monster Hunter Wilds, which is launching next year, as well as the mobile spinoff Monster Hunter Outlanders.
However, Okami isn’t the only Capcom franchise being revived: the company also revealed a new entry in the action franchise Onimusha, which is launching in 2026. Here’s the very bloody debut trailer for that.
Beloved Zelda-Like Okami Is Getting A Sequel 18-Years Later
Okami was a 2006 game of the year winner that never achieved sale success in-line with its critical-acclaim. It’s fitting then, if still completely bonkers, that a sequel to the Legend of Zelda-inspired adventure game would get announced at this year’s Game Awards. A musical medley on stage revealed we’re getting Okami…
The Best Part Of The Game Awards Were These Two Bastards
During tonight’s Game Awards, a lot of big games were announced and a long list of awards were handed out. And that was all fine. There were even some really exciting surprises that I liked. But the best part of the show by far was whenever Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets showed up to heckle host Geoff Keighley…
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
‘Like a miracle’: N.C. couple free of nearly $100,000 medical debt after 15 years
"They were among the beneficiaries of a decision the hospital system announced in September to release 11,500 liens on people’s homes in North Carolina and five other states, some of which dated back 20 years or more. "
All this went down two months ago but we’re reporting on it now? Social media is about to be flooded with feel-good healthcare ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2024/12/12/like-a-miracle.html
Reblogged by nadim@infosec.exchange ("Nadim Kobeissi"):
Since iOS 18 launched, the new Passwords app has been using unencrypted HTTP to download icons for password entries—a serious #security risk. We reported this bug to #Apple in September, and it’s finally fixed in #iOS 18.2 (CVE-2024-54492).
The bug also impacts iPadOS and #macOS
Why does this matter? Watch 🎬 :
#cybersecurity #privacy #infosec
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
The Web We’ve (Never) Lost:
"I do like web. Not just like a development platform, but as a medium and as a cultural artifact. And in my talk, I want to show you why we should pay more attention to the web in its own right. Particularly this year."
Great write-up with lots of links to cool stuff— blogs, directories, search engines, etc. https://www.bitoff.org/web-we-never-lost/
Helldivers 2 Just Got Its Third Enemy Faction In A Major Free Surprise Update
Helldivers 2 fans have been waiting patiently (and not so patiently) for the alien horde shooter to add a new enemy faction, and Arrowhead Studios is finally doing just that. The Illuminate are now live in the game following a surprise free update called Omens of Tyranny, and it adds a ton more than just the series’…
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
Last February, AI.com forwarded to a Marques Brownlee video about Open AI’s new video generation tool Sora. I vaguely recall some rumblings that the Elon Musk might own the domain, which didn’t make much sense since he has his own AI offering.
AI.com now forwards to ChatGPT.com so it’s probably safe to say that Sam Altman & Co. own the address.
Attachments:
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
5t3ph@front-end.social ("Stephanie Eckles") wrote:
🎁 Psst... Day 1 is tomorrow (or perhaps later today? Timezones and such)!
Tell your friends!
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
Luigi, insurance tech, China, AI, plus some more sci-fi and music recommendations:
"Casey Newton wrote a (paywalled) response to my essay (and Gary Marcus’s) and it is surprisingly underwhelming! The limited engagement with our criticisms comes in the form of, well, ignoring our criticisms, doubling down on his framing, and pretending I am a Marxist labor organizer rambling about morality (though, to be fair, my essay is ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2024/12/12/luigi-insurance-tech.html
Borderlands 4’s first trailer is all out war
Image: Gearbox Software
We already knew it was in the works, and now we have an idea of how it will look and play. At the Game Awards, Gearbox Software revealed the first proper trailer for Borderlands 4, which is due out in 2025. The trailer starts with a cinematic depicting a large-scale conflict of some sort, before getting into the actual gameplay — which is as colorful and violent as you’d expect from the franchise. The game is playable solo or co-op with up to three other players, and Gearbox says that there are “billions” of weapons to use.
Here’s the basic set-up:
Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing mayhem across the planet. Ignite a resistance and blast your way through mechanical monstrosities, bloodthirsty bandits, and vicious beasts. Amass an arsenal of death-dealing firepower to wreak havoc as you tear your way across Kairos.
Borderlands 4 was first announced this summer, and will be the first new entry in the looter shooter series since Borderlands 3 in 2019. It also follows the franchise’s debut on the big screen, as the Borderlands movie hit theaters in August to less than critical acclaim. The game is also in development during an interesting time for Gearbox; in March the studio was sold to Take-Two by beleaguered publisher Embracer.
While Borderlands 4 doesn’t have a specific release date yet, it’s coming to PS5, Xbox, and PC next year.
First Borderlands 4 Gameplay Is Here And Looks Good
Tonight, during the 2024 Game Awards, we got our first real look at the previously announced Borderlands 4, the next main entry in Gearbox’s super popular first-person looter shooter series.
In 2003, Apple released a 64-bit dual-core 1.8Ghz system: Power Mac G5.
In 2023, Apple released a 64-bit dual-core 1.8Ghz system: Apple Watch Series 9.
The Watch is faster and has more RAM.
The G5 was too hot to put in a laptop. It'd use up S9's battery in under 2 minutes.
Split Fiction is the next co-op game from Hazelight Studios
Image: EA
Josef Fares is back and so is his penchant for cursing. The director of Hazelight Studios has returned to The Game Awards to debut his next game: Split Fiction.
Split Fiction is a game that feels very much in Hazelight’s wheelhouse. Like It Takes Two and A Way Out before it, Split Fiction is a two-person split-screen co-op game. In it, two game developers have been trapped in a world they created and must play together to escape.
It’s been a quiet but massively successful handful of years for Hazelight Studios. In 2021, it took home Game of the Year for It Takes Two in which two players must work together to overcome the myriad dangers of their home (and their failing marriage) Honey, I Shrunk The Kids-style.
Earlier this year, the studio announced that It Takes Two sold 20 million copies. Polygon did a deep dive into the game’s sales numbers, determining that it sold at an astonishingly consistent and enviable clip of half a million copies per month since its release in March 2021. A truly remarkable feat given the game had very little marketing outside its initial release window and at a time when most consumers’ multiplayer tastes were wrapped up in “forever games” like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite. With bona fides like that, it’s safe to say folks will be looking at Split Fiction, launching March 6th on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, with great interest.
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
I am *supposed* to wait an hour or two before cutting
Attachments:
FromSoftware debuts a new Elden Ring game
Image: Bandai Namco
FromSoftware, the studio that just this month said it was “not really considering developments such as an Elden Ring 2,” has revealed a game that looks a lot like it could be Elden Ring 2.
Elden Ring Nightreign is the next entry in the Elden Ring series. The trailer, debuting during this year’s The Game Awards, didn’t share much narrative details meaning that director Hidetaka Miyazaki might not have told a fib. Nightreign could very well be a prequel, chronicling the events that lead up to all the shenanigans in the base game and the Shadows of the Erdtree DLC.
While we don’t yet know where this takes place in Lands Between chronology, the trailer did show off a ton of gameplay which appears to be the same as Elden Ring but with a greater emphasis on co-op. Several moments in the trailer featured combat with more than one Tarnished working together and doing never-before-seen flippy-dippy martial arts moves. But as the trailer played, there was the theory that this would be some kind of mobile version of Elden Ring.
FromSoftware has, so far, only confirmed Xbox, PlayStation, and PC platforms and, surprisingly, a release date. Elden Ring Nightreign will launch sometime next year.
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
Why I Published the Shooter Manifesto - Ken Klippenstein:
"I think a lot of this talk about copycat killers is a smokescreen obscuring the real reason these outlets didn’t publish the manifesto. As a friend at NBC explained, they did not want to antagonize their law enforcement sources who had provided them access to the manifesto on the condition that it not be published."
Now knowing what the manifesto actually said verse how ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2024/12/12/why-i-published.html
We're Already Getting More Elden Ring And It's A Co-op Spin-Off Called Nightreign
FromSoftware isn’t done with Elden Ring yet. The hit open-world RPG that just got a GOTY-nominated expansion is coming back with a completely new spin-off in 2025. It’s called Elden Ring: Nightreign and it’s a co-op action adventure that looks as excellent as the game it’s based on.
The Creator Behind Ico And Shadow Of The Colossus Is Making A Wild Sci-Fi Game
During tonight’s Game Awards aka Geoff Keighley’s trailer-thon (that’s also a game awards show), Ico and Shadow of the Colossus creator Fumito Ueda showed off a small glimpse of a still-untitled sci-fi-game featuring a big mech, an evil-looking cloud of dark energy, and a person in a cool space suit.
Here’s your very first look at The Witcher 4
Image: CD Projekt Red
The 2024 edition of The Game Awards started with a bang — the very first look at the next Witcher game. It’s called The Witcher 4 and was revealed via a lengthy cinematic trailer that starred Ciri in place of Geralt, who led the original trilogy.
There aren’t many details yet, but CD Projekt Red says that in the new game, “Ciri takes center stage as the protagonist, embarking on her own journey to become a professional monster slayer.” It will be a single-player, open-world RPG. The studio says that “the cinematic trailer is pre-rendered in a custom build of Unreal Engine 5 on an unannounced NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPU.”
It doesn’t sound like the trailer will necessarily be representative of the final game, however. Here’s how CD Projekt Red explains it:
In the nearly six-minute trailer, viewers were introduced to Ciri, the adopted daughter of Geralt of Rivia, as she takes on a witcher contract in a remote village that has been terrorized for generations by a fearsome monster demanding human sacrifices. Framed as a short, self-contained Witcher story, the trailer showcases Ciri’s new abilities and tools, including a chain and advanced magic powers.
At the heart of the trailer is Ciri’s perspective as an outsider to the village. As the villagers say goodbye to one of their own — a young girl they are preparing for a traditional ritual sacrifice — Ciri chooses to intervene. Aiming to slay the beast and save the girl at the same time, Ciri finds herself at odds with the prejudices and superstitions of the people she tries to protect, leading her to confront a painful witcher lesson: that monsters come in all forms.
We’ve known for some time that CD Projekt Red was working on a follow up to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which is meant to kick off a new saga for the fantasy franchise. In November the studio revealed that the game, previously codenamed “Polaris,” was in the “full-scale production phase” of development.” It’s being built using Unreal Engine 5, which the studio shifted to following the troubled launch of Cyberpunk 2077.
No word yet on platforms or release timing.
Here's Our First Look At The Witcher 4 Starring Ciri
We finally have our first taste of The Witcher 4 and it looks stunning in a new cinematic trailer that aired at The Game Awards 2024. The cinematic tease showed monster hunter Ciri stepping into mentor Geralt of Rivia’s shoes to take on a gnarly-looking beast in proper witcher fashion.
Harrison Ford Showed Up At The Game Awards
During the opening moments of tonight’s Game Awards 2024 event, Harrison Ford appeared on stage to hand out the award for Best Performance alongside Troy Baker—who plays the role Ford made famous in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle—and Bethesda’s Todd Howard.
Elon Musk is mad at the SEC again
Illustration: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Photo: Getty Images
The Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing “numerous counts” against Elon Musk, according to a letter from his lawyer that Musk posted to X. It has also “reopened an investigation into Neuralink.”
The letter is short on specifics — such as what the charges may be, and how many Musk companies are affected. Instead, Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, complains that “the Commission Staff issued a settlement demand that required Mr. Musk agree within 48 hours to either accept a monetary payment or face charges on numerous accounts.” Even this is somewhat unclear; presumably, Spiro means that Musk would pay a penalty rather than accept money from the SEC.
Oh Gary, how could you do this to me? pic.twitter.com/OoooQI77ZS
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 12, 2024
Musk has a long and storied history with the SEC, which he has said he does not respect. In 2018, Musk briefly pretended he’d take Tesla private before admitting two weeks later Tesla would stay public. The SEC then sued him over a tweet saying he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private. Musk reached a settlement with the agency, paying $20 million, stepping down as chair of Tesla’s board and agreeing to a “Twitter sitter,” or a lawyer who’d supervise his tweets. Musk then reneged on the Twitter sitter thing. That particular kerfuffle went all the way to the Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case; Musk was stuck with his Twitter sitter.
The letter characterizes this history as “more than six years of harassment.”
More recently, the SEC sought to sanction Musk for no-showing on them in a separate investigation over his Twitter takeover. A judge declined to sanction him because he reimbursed the SEC for the airfare of the lawyers he stood up.
It is unclear from Spiro’s letter whether the charges the SEC is pursuing have to do with the Twitter matter or something else. Reuters previously reported that the Department of Justice was probing whether Tesla’s self-driving claims were actually securities fraud. In 2023, _Reuter_s reported that lawmakers had asked the SEC to probe Neuralink over Musk’s comments about the safety of the company’s brain device.
Musk also asked his AI, Grok, to draw a picture of Gensler. The image depicted a snail in a business suit, seemingly a reference to Gary the Snail from Spongebob Squarepants, a television show for children.
Nvidia will host its first full LAN party in over a decade, and you’re invited
Not a photo of an Nvidia LAN, since I can’t find my old photos of them! | Photo by Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images
It’s been 13 years since Nvidia hosted its last LAN party, inviting hundreds of people to physically haul their gaming PCs onto a decommissioned aircraft carrier and jack them in for networked gaming bliss. Now, the GeForce LAN is finally coming back — and you’re theoretically invited, should you manage to reserve one of the 400 available spaces right here on December 16th at 6AM PT / 9AM ET.
The GeForce LAN 50 will run January 4th through January 6th, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, with satellite events in Berlin, Taipei, and Beijing, and it promises to be a “online & in-person 50 hour gaming marathon” with contests, tournaments, raffles, and swag.
It’ll kick off 4:30PM PT on January 4th, and you’ll need to provide a fully refundable $125 deposit to sign up. Nvidia tells me those 400 slots are for everyday gamers, and do not count the influencers who may also show up.
If you can’t or don’t want to make it, Nvidia says it’ll offer one small set of rewards online — if you stream Diablo IV, The Elder Scrolls Online, Fallout 76, The Finals, or WoW from its GeForce Now cloud gaming service “continuously for 50 minutes,” there’ll be some kind of in-game reward. Nvidia will also be offering prizes in a marketing celebration it’s calling “GeForce Greats”.
The LAN party is happening right before Nvidia’s CES 2025 keynote in Las Vegas, where we’re expecting the company to announce the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and possibly the RTX 5070 as well, and the fact that this is the “GeForce LAN 50” is probably a tease for those 50-series cards — the last LAN that Nvidia hosted was the “GeForce LAN 6,” not “GeForce LAN 49” or anything like that.
Starting in 2004, the GPU company began to host major LAN parties almost every year until it stopped in 2011. Here’s one of my minor claims to nerd fame: I helped set a Guinness World Record for the largest, longest LAN party at one in 2008.
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Image: Sean Hollister
Record scratch, freeze frame, yep that’s me (on the left)...
That Nvidia LAN wasn’t held on an aircraft carrier, but rather the San Jose Convention Center, as part an event that Nvidia called “NVISION 08.” The company never held another NVISION, but it rebooted its event the very next year, at the very same location, as the GPU Technology Conference (GTC). There was a time Nvidia would sponsor third-party LANs as well.
Apparently Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has a soft spot for LANs, making a surprise visit to a small one in Vietnam last year. While gamers have largely moved online for multiplayer games, the LAN party subculture has been getting a bit of nostalgic attention as of late — there’s even a coffee table book now documenting the era.
The best Fitbits for your fitness and health
Fitbit makes an array of fitness trackers, from basic fitness bands to full-fledged smartwatches, though the best Fitbit smartwatch isn’t technically a Fitbit. | Photo illustration by William Joel / The Verge
Whether you want a basic fitness tracker or a smartwatch, there’s a Fitbit for everyone — though the best Fitbit smartwatch isn’t technically a Fitbit.
Reblogged by mbrubeck@mefi.social:
solar_seattle@mas.to ("Solar Seattle") wrote:
The sun will rise in #Seattle #Washington tomorrow at 7:49, 50 seconds later than the day before.
It will set at 16:17, 4 seconds later than the day before.
The best robot vacuums
Image: The Verge
Floor-sweeping robots are only getting better, with new mopping skills, better navigation chops, and more automation, meaning less work for you. We picked the best bots you can buy right now.
The Game Awards 2024: all of the biggest trailers and announcements
Image: The Game Awards
Geoff Keighley’s enormous and expensive video game commercial show celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.
It’s that time of the year. The Game Awards 2024 starts December 12th at 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT on Twitch and YouTube. This year marks the awards’ tenth anniversary so expect some big surprises to celebrate the occasion. We already know Borderlands 4 will make an appearance as well as the next game from Hazelight Studios, the developers behind Game of the Year 2021 It Takes Two.
Keighley’s BFF Hideo Kojima will probably show up to show off more of Death Stranding 2 or maybe even his new game / movie hybrid project OD. And with 2025 mere weeks away, the GTA VI hype season will officially start, likely with a new, potentially record busting trailer. Here are all the news, trailers, and surprises for this years Game Awards. As for me, the only thing I’m excited about for TGAs 2024 is the possibility of Flute Guy andMetaphor: ReFantanzio Monk Guy sharing the same stage.
New Apple TV and HomePod mini reportedly coming in 2025
Image: Chris Welch / The Verge
Apple’s rumored combo Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip might be introduced with some of the company’s home products in 2025, including a new HomePod Mini and Apple TV, reports Mark Gurman for Bloomberg.
Apple’s new chip, codenamed “Proxima,” is meant to be a major transitional change for the company’s devices that reduces reliance on Broadcom, which makes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi components for various devices in Apple’s lineup. Sources speaking to Gurman say the chips have been in development for several years and will be produced by TSMC — the same manufacturer that makes Apple Silicon chips.
Gurman didn’t specify when the new HomePod Mini and Apple TV might debut next year. The Proxima chip could also appear in iPhones later in 2025 and in the iPad and Mac in 2026, Gurman says.
Apple is also working on a standalone security camera, Gurman says. Gurman has previously reported that the company is gearing up to introduce a wall-mounted smart display for controlling your smart home next year as part of a bigger push into the home.
Reddit bans posting UnitedHealthcare shooter’s manifesto
Image: The Verge
Moderators of multiple Reddit communities say the company has banned posts that include the alleged manifesto of Luigi Mangione, who has been charged for murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
In a post on Wednesday, a moderator of r/popculturechat wrote (emphasis theirs):
We wanted to reach out to tell you all that we have officially been notified by Reddit that we must adhere strictly to their site-wide rules regarding violent content. Specifically, Reddit has told us that we are not allowed to post Luigi Mangione’s manifesto, even if it is reported neutrally.
The moderator says that if they do not enforce the guidelines “to the letter,” there could be site-wide permanent bans on user accounts and “the potential shutdown of this subreddit.”
As a result, the moderator team is doing the following to adhere to Reddit’s rules:
• Any posts or comments that repost or encourage the manifesto will be removed.
• Any posts or comments that show support for violence, including expressing positive feelings toward the death of Brian Thompson or similar content, will be removed.
• We will be extremely strict in moderating these discussions to ensure compliance with Reddit’s policies.
• If rule violations persist, we will be forced to implement a “cool down” period, meaning we will temporarily remove any posts about Luigi Mangione for a period of time to allow the situation to settle.
It’s unclear if r/popculturechat is the only subreddit to have received a specific warning from Reddit. A post from moderators of a subreddit about Mangione claims that “Reddit is prohibiting posting the manifesto” and that “the mods must remove if posted,” but doesn’t say where that information is from. A moderator of another subreddit, r/wineandcrimepodcast, posted a slightly modified version of r/popculturechat’s message but says that “they had gotten warnings that some of us did not.”
Reddit appears to be taking some actions of its own: a user on r/esist says that Reddit is deleting posts with excerpts from the manifesto, “including my last post,” and that their account has “a warning on it for encouraging violence.”
But Reddit also seems to be inconsistently removing the manifesto, as we were able to find a link to the manifesto in Reddit search without much work. Reddit’s new AI-powered Answers tool also showed me information about the manifesto and where I could find it.
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Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge
Reddit didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment. The first rule of Reddit’s content policy states that:
Remember the human. Reddit is a place for creating community and belonging, not for attacking marginalized or vulnerable groups of people. Everyone has a right to use Reddit free of harassment, bullying, and threats of violence. Communities and users that incite violence or that promote hate based on identity or vulnerability will be banned.
In its content policy, Reddit also says that “we ask that you abide by not just the letter of these rules, but the spirit as well.”
Sundar Pichai and Jeff Bezos head to Mar-a-Lago to schmooze with Trump
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Brandon Bell, Getty Images
Two of tech’s biggest leaders have plans to meet with President-elect Donald Trump soon. The Information reports that Google CEO Sundar Pichai is flying to Palm Beach, Florida, on Thursday, and Trump has said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is meeting with him next week.
Trump has had a tumultuous relationship with Google, claiming the search engine is “rigged” to hide positive coverage about him. However, in recent weeks, Trump claimed multiple times that Pichai called him on the phone. Pichai said during The New York Times DealBook Summit last week that the calls had “nothing to do” with the government’s antitrust cases against Google.
As reported by The Information, sources don’t expect Pichai to “make any direct overtures to Trump about the antitrust lawsuit or other regulatory topics.” Trump said in October he would “do something” about Google when asked whether he’d go as far as breaking the company up. Google declined to comment about Pichai’s reported visit.
Additionally, Trump confirmed that Bezos “is coming up next week” during an interview with CNBC on Thursday. Despite Trump’s feud with Amazon during his presidency, Bezos said he’s “very optimistic this time around.” The Verge reached out to Amazon with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
Pichai and Bezos aren’t the only tech leaders trying to smooth over their rocky histories with Trump. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg — who Trump threatened to put in prison — met for dinner at Mar-a-Lago in November. Meta also donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Wray is out. Patel may be in. What's it mean for the FBI?
FBI Director Christopher Wray announced yesterday that he will resign before President-elect Trump takes office. This comes after Trump announced he would appoint loyalist Kash Patel to lead the Bureau.President-elect Trump's pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, held several national security positions in the first Trump administration. Since then, he's found money and attention as a pro-Trump influencer promoting conspiracy theories. What can that tell us about his plans for the FBI?For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
Reblogged by isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:"):
tinkebell@mstdn.social ("TINKEBELL") wrote:
❤️ Louise Bourgeois
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pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
Man, I miss the Pacific Northwest.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/12/why-i-like-seattle/
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Reblogged by fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻"):
maddiefuzz@hackers.town ("M. The Crystalline Entity") wrote:
Sometimes you gotta make a doom pile to clean a doom pile
What was the worst year of your life and what did you learn from it? We want to hear
All Things Considered wants to hear your stories. What was your worst year ever, how did you get through it, and what did you learn from it?
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
stim3on@fosstodon.org ("Simeon Schmauß") wrote:
After several months of climbing up the steep slopes of the Jezero crater rim, Perseverance has reached the top!
The afternoon sun provides a spectacular view on landscape which the rover will explore soon!Full panorama: https://www.360cities.net/image/marsrover-perseverance-navcam-sol-1354
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Simeon Schmauß
Attachments:
- Animated 360° panorama captured by the Perseverance Mars rover. It shows the rover standing on the reddish-brown surface of Mars on a high mountain ridge in between two higher peaks. The view to the east shows the Jezero crater with it's ancient river delta and Mons Jezero in the hazy distance. To the west, in the hazy afternoon sunlight opens up a new vista with rounded hills. (remote)
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
Almost done grading!
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/12/one-more-day/
Attachments:
Google says its breakthrough quantum chip can’t break modern cryptography
Image: Google
Experts believe that one day, quantum computers could make today’s systems of encryption utterly obsolete. But Google tells The Verge its new “breakthrough” Willow chip is nowhere near ready for that.
“The Willow chip is not capable of breaking modern cryptography,” Google Quantum AI director and COO Charina Chou tells The Verge.
A so-called “cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer,” or CRQC, could “jeopardize civilian and military communications, undermine supervisory and control systems for critical infrastructure, and defeat security protocols for most Internet-based financial transactions,” the White House warned in 2022, ordering that US agencies must transition to new systems to mitigate that risk by 2035.
But Willow is not a CRQC, according to Google. While the company does claim it can solve a computing challenge in five minutes that would take the world’s fastest supercomputer ten septillion years, Google has only produced 105 physical qubits worth of that computing power and suggests it would need millions to literally crack the codes.
“Estimates are we’re at least 10 years out from breaking RSA, and that around 4 million physical qubits would be required to do this,” Chou writes. She says Willow doesn’t change the timeline at all.
And though Chinese researchers have repeatedly claimed to discover new ways to break RSA encryption with a much smaller quantum computers, ones with just a few hundreds or thousands of qubits, security experts have repeatedly been skeptical.
Google is one of the many companies preparing to defend against the potential threat of broken encryption with post-quantum cryptography, or PQC, ever since the Edward Snowden leaks revealed that spy agencies like the NSA were quietly funding code-breaking quantum computer research.
A few years back, we wrote about how the National Institute of Standards and Technology created a competition to develop quantum-safe cryptography standards back in 2016. This August, NIST released three finalized algorithms and its standards for integrating them into products and systems, and plans to select one or two more by the end of the year.
The RAND Corporation, a think tank famous for advising on US national security in the past, suggested in a 2023 editorial that the moment an RSA-breaking quantum computer exists, it’ll trigger a worldwide rush to defend against it:
“As soon as the existence of the CRQC becomes public knowledge — or is even considered plausible — and the threat becomes concrete, most vulnerable organizations will immediately move to upgrade all their communications systems to post-quantum cryptography.”
These Powerful Legendary Artifacts In Stalker 2 Will Change How You Play
As you explore the Zone, stumbling upon all manner of mutants and freelance Stalkers in search of mystery and money, you’ll inevitably eavesdrop on stories about stranger-than-usual anomalies—the stuff of legends. As it turns out, the Zone produces legendary artifacts in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl that…
Adobe now has a tool to get rid of ugly window reflections in photos
Adobe’s Reflection Removal tool is now available as a technology preview inside Camera Raw. | Image: Adobe
Adobe’s Project See Through, a tool that is capable of eliminating distracting reflections in photos taken through windows, is now available as a technology preview and is now called the Reflection Removal tool. Originally revealed as a “Sneak” during the Adobe’s annual Max conference last year, you can use the tool through Adobe Camera Raw in preview with a Lightroom release “coming soon,” according to Adobe.
The best way to ensure a photo isn’t marred with reflections is to avoid shooting through a window, but Adobe’s new tool will increase the chances that the beautiful mountain vista you captured during a flight will actually be worth sharing. The tool works by distinguishing the two scenes that make up an image with a reflection, which are often distinguished by different content, white balances (indoor scenes tend to look warmer than outdoor ones), and their sharpness.
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Image: Adobe
An example of the artificial reflections Adobe created for training data by merging thousands of photos together.
The AI model the Reflection Removal tool uses was trained on a database of thousands of photographs without reflections that were paired and merged to create millions of images with simulated reflections. Through a reinforcement process, the model learned how to extract the original photos from a single combined image, which are both available in the new tool. The results are often impressive, but Adobe points out that “if a reflection is so strong or complex that a person looking at the photograph struggles to figure out what is what, then our model might struggle as well.”
To access the new tool, which currently only works with RAW images (support for JPEGs and HEICs is planned) you need to open the Camera Raw tool and then the Technology Previews section of its Preferences Panel where you can enable the New AI Settings and Features Panel before restarting Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Bridge.
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Image: Adobe
The original photo (left) next to a version with reflections removed (center) and the reflected image itself isolated (right).
With a RAW file imported, you’ll find a Reflections option in the Distraction Removal section of the Remove panel. After a few seconds of processing a reflection-free version of the image will be presented (hopefully!) along with a slider set to 100. Dragging the slider down to zero will restore the reflections, while dragging it to -100 will reveal only the reflected image.
At 18, India's Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest World Chess Champion ever
Dommaraju unseated China's Ding Liren to become the new world chess champion. "Every chess player wants to experience this moment, and very few get the chance," Dommaraju said after the match.
Americans are furious over health care. Is this an Occupy Wall Street moment?
The public outrage unleashed by the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO echoes the anti-banking fury after the financial crisis and comes as populist economic fatigue helped re-elect Donald Trump.
Ukraine Struggles to Keep the Power On Under Russian Bombardment
Russia continues to pound Ukraine with missile strikes, often targeting infrastructure like power plants. That has caused Ukrainians to endure power cuts even during the harsh winter. Our correspondent visits a power plant to see what it takes to keep the lights on in war.
Verizon is using 5G network slicing to offer better video calling — for a price
Remember your old friend 5G? | Image: The Verge
Verizon is making good on one of the many unfulfilled promises of 5G with a new service called Enhanced Video Calling.
According to the company’s website, it delivers “optimized video and sound quality on calling apps,” even in times of congestion. That may not sound exciting on its own. But under the hood, Verizon is using network slicing to boost video call performance, which is a new technology only possible on a standalone 5G network.
Unlike remote robot banana surgery, network slicing is a real benefit of 5G technology that we can reasonably expect to see in more places in the next few years. Slicing lets network operators provide the right resources for certain kinds of demanding activities where a strong connection is critical. Right now, that means boosting performance for video calls, but in the future it could mean being able to prioritize the data needed to safely guide an autonomous vehicle through an intersection.
The catch is that you need a standalone 5G network to pull this off, and much of the US’ 5G networks still operate on 4G cores. T-Mobile has been able to move quicker on this thanks to its Sprint acquisition, and it rolled out its first feature based on slicing this fall with a service that gives priority to first responders. Verizon has been testing slicing for the past year or so, but this is its first rollout of a consumer feature based on the technology.
In order to try Enhanced Video Calling out for yourself, you have to meet a specific set of requirements. It’s available in “more than 150 metro areas” right now, with more to be added in 2025. But you also need to be on Verizon’s priciest plan, Unlimited Ultimate, which costs $90 per month for one line with autopay. And you’ll need an iPhone 14 or newer running iOS 18.2. Samsung Galaxy S23 and newer and Pixel 9 phones will be compatible too, but support for Android video calling apps on Android is arriving in 2025.
If you meet the above prerequisites, you should see a setting in iOS that reads “Enhance 5G” if you go to Settings > Cellular, according to Apple’s documentation.
Trump invites China's Xi to next month's inauguration
President-elect Donald Trump is breaking with precedent in inviting a foreign head of state to his inauguration.
Toyota’s next EV is this small Urban Cruiser SUV for Europe
Toyota’s Urban Cruiser is a compact electric SUV coming to Europe. | Image: Toyota
Toyota revealed its latest all-electric vehicle today as the Urban Cruiser compact SUV. The EV, which will be fully revealed at the Brussels Motor Show next month, is intended for the European market, first coming to the UK in the third quarter of 2025.
Toyota says the wheelbase is only about 5 inches longer than the European-only Yaris Cross, making it another fun-sized electric EV slated for the continent like the recently revealed Ford Puma Gen-E or Hyundai Inster.
The Urban Cruiser has clear design inspiration from last year's Urban SUV concept. It also shares its new EV platform built in conjunction with Suzuki, which announced its made-in-India E Vitara SUV last month. Toyota’s other EV, the bZ4X, also shares its EV platform with another automaker, Subaru, which has the Solterra EV.
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Image: Toyota
Toyota Urban Cruiser features a side-by-side 10.25-inch cluster screen and a 10.1-inch infotainment system.
Toyota’s Urban Cruiser has nearly match-for-match specs as the E Vitara, including a relatively small 49 kWh battery with an FWD drivetrain and a 61 kWh battery with an option for AWD.
Toyota says power output can get as high as 135kW in the AWD version (with 40kW on the rear axel for “stable and secure performance on loose and slippery surfaces”) and up to 300 Nm of torque. While the official range is not announced, it’ll likely match the E Vitara’s expected 248 miles on a single charge.
Additionally, the Urban Cruiser has downhill assist and trail modes for added control, and the FWD model includes a snow mode. All models come with a heat pump and include the ability to manually start preconditioning the battery to prepare for a DC fast charging session.
Toyota has been slower in building and adopting EVs than other legacy manufacturers. The automaker has been focused on its outstanding hybrid technology as well as hydrogen vehicles.
But the automaker isn’t done with EVs — it’s planning to have 15 EVs, including six models on a next-gen shared platform by 2026, and it just invested nearly another $1 billion in Kentucky for a paint facility to prepare for a three-row electric SUV for the US.
Amazon’s Prime Video pushes ‘AI Topics’ instead of the old algorithms
Image: Amazon
Amazon is testing a new Prime Video feature that recommends groups of content using AI rather than traditional algorithms. If you’re part of the test, you’ll see new “AI Topics” tailored to your interests, like “mind-bending sci-fi,” “fantasy quests,” or “thrilling character journeys.”
Each category will have shows, movies, and linear channels that match these AI-generated labels. You can also continue refining recommendations further by selecting topics related to the category you’re looking at, which Amazon says allows you to “discover more content without hitting a dead end.”
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Image: Amazon
Streaming services like Netflix have long used machine learning algorithms to spit out recommendations based on viewing history. But with this announcement, it seems like Prime Video is putting an extra AI spin on things — which isn’t very surprising given the hype surrounding the tech and Amazon’s own efforts to portray itself as an AI leader. For now, Amazon says AI Topics are rolling out to “select” living room devices in the US, such as the Fire TV.
Last month, Prime Video also rolled out AI recaps you can use to summarize TV seasons, entire episodes, and even portions of episodes.
Meanwhile, in Seattle:
The reporting on this is wild. "Alarming message", "Raises questions about the motive", "Alarming trend", "How could this happen", "Shocking", "Which agency is responsible." Let us know when you figure that out, Deputy Barney.
Attachments:
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
sugar@goblin.camp ("Davey :sugar_approved:") wrote:
"welcome to our fender reveal party!"
"don't you mean-"
"no."
*guitars emerge from everywhere. there are no fireworks, only riffs. only chaos. there are no genders. only rock.*
FBI missed 'basic step' in its intelligence efforts ahead of Jan. 6 Capitol riot
The long-awaited report from DOJ Inspector General office comes nearly four years after a crowd of Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 to try to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election win.
Balatro Crosses Over With Shovel Knight, Warframe, And More In New Update
Balatro is about to have a big day, as the hugely popular roguelike card game is nominated in five different categories at tonight’s Game Awards. But that’s not all, as developer LocalThunk has announced a new collaboration update that brings cards based on eight different games to the fold. Not a bad reason to boot…
I reported an annoying cross-platform bug in the Patreon web site's CSS.
They fixed it! Yeah, I'm as shocked as you are.
But then they had to go and squander even that momentary goodwill by trying to shame me for using the latest Safari on the latest macOS, instead of a browser owned by the world's largest advertising-surveillance company.
Amongst the many, many, many reasons to despise Patreon, this is one of them.
https://jwz.org/b/ykee
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
ryan@hates.company ("ryan wolf") wrote:
pioneering a new ruder chess move called "en pissant"
Meta makes $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration
The Verge | Photo by Tom Williams via Getty Images
Meta has donated $1 million to president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, The Wall Street Journal reports. Zuckerberg’s team reportedly told Trump’s inaugural committee about Meta’s planned donation before Zuckerberg and Trump dined together at Mar-a-Lago in November.
Before the dinner, Zuckerberg showed off Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses and gifted a pair to Trump, according to the Journal. Zuckerberg’s advisers also met with incoming White House officials, including incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
The donation marks a significant shift for Zuckerberg, who has until recently shied away from politics. Zuckerberg called Trump to congratulate him on his election victory. But he didn’t publicly endorse a candidate in 2020 — and as Meta spokespeople have repeatedly emphasized, he also didn’t endorse anyone in 2024, despite Trump’s claims that Zuckerberg called him to say there’s “no way” he could vote for a Democrat after the attempt on Trump’s life at a Pennsylvania rally. (Zuckerberg also called Trump’s reaction to the shooting “badass.”) Still, Zuckerberg has made increasingly unsubtle overtures to Trump, who has threatened the Facebook founder over the years.
The dinner — and the donation — are signs that the notoriously rocky relationship between Zuckerberg and Trump is starting to soften. Trump has had it out for Zuckerberg since Facebook banned his account in the wake of the January 6th riots, and at one point said Zuckerberg should be jailed due to Facebook’s alleged interference in the 2020 election.