slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
I've been banging on for years about how the low-end of the mobile market has been just totally f'd in terms of the properties that make chips *actually* fast (process shrink + aggressive memory hierarchy optimisation; not core counts), and for this year's PIG post, I'm making EVEN MOAR CHARTS:
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- iPhones continue to run away with it in terms of single-core perf, although the latest Snapdragons and Dimensity chips are starting to make a dent at the very high end...but things are still dire at $350 and below (remote)
- Top-end Androids are nearly caught up on multi-core benchmark perf, but that doesn't help most workloads. (remote)
- Why? What changed? Well it sure as shit isn't CPU count. Every Android sold over the past 5 years has had 8 cores. (remote)
- What could it *possibly* be? Maybe it's Apple spending huge amounts both to secure smaller process nodes (next chart), but...mostly...actually spending money on cache! All these high-end Androids have been cheaping out on the the thing that will keep the beast fed, all while running interpreted or JIT'd runtimes that sorely need the help. What a debacle. (remote)
Announcing Rust 1.84.0
The Rust team is happy to announce a new version of Rust, 1.84.0. Rust is a programming language empowering everyone to build reliable and efficient software.
If you have a previous version of Rust installed via rustup, you can get 1.84.0 with:
$ rustup update stable
If you don't have it already, you can get rustup from the appropriate page on our website, and check out the detailed release notes for 1.84.0.
If you'd like to help us out by testing future releases, you might consider updating locally to use the beta channel (rustup default beta) or the nightly channel (rustup default nightly). Please report any bugs you might come across!
What's in 1.84.0 stable
Cargo considers Rust versions for dependency version selection
1.84.0 stabilizes the minimum supported Rust version (MSRV) aware resolver, which prefers dependency versions compatible with the project's declaredMSRV. With MSRV-aware version selection, the toil is reduced for maintainers to support older toolchains by not needing to manually select older versions for each dependency.
You can opt-in to the MSRV-aware resolver via .cargo/config.toml:
[resolver]
incompatible-rust-versions = "fallback"
Then when adding a dependency:
$ cargo add clap
Updating crates.io index
warning: ignoring clap@4.5.23 (which requires rustc 1.74) to maintain demo's rust-version of 1.60
Adding clap v4.0.32 to dependencies
Updating crates.io index
Locking 33 packages to latest Rust 1.60 compatible versions
Adding clap v4.0.32 (available: v4.5.23, requires Rust 1.74)
When verifying the latest dependencies in CI, you can override this:
$ CARGO_RESOLVER_INCOMPATIBLE_RUST_VERSIONS=allow cargo update
Updating crates.io index
Locking 12 packages to latest compatible versions
Updating clap v4.0.32 -> v4.5.23
You can also opt-in by setting package.resolver = "3" in the Cargo.toml manifest file though that will require raising your MSRV to 1.84. The new resolver will be enabled by default for projects using the 2024 edition (which will stabilize in 1.85).
This gives library authors more flexibility when deciding their policy on adopting new Rust toolchain features. Previously, a library adopting features from a new Rust toolchain would force downstream users of that library who have an older Rust version to either upgrade their toolchain or manually select an old version of the library compatible with their toolchain (and avoid running cargo update). Now, those users will be able to automatically use older library versions compatible with their older toolchain.
See the documentation for more considerations when deciding on an MSRV policy.
Migration to the new trait solver begins
The Rust compiler is in the process of moving to a new implementation for the trait solver. The next-generation trait solver is a reimplementation of a core component of Rust's type system. It is not only responsible for checking whether trait-bounds - e.g. Vec<T>: Clone - hold, but is also used by many other parts of the type system, such as normalization - figuring out the underlying type of <Vec<T> as IntoIterator>::Item - and equating types (checking whether T and U are the same).
In 1.84, the new solver is used for checking coherence of trait impls. At a high level, coherence is responsible for ensuring that there is at most one implementation of a trait for a given type while considering not yet written or visible code from other crates.
This stabilization fixes a few mostly theoretical correctness issues of the old implementation, resulting in potential "conflicting implementations of trait ..." errors that were not previously reported. We expect the affected patterns to be very rare based on evaluation of available code through Crater. The stabilization also improves our ability to prove that impls do not overlap, allowing more code to be written in some cases.
For more details, see a previous blog postand the stabilization report.
Strict provenance APIs
In Rust, pointers are not simply an "integer" or "address". For instance, a "use after free" is undefined behavior even if you "get lucky" and the freed memory gets reallocated before your read/write. As another example, writing through a pointer derived from an &i32 reference is undefined behavior, even if writing to the same address via a different pointer is legal. The underlying pattern here is that the way a pointer is computed matters, not just the address that results from this computation. For this reason, we say that pointers have provenance: to fully characterize pointer-related undefined behavior in Rust, we have to know not only the address the pointer points to, but also track which other pointer(s) it is "derived from".
Most of the time, programmers do not need to worry much about provenance, and it is very clear how a pointer got derived. However, when casting pointers to integers and back, the provenance of the resulting pointer is underspecified. With this release, Rust is adding a set of APIs that can in many cases replace the use of integer-pointer-casts, and therefore avoid the ambiguities inherent to such casts. In particular, the pattern of using the lowest bits of an aligned pointer to store extra information can now be implemented without ever casting a pointer to an integer or back. This makes the code easier to reason about, easier to analyze for the compiler, and also benefits tools likeMiri and architectures likeCHERI that aim to detect and diagnose pointer misuse.
For more details, see the standard library documentation on provenance.
Stabilized APIs
- Ipv6Addr::is_unique_local
- Ipv6Addr::is_unicast_link_local
- core::ptr::with_exposed_provenance
- core::ptr::with_exposed_provenance_mut
- ::addr
- ::expose_provenance
- ::with_addr
- ::map_addr
- ::isqrt
- ::checked_isqrt
- ::isqrt
- NonZero::isqrt
- core::ptr::without_provenance
- core::ptr::without_provenance_mut
- core::ptr::dangling
- core::ptr::dangling_mut
- Pin::as_deref_mut
These APIs are now stable in const contexts
- AtomicBool::from_ptr
- AtomicPtr::from_ptr
- AtomicU8::from_ptr
- AtomicU16::from_ptr
- AtomicU32::from_ptr
- AtomicU64::from_ptr
- AtomicUsize::from_ptr
- AtomicI8::from_ptr
- AtomicI16::from_ptr
- AtomicI32::from_ptr
- AtomicI64::from_ptr
- AtomicIsize::from_ptr
- ::is_null
- ::as_ref
- ::as_mut
- Pin::new
- Pin::new_unchecked
- Pin::get_ref
- Pin::into_ref
- Pin::get_mut
- Pin::get_unchecked_mut
- Pin::static_ref
- Pin::static_mut
Other changes
Check out everything that changed in Rust, Cargo, and Clippy.
Contributors to 1.84.0
Many people came together to create Rust 1.84.0. We couldn't have done it without all of you. Thanks!
GrimmReality@beige.party ("Grimm :bc:") wrote:
If you contribute to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, now would be a good time to stop fucking doing that.
https://mastodon.social/@eff/113789440544631242
blogdiva ("your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦") wrote:
so, am reading about the history of Warner Brothers Cartoons, and found out DUCK AMUCK was never nominated for an Oscar.
do you know what did get nominated in 1954 for an Oscar in short format animation? National Film Board of Canada’s short titled “The Romance of Transportation in Canada 🤨
if you have never watched one of the finest collaborations of cartooning powerhouse led by Chuck Jones, written by Michael Maltese, and voiced by Mel Blanc, here it is:
DUCK AMUCK
https://youtu.be/OnpWNL7XjXU
Microsoft teases ‘major’ Surface business announcement for January 30th
The Surface Laptop 7 with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processor. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Microsoft is preparing for a “major” Surface announcement later this month. The software giant has started teasing “a major announcement from Surface for Business” this week in a LinkedIn post spotted by Windows Central. The announcement will be made during Microsoft’s AI tour in New York City on January 30th.
Microsoft is rumored to be launching Intel-powered variants of its Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 devices soon, and a prototype of a Surface Laptop 7 with Intel’s Lunar Lake chips appeared on a Chinese second-hand marketplace in October. It’s likely that Microsoft will announce Lunar Lake versions of the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 that are designed for businesses.
The Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 both shipped with Intel’s Meteor Lake processors earlier in 2024, before Microsoft went on to launch refreshed Surface Copilot Plus devices with new designs and Qualcomm chips.
The Surface Laptop Studio is also due for an upgrade from the current model’s 13th Gen Intel chips, but that’s less of a business-focused device so it’s unlikely to be part of this event. There are also rumors of an 11-inch Surface Go / Surface Laptop Go hybrid device powered by a Snapdragon X Plus processor, but again that’s unlikely to be targeted to businesses.
We’ll be following Microsoft’s AI tour live later this month, so stay tuned for details on the Surface “major announcement.”
arrrg@kolektiva.social ("Charlie the Anti-Fascist Dog") wrote:
Please for the love of Jesus don't impact my favorite a-listers.
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hubba_hubba_revue ("Hubba Hubba Revue") wrote:
BEHOLD! The beautiful & bendy JOANNA ANIMAL, last week at Monday Night Hubba!
Join us every Monday night, upstairs at @dnalounge for the best in BURLESQUE & variety entertainment, from The Bay Area, across the country & around the world!
TICKETS for all Hubba Hubba Revue show at DNA Lounge are available thru our handy-dandy TICKET PORTAL!
https://www.dnalounge.com/tickets/hubbahubbarevue/
🍸 💓
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Haven't gotten to use the "killdozer" tag in a while.
https://jwz.org/b/ykf7
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xor@tech.intersects.art ("Parker Higgins") wrote:
I have a few takes about copyright and generative AI that I think would make feuding factions unite in being mad at me, and maybe I owe it to them to express these opinions
Fire hydrants ran dry in Pacific Palisades as a major wildfire raged
Janisse Quiñones, CEO of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said the fight to contain the flames has put immense strain on the system.
The best smart locks you can buy right now
Illustration: The Verge
Never get locked out again with a smart lock you can control from your phone, with your voice, or with just a touch of your finger.
Reblogged by isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:"):
kenSwinson@indieweb.social ("ken Tucky Swinson") wrote:
I'm super excited that Osa Atoe @potterybyosa just joined #Mastodon !!!!!
She's a well known and super talented #artist, teacher, activist and leader in the USA (and international) #pottery and #craft circles.
Having someone like her on Mastodon is a big deal.
She just joined and doesn't have many followers (yet), but hopefully you will give her a follow and boost her profile so that she feels welcome on this platform.
@potterybyosa
Welcome to Mastodon, Osa!!!
Attachments:
Reblogged by isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:"):
Buchhandlung_am_Bruehl ("Buchhandlung am Brühl") wrote:
We are a small independent bookshop in Chemnitz, Germany and were told that we have to do social media. We decided that if we had to do social media, then our first account would be with Mastodon. :) Hello Mastodon!
#books #EuropeanCapitalOfCulture #ecoc #chemnitz #booklove #ctheunseen #Bookstodon
ComicContext@mstdn.social ("Comics Outta Context") wrote:
Attachments:
- A crazed man with long white hair and a tight red sleeveless bodysuit with red boots has a white aura surrounding him. As he decks one of the members of the New Guardians, he says, “Challenge ACCEPTED! I am SNOWFLAME! Every cell of my being BURNS with white hot ecstasy. COCAINE is my God – – and I am the human INSTRUMENT of its will!“ “UHHHHH!” the Guardian grunts as he’s hit. (remote)
Tonal upgrades its smart weightlifting machine with heavier weights and a better camera
Image: Tonal
Tonal on Wednesday launched the Tonal 2, an upgraded version of its smart in-home strength trainer.
Launched in 2018, the Tonal is a wall-mounted strength training machine with electromagnetically adjustable resistance and a touchscreen display. It can monitor lifting form, offer virtual coaching,predict and set the optimal weight for each exercise, and responsively adjust as you lift for a personalized workout. The company also offers on-demand workouts.
Along with sporting a new all-black design and chrome accents, the Tonal 2 comes with a host of meaningful internal improvements, including a new adaptive weight system with up to 250 pounds of digital resistance, up from the 200 pounds in the original trainer.
The latest version of the trainer now offers drop sets via a software update also available on the Tonal 1, with the option toautomatically reduce weight during a set as muscle fatigue builds up. The Tonal 2 also comes with a new “Aero HIIT” mode, which lets you combine cardio and strength training into a single session.
Tonal also improved its optional Smart View feature, which uses cameras to watch your form and give real-time coaching cues. On the Tonal 1, Smart View required you to use your phone camera, and used the on-device camera for a second angle in some exercises; on the Tonal 2, it uses the built-in camera, with an option to use your smartphone for a second angle. The company says the camera also can now use AI to “analyze 500 data points per second.”
The Tonal 2 is available now, starting at $4,295, not including delivery and installation, plus a $495 “smart accessories bundle” that the company’s website says is “required to unlock the best Tonal experience.” It also requires a $60/month subscription, with a one-year commitment to start. Tonal noted on Instagram it will be introducing a trade-in program for existing Tonal 1 owners looking to upgrade, but didn’t give specifics. Tonal told The Verge the Tonal 2 can be mounted on the original Tonal’s existing wall mount for easier installation.
Is Democracy Holding Up in South Korea?
Authorities in South Korea are continuing to try to arrest impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, following his failed declaration of martial law over a month ago. As the country continues to be mired in political crisis, analyst are studying the health of the country's democracy. And as our correspondent in Seoul tells us, they're drawing comparisons to recent events in the U.S.
Disgraced Florida Man Eyes Governor’s Mansion
What’s next for disgraced former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)? Possibly a run for governor of the Sunshine State. In an interview he gave the Tampa Bay Times, published on Tuesday, Gaetz says he’s “starting to think about running for governor” in Florida next year. The state’s current Gov. Ron DeSantis is term-limited. Gaetz seems undeterred […]
Wildfires displace thousands and ravage greater Los Angeles
Extremely dry conditions coupled with high winds have led to an explosive wildfire situation in southern California. Multiple fires have erupted across the Los Angeles area since Tuesday. Tens of thousands of people have had to evacuate, and firefighters are struggling to contain the flames.Adria Kloke is one of the of people who has had to flee. She packed up her belongings, along with her cat, and left her home in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday. Kloke shares her story with NPR.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.orgEmail us at considerthis@npr.org
AGDQ’s best moments happen when you least expect them
Photo: Wes “Fish” Chan / Games Done Quick
Awesome Games Done Quick, the annual charity speedrunning marathon is in full swing, already amassing over $500,000 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. With three more days to go, there’s a great many runs of popular games coming up. But relying on the schedule or your own preferences to determine when to tune in is a surefire way to miss the best AGDQ has to offer.
Take today, for example. I’ve never played Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, but after watching the speedrun, I might have to. It’s a Batman-flavored beat-’em-up that bears precious little resemblance to the movie it’s based on. The runner, LRock617, chose to play as Robin and within moments of starting the game, I was hooked. The graphics were reminiscent of the early Mortal Kombat games, appropriate since it was published by Acclaim Entertainment. But there was a surreality to them that — when combined with Robin’s overpowered abilities (like one that has him essentially go Super Saiyan), the runner’s charisma in explaining what’s happening, and the audience getting in on the fun with funny donation messages — gave the run an absurd goofiness that was a sorely needed shot in the arm at 9AM on a Wednesday morning....
Gargron ("Eugen Rochko") wrote:
Wormsign.
📷 Pentax KX
🎞️ Ilford HP5+ @ 1600
🔭 Pentax M 50mm/1.7
🐱 Jiji
⚗️ Spieker Film Lab#BelieveInFilm #FilmPhotography #AnalogPhotography #BlackAndWhitePhotography #BlackAndWhite #MonochromePhotography #35mm #CatsOfMastodon
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Fallout Season 2 Filming Delayed By Massive LA Fires
Filming on the next season of Amazon and Bethesda’s popular Fallout TV show has been delayed due to the ongoing and massive fires near Los Angeles, California.
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
The default (and usually correct) answer for anything with an A77, A73, A55, or A53 core is "as little as the architecture will allow", but that's not the same thing as an accurate answer. It's really frustrating.
The best Android phones for everyone
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
Whether you want everything but the kitchen sink or top-tier performance for a midrange price, you’ve got options.
eniko@peoplemaking.games ("Eniko Fox") wrote:
Saw a post on bsky that bsky harbors transphobes, twitter is a nazi bar and meta is doing carve outs specifically so it's OK to harass queer people and lamenting "where are we supposed to go"
It's fedi. You're supposed to go to fedi. It's right here. I know it's full of smelly nerds* but you can either have a slick corporate interface with bigots or the Linux of social media without. Maybe it's time to put up with the smelly nerds and the jank
*bsky user words not mine
In D.C.'s bitter cold, a homeless shelter offers hot food and some hope
NPR visited a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C., to see how residents and staff are faring during a cold emergency. The shelter is busy year-round, though the frigid weather brings in more people.
How to get more movement into your screen-filled life. No gym required.
Research shows that 5-minute walking breaks every half hour offset the harm of too much sitting. But that is easier said than done. These 5 tips can help you maintain movement throughout your day.
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
Mediatek likely sold a LOT of Helio G99 chips in, e.g., the the Samsung Galaxy A24:
https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a24_4g-12176.php
Can anyone tell me what the sizes of the caches are? Lol, no:
https://www.mediatek.com/products/smartphones/mediatek-helio-g99
Is this the Nintendo Switch 2?
Nintendo isn’t officially at CES, but it might have stolen the show anyway: accessories-maker Genki brought a 3D-printed mockup of what it says is Nintendo’s Switch successor, and we got to hold it and take some high-resolution pictures.
Based on the mockup of what we’ll call the Switch 2, Nintendo’s next console appears to be wider than the original, with slightly larger Joy-Con controllers that seem like they’ll be more comfortable to hold. Compared to a Steam Deck OLED, the Switch 2 mockup still feels noticeably smaller, in part because the Joy-Cons are not as pronounced and ergonomic as the Deck’s grips. But the mockup still feels closer in size to Valve’s handheld than the original Switch.
As previous rumors have indicated, the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons will attach to the console via magnets instead of a sliding rail, Genki cofounder and CEO Eddie Tsai tells The Verge. To detach a Joy-Con from the Switch 2, you press a big button at the top of the backside of each controller, Tsai says, and that button apparently pushes out a pin that nudges against the chassis of the console, disconnecting the magnets.
You can remove the Joy-Cons with brute force if you really wanted to, according to Tsai, but he says, overall, they feel secure for regular use and that the big release button detaches the Joy-Cons with ease. Tsai declined to share where he’d learned details of the new console.
Tsai also tells The Verge that housed within the mounting channel of the Joy-Cons is an optical sensor, and by using another attachment the new Joy-Cons may offer mouse-like functionality. It sounds a bit like what Lenovo does with its Legion Go handheld.
Nintendo has promised that it will announce the Switch’s successor before April 2025, and as that deadline creeps closer, there have been waves of leaks and rumors about the new hardware. In December, YouTube channel SwitchUp posted a video showing a 3D-printed, non-functional Switch 2 mockup provided by a Chinese case manufacturer. That mockup basically looked like the current Switch but bigger, and it revealed a few other potential changes like a new USB-C port on the top of the device and a mysterious new square button under the Home button on the right Joy-Con.
Days later, accessories-maker Dbrand announced its “Killswitch 2” case, and CEO Adam Ijaz told The Verge that it was designed based on “actual dimensions” based on a “3D scan of the real hardware.” Ijaz also said that it was his “understanding” that the console’s Joy-Cons are magnetically attached. And Dbrand’s imagery showed that the new square button had a “C” printed on it, though Ijaz didn’t know what it was. Days after that, our colleague Sean Hollister spoke with a Redditor who shared apparent photos of the Switch 2’s dock and the inside of what appears to be a Switch 2 Joy-Con.
With that April 2025 deadline inching closer every day, it seems like it won’t be long until Nintendo officially, finally reveals the Switch 2. But until that happens, at least we have these pictures to look at.
Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
One incredibly dispiriting thing about the low-end is that most of the chips that make up the volume segment of the market are basically undocumented. No public product data sheets, and the coverage in Wikipedia is...perfunctory. *sigh*
What are the Santa Ana winds and how are they impacting the L.A. wildfires?
Although the Santa Anas are a routine part of life for people living in southern California, the winds are particularly violent and destructive this time around, experts say.
Absolute Unit Jack Reacher Encounters An Even Bigger Dude In Season 3
Reacher is a crime show about a big guy solving big mysteries, usually with his big muscles. It’s won hearts and minds thanks to remaining laser focused on this simple but laudable premise, and season 3 appears to be doubling-down on it in its new trailer as gentle giant Jack Reacher faces off against a dude who’s…
The OnePlus 13 is already on sale with a free storage upgrade and a smartwatch
The OnePlus 13 is an excellent alternative to phones from Samsung and Google. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 might be just around the corner, but if you’re looking for a solid Android alternative, OnePlus is already offering the new OnePlus 13 with a free storage upgrade, dropping the price of the 512GB model with 16GB of RAM to $899 ($100 off). It’s also throwing in a OnePlus Watch 2R (a $229.99 value) or a free pair of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 (normally $179.99) with each purchase. Amazon and Best Buy, meanwhile, are bundling it with a $100 gift card, though only the latter is doing so with the free storage upgrade.
The OnePlus 13 is a stunner of a phone, one that impressed us in a number of ways. It boasts a 6.82-inch 120Hz display and runs on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite, making it even faster than its predecessor. Its massive 6,000mAh battery also stands out amongst a sea of 5,000mAh Android phones, allowing you to use it for multiple days on a single charge. The triple-array camera — which consists of a 50-megapixel main shooter, an ultrawide, and a telephoto — is also on par with the best, letting you produce sharp photos in dim lighting.
Even more notable, though, is that the OnePlus 13 finally offers all the flagship features you’d expect from a phone at this price. That includes support from all three major US wireless carriers and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. OnePlus also promises four years of OS updates and six years of security support, rendering it a better investment than the company’s previous smartphones. Sure, the OnePlus ecosystem still isn’t as rich as that of Samsung or Google, but if that doesn’t bother you, it’s otherwise an excellent phone.
Read our OnePlus 13 review.
More deals and discounts of note
- The 2024 Asus Zenbook Duo ison sale for an all-time low of $1,499.99 ($200 off)at Best Buy with an Intel Core Ultra 9 H-series processor, 1TB of storage, and 32GB of memory. The Duo is a great option if you need a lot of screen real estate, as the laptop offers a pair of 14-inch 120Hz OLED screens, one of which is hidden beneath a trackpad and a removable full-size keyboard. The unique laptop also features a stylus and a solid port selection, including a pair of USB-C ports, an HDMI port, a USB-A port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Read our comparison with the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i.
- Costco members can buy thestainless steel Ember Mug 2 for $69.99 ($30 off) through January 10th (it’s also available to non-members who pay a $5 surcharge). The 14-ounce, app-controlled smart mug can keep your coffee or tea heated to your preferred temperature for up to 90 minutes using the built-in battery — or indefinitely when docked on the included charging coaster.
- The second-gen Bose Soundlink Flex is on sale at Amazon starting at $111.34 (about $38 off). The original model was one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers thanks to its travel-friendly size and detailed sound, which the latest model expands upon with support for AAC and aptX Bluetooth audio codecs. It also retains anIP67 rating for dust and water resistance — meaning it makes for a great pool companion — along with up to 12 hours of battery life.
Social networking alternatives for the Meta- and Musk-averse
Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge
As I write this, there are a lot of social network users who are wondering if they should look for a new home. Over at X, Elon Musk has essentially become part of the incoming Trump administration, while various changes have made the formerly popular social network a dark and forbidding forest for many of its former inhabitants.
Meanwhile, Meta’s announcement that it was abandoning third-party fact-checkers and moving its trust and safety teams from California to Texas is making some Facebook and Instagram members nervous. So nervous, in fact, that while we previously included Meta’s Threads social network in this article as a possible alternative to X, we’ve pulled it — at least for now.
So, if you’re no longer feeling safe at your current social network, where do you go?
We’ve been looking into the various possibilities and have put together what is admittedly an incomplete list of some of the current alternatives to X, Facebook, and Instagram that you may want to check out if you’re thinking about leaving your current hangout.
Probably nothing will become the combined news / gossip / conversation / spam source that Twitter once was, and it may be difficult to leave the kind...
Threads and Instagram are for politics now, says Adam Mosseri
Illustration: The Verge
It’s been nearly a year since Instagram and Threads defaulted to blocking recommendations of “political” content from accounts you don’t already follow, but now Instagram boss Adam Mosseri says, “...we’re going to be adding political content to recommendations” on both platforms.
That’s a sharp turn from his statements in 2023 laying out the goal of a “less angry place for conversations” that wouldn’t do anything to encourage politics or hard news. However, under Meta’s new approach to moderation — and new rules about what users can say on its platforms — that goal is going out the window just as the Trump administration prepares to take over.
Until now, users have had to opt-in to seeing recommendations of content deemed political, but the change rolling out this week in the US and to the rest of the world next week will turn on the recommendations and a content control setting available with options for less, standard (the default setting), and more.
In a series of Threads posts, Mosseri reiterated, “I’ve maintained very publicly and for a long time that it not our place to show people political content from accounts they don’t follow,” and that “it’s proven impractical to draw a red line around what is and is not political content.”
In a video on Instagram, he said that the push for political content — particularly from users on Threads — is “by the way, very different from the feedback we were getting only a few years ago about people feeling that they were overly exposed to political content on our platforms.” Of course, according to the Wall Street Journal, that was before Mark Zuckerberg experienced the effects of filters cutting down the reach of his post about recovering from a torn ACL and before Meta’s new and friendlier-to-Trump policy chief took over.
Wildfires Have Engulfed Los Angeles
Four large fires have burned over 15,000 acres in 24 hours in Los Angeles County, with wind gusts reaching hurricane-level strength in one of the region’s most destructive fires in history. Authorities warn that the severe winds are likely to intensify in the hours ahead. But as of this writing, 80,000 people are under mandatory […]
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
annaleen@wandering.shop ("Annalee Newitz 🍜") wrote:
Need some climate hope today? @Grist has just published stories from the 12 winners of the "Imagine 2200" climate fiction contest. I was a judge, w/Omar El Akkad, and we loved these brilliant stories from around the globe. They're full of memorable characters and inventive scenarios for humanity's long-term survival on a healthy planet. Free to read! Enjoy!
https://grist.org/imagine2200-climate-fiction-contest-2025/
Bluetti has two new flagship energy storage kits for the home and beyond
Two Apex 300 units with several expansion batteries. | Image: Bluetti
Bluetti just took the wraps off its EnergyPro 6K and Apex 300 energy storage systems. The EnergyPro 6K is a fixed whole-home backup solution, while the modular Apex 300 is designed to provide portable power when at home, at an off-grid cabin, at a job site, or during an RV trip. Both systems can scale in capacity and power to support your individual needs.
The launch is all part of Bluetti’s rebranding around three series of power solutions: EnergyPro products that require professional installation, Apex systems for advanced energy demands, and the smaller Elite lineup of portable power stations and solar generators for more casual use.
The Apex 300 features 3840W of max AC output and 3072Wh of LFP battery storage. It can be combined with the company’s B300K, B300, and B300S batteries, including future expansion batteries yet to be announced. The Apex 300 has an idle power draw of 20W, according to Bluetti, which is pretty efficient for such a large inverter that can simultaneously support both 120V and 240V loads.
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Image: Bluetti
The Bluetti Apex 300.
Multiple Apex 300 units can be linked in parallel to increase the maximum output to 11.52kW — enough to power just about any home device or EV. Storage capacity can be expanded to 58kWh with three units and 18 battery packs to keep an entire home running for a few days in the event of a blackout, or much longer if you’re only powering critical devices like the fridge, HVAC systems, and water pumps. It supports up to 30,720W of solar input and is expected to be available in April in the US.
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Image: Bluetti
Two worry-free owners of a pair of EnergyPro 6K units connected to an AT1 Smart Distribution Box.
Bluetti bills the EnergyPro 6K as “a reliable, affordable and cost-effective home energy solution ideal for small to medium-sized homes.” It can be configured with 5.8kW to 29kW of power output and between 7.68kWh and 38.4kWh of LFP battery storage. It’s designed to integrate seamlessly into existing rooftop solar systems. It can be paired with a Bluetti AT1 Smart Distribution Box to provide whole-home backup to critical circuits and automatic cutover to a standby generator when needed. Bluetti is also teasing an EnergyPro 13K system, offering 13.2kW to 39.6kW of output and between 9.6kWh and 57.6kWh of storage capacity. The company says that the EnergyPro 6K is expected to be released in Q2 of 2025.
No prices were given as part of today’s announcement, but you can expect both systems to start in the low thousands, or even tens of thousands if you’re looking at a fully specced installation.
Reblogged by rmrenner ("The Old Gay Gristle Fest"):
yassie_j@labyrinth.zone (":baba_yaseen: :agenderFlag: :transgenderFlag: ") wrote:
Our forebearers fought for the right to fly these flags, to have them accepted and seen as a symbol of our people. To reduce the transgender flag to “candy floss” is an insult and a mockery of the hard, tough work that our people have done. This theme has existed on Facebook for years and years and years. Suddenly, one president in one country changes and apparently it’s the rest of the world’s problem?
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
brucelawson@vivaldi.net ("Bruce Lawson ✅ (quiet time)") wrote:
As an antidote to all the horrible US Tech Bros in the news, what are some nice, encouraging stories about thoughtful/ slow/ kind/ humane tech catching on and doing well?
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
Researching 228 data points on 38 devices, plus reading dozens of market analyses for this year's Performance Inequality Gap post to try to make it clearer for the folks in the back why it is that their iPhones aren't the real world for most users.
I Really Hope This Lego PS2 Set Actually Happens
A realistic PlayStation 2 Lego set with moving parts is one of 50+ fan-created sets that could, maybe, one day be available on a store shelf near you. The catch is that Lego’s designers and team have to approve it. And I really, really hope they do.
A record 24 million people now get Obamacare health plans. Will it last under Trump?
Enrollment in Affordable Care Act health insurance plans has grown every year of the Biden administration, leading to a record high rate of people with insurance.
Marvel Rivals’ First Balance Patch Gives Hela A Slap On The Wrist
Part of the beauty of Marvel Rivals, NetEase’s hero shooter starring characters from the comic book company’s biggest properties, has been that it doesn’t feel like a super-polished, esports-aspiring competitive game, instead opting for dumb fun and overpowered kits. It’s refreshing after seeing Overwatch 2 sand off…
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
publicdomainrev ("The Public Domain Review") wrote:
🥁 Announcing the Public Domain Image Archive! 🥁
We are very excited to share our new sister-project, the Public Domain Image Archive (PDIA), a curated collection of more than 10,000 out-of-copyright historical images, all free to explore and reuse.
Our aim is to offer a platform that will serve both as a practical resource and a place to simply wander — an ever-growing portal to discover more than 2000 years of visual culture.
Start exploring here: https://pdimagearchive.org/ @pdimagearchive
Attachments:
George R.R. Martin Short Story Adaptation Looks Like AI Slop In First Trailer
In the Lost Lands is a story about a drifter fighting humans and demons to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s based on short story by Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin from long ago, and it’s directed by the eclectic Paul W. S. Anderson, the filmmaker behind such video game movies as Mortal Kombat, Res…
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
autumn@tech.lgbt ("Autumn Mahoney :sparkletrans:") wrote:
2025 music sketch #2
Attachments:
Steam Ate Microsoft's Lunch On PC, It's About To Do The Same On Handhelds
Valve’s handheld device, the Steam Deck, wasn’t the first portable gaming PC ever created, but it is by the far the most successful. And like Steam becoming the de facto way people play PC games in 2025, SteamOS will soon be the most popular way to play PC titles on the go, which is not great for Microsoft.
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
Preparing for the fin de siécle with the appropriate level of despair.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/08/mano-has-posted-the-right-take/
Attachments:
Gargron ("Eugen Rochko") wrote:
The moderation policy changes at Meta are deeply troubling and should be a concern to anyone with a conscience. While the fediverse is a decentralized platform where different service providers have different moderation policies, at mastodon.social, hate speech is prohibited, and we will take action on any Threads account found violating our policies. I would strongly urge anyone with a Threads account to reconsider their alignment with the new direction at Meta and move to Mastodon instead.
Girl Scouts are retiring two cookie flavors (don't worry, your Thin Mints are safe)
2025 will be the last time you can buy Girl Scout S'mores and Toast-Yay! cookies. They join the ranks of many other discontinued flavors — RIP Mango Cremes with Nutrifusion and cheesy Golden Yangles.
Here’s how small Nvidia’s $3,000 Digits supercomputer looks in person
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
One of the biggest announcements in Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s CES keynote was the small “Project Digits” AI supercomputer, and if you want to get an idea of just how tiny the $3,000 machine is in real life, we snapped a couple photos of the device under glass today at the show.
Take a look: we’ve captured the front of a Digits computer in the photo at the top of this post, and below this paragraph is a photo of the back featuring the computer’s ports. I really like the textured design.
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Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
The Digits computers will come with Nvidia’s GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, which offers “a petaflop of AI computing performance for prototyping, fine-tuning and running large AI models,” according to Nvidia’s press release. It also includes a GPU built with Nvidia’s Blackwell architecture, 128GB of unified memory, and up to 4TB of NVMe SSD storage.
This isn’t a computer for most people; Nvidia says that Project Digits is intended to provide “AI researchers, data scientists and students worldwide with access to the power of the NVIDIA Grace Blackwell platform.” It definitely isn’t something I will ever buy.
But it is impressively tiny given its capabilities — small computers have been on a tear lately!
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
eleventy@fosstodon.org ("Eleventy 🎈 v3.0.0") wrote:
🖼️ Eleventy Image v6.0.0 has just shipped and it’s a big one!
1️⃣ Better p3 color support
2️⃣ Native `fetch()`
3️⃣ `transform` hooks for advanced `sharp` usage
4️⃣ sizes="auto"…and many more features and bug fixes!
Full release notes: https://github.com/11ty/eleventy-img/releases/tag/v6.0.0
New, simplified docs: https://www.11ty.dev/docs/plugins/image/
The fallout of Meta’s content moderation overhaul
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images
Meta is ending its third-party fact checks and making sweeping changes to its content moderation policies.
Meta is making sweeping changes to its content moderation policies, including abandoning third-party fact checks in favor of crowd-sourced “Community Notes” and loosening restrictions on topics like immigration and gender identity. Under the updated Hateful Conduct policy, for example, calling gay and trans people “mentally ill” is now allowed, while an explicit ban on referring to women as “household objects” has been removed.
New policy lead Joel Kaplan said that in pursuit of “More Speech and Fewer Mistakes,” Meta will focus more on preventing over-enforcement of its content policies and less on mediating potentially harmful but technically legal discussions on its platform.
It comes just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement appealed to many of the incoming administration’s talking points. Zuckerberg has promised to move US content review from California to Texas, where he says there’s “less concern about the bias of our teams,” and said Meta would work with Trump to “push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies and pushing to censor more.”
Here's where things stand for several major landmarks in the Los Angeles fires
The fires raging across Los Angeles are putting some cultural institutions in danger.
Attachments:
Astro Bot: How To Snag The Net Profit Trophy
Astro Bot is a gorgeous and thrilling platforming adventure for all ages, and most of the experience is fairly easy. However, if you decide to go for its platinum trophy, you’ll need to put in a bit of extra work completing some difficult challenges and performing a handful of optional tasks.
'Raining ash': Residents share how they fled the Southern California wildfires
Tens of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate amid the uncontained wildfires. NPR member station LAist spoke to members of the community about how they have been affected.
The Southern California wildfires through the eyes of the community
Destructive winds not seen for more than a decade are fanning multiple fires across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate, schools across the area are closed, and power lines have been shut off in parts of the region to protect against further ignitions.
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
n1xnx@tilde.zone ("Steve Hersey") wrote:
@GottaLaff
Now that I've read the DOJ brief, it's even more obvious that this is the maximum possible win. (I should have read the brief first thing. The rest of you galoots should read it, too. Link: https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dojopposition.pdf)The DOJ plans to release Volume One of the SC report, on the election interference case. That's massive.
But it is not releasing Volume 2, which relates to presently pending litigation against Nauta et al. Well, duhhh. *Of course* they don't want to prejudice pending litigation. This is simply proper procedure.
You there in the back, with the grumpy expression and hand raised? No, I'm not thrilled either that Trump evades prosecution for that stuff. A few million fools voted that situation into existence, though, so we're stuck with it. Thank you for attending my Ted talk.
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
triptych@social.lol ("Andrew Wooldridge 👨💻") wrote:
Count on at least once a week for the next 4 years hearing something that makes you say "oh man, I didn't think it would go this low"
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
Grey Winter Mood
Gray skies loom above,
Whispers of the cold wind call,
Heart seeks warmth, a smile.
Troubled Transformers Game Finally Canceled Amid Cuts At Studio Behind Gears Tactics
Transformers: Reactivate was first teased back at The Game Awards 2022, in a short 60-second trailer set to Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Just a little over two years later, developers Splash Damage announced the online multiplayer game based on the hit sci-fi action figures is not wanted after all, at least not…
MastodonEngineering ("Mastodon Engineering") wrote:
New year, new role @Mastodon!
Our core team is looking for a senior Front-end Developer to elevate the web UI/UX experience for our users.
Ideally:
1. You are highly skilled in accessible and semantic #HTML
2. Proficient in modern #CSS
3. Experienced with #Javascript, #Typescript and complex React/Redux applicationsThis remote full-time position requires a 4-hour overlap with the CET timezone.
For more info/to apply:
https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/mastodon/6a0953c4-812b-4697-b5b3-ea0a2ae402c0
If The Switch 2 Is Just A Better Switch, I'll Be A Bit Disappointed
As the onslaught of Switch 2 leaks continues, and most especially the very convincing appearance of what are likely to be the new console’s Joy-Cons, a weird sense hit me: I’m a bit disappointed. I love the Switch, I think it’s a wonderful piece of tech, and I would really love to have an upgraded version of it that’s…
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
camille@praxis.nyc ("Camille lives at Praxis Now") wrote:
In the rhetoric of armed conflicts, the following claims keep showing up:
📢 “Our country was attacked; we had no choice but to retaliate.”
📢“We are defending civilization against barbarism.” 📢 “The loss of civilian lives is tragic, but our military does not intentionally target civilians.” 📢 “Civilians aren’t innocent; after all, they had voted for their government"Frustrated? Confused? Join the Critical Thinking for Violent Times course here - https://www.humanitiesnd.org/event-details/critical-thinking-for-violent-times-with-ahmed-afzaal
Starts Feb 5th!
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
So sleek, so plump, so shiny.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/08/stunningly-beautiful/
Attachments:
A Surprising Piece Of Sonic 3 Merch Is Selling For Hundreds Of Dollars
When I walked into a Build-a-Bear Workshop last month and they were completely sold out of their Shadow the Hedgehog bears to stuff and dress to your liking, I don’t think I expected it to be a harbinger for a plague of scalpers taking advantage of the Sonic the Hedgehog community. But it turns out that is exactly…
Justice Department wants to release only part of its report on Trump cases
Prosecutors dropped the two criminal cases against Trump after he won the 2024 election, and the final report by Smith may be the last chance for prosecutors to explain their decisions.
Can Nvidia’s RTX 5070 really deliver RTX 4090 performance for $549?
Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP via Getty Images
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made a bold claim onstage at CES earlier this week when he was introducing the next-generation RTX 50-series GPUs. “The RTX 5070, 4090 performance at $549,” said Huang. It’s a claim that’s been echoed on YouTube, TikTok, and social media networks and has generated a debate over the RTX 50 series and DLSS 4’s Multi Frame Generation.
So, can a $549 RTX 5070 really deliver the same level of performance as a $1,5999 RTX 4090? The answer is yes and no, and it all comes down to a “fake frames” argument about DLSS Frame Generation that might not even be a big problem for a lot of PC gamers.
Nvidia’s big RTX 5070 claim is all based on its latest generation of DLSS. “Impossible without artificial intelligence,” admits Huang after promising that the RTX 5070 can deliver RTX 4090 levels of performance. DLSS 4 has a new Multi Frame Generation technique that can generate up to three additional frames per every traditionally rendered frame.
Some PC gamers have long argued that this technique, which Nvidia introduced originally with DLSS 3, is simply “fake frames” and not reflective of the true rasterization performance of GPUs that we’ve been used to for decades.
“...
Omi is another AI companion wearable — but this one’s trying to read your mind
Seriously: would you wear something like this on your face if it could really read your mind? | Image: Omi
Nik Shevchenko closes his eyes and starts to focus intently. He’s spent the last half hour or so telling me about his new product, an $89 wearable called Omi that can listen to, summarize, and get information out of your conversations. Now he wants to show me the future. So his eyes are closed, and he’s focusing all his attention on the round white puck stuck to his left temple with medical tape. (Did I mention he’s had this thing on his face the whole time? It’s very distracting.)
“Hey, what do you think about The Verge, like as a news media website?” Shevchenko asks, to no one in particular. Then he waits. Fifteen or so seconds later, a notification pops up on his phone, with some AI-generated information about how reputable and terrific a news source The Verge is. Shevchenko is thrilled, and maybe a little relieved. The device read his brain waves to understand he was talking to it, and not to me, and answered his question without any prompting or switching.
So far, that’s all the brain-computer-interface stuff Omi can do. And it seems pretty fragile. “It just understands one channel,” he says, “it’s one electrode.” What he’s trying to build is a device that understands when you’re talking to it and when you’re not. And then eventually understands and saves your thoughts, which Shevchenko both waves off as total science fiction and says will probably be possible in two years. Whenever it happens, he thinks it might change the way you use your AI devices.
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Image: Omi
This is the (more normal) way most people will wear devices like Omi.
For now, the Omi’s actual purpose is much simpler: it’s an always-listening device (the battery apparently lasts three days on a charge) that you wear on a lanyard around your neck that can help you make sense of your day-to-day life. There’s no wake word, but you can still talk to it directly because it’s always on. Think of it as 80 percent companion and 20 percent Alexa assistant.
Omi can summarize a meeting or conversation and give you action items. It can give you information — Shevchenko offhandedly wondered about the price of Bitcoin during our conversation and got a notification from the Omi companion app a few seconds later with the answer. There’s also an Omi app store, which developers are already using to plug the audio input into things like Zapier and Google Drive.
For Shevchenko himself, though, Omi is a personal mentor above all else. “I was born in the middle of nowhere on an island near Japan,” he tells me, and always wanted access to the tech visionaries he grew up admiring. For years, he says he cold-emailed people like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk asking for advice and mentorship on how to make it in tech but never got much response. With no real-life options, Shevchenko decided to build his own.
Omi already has a product called “Personas,” which allows you to plug in anyone’s X handle and create a bot that assumes their social network persona. When Shevchenko shares his screen with me, it shows he’s been chatting with an AI Elon Musk for a long time. “It helps me to understand what I should be working on tomorrow,” Shevchenko says. “Or when I’m talking to someone and I don’t know an answer to the question, it will give me a small nudge — it sometimes tells me I’m wrong!” His wearable heard him say he was sick a few days ago and has been reminding him ever since to get more rest. He asks it every month to give him feedback and tell him how to do better.
He gets a lot of notifications from the Omi app, including during our call, and not all of them make much sense — one was just a transcription of a sentence he’d said a minute earlier. Shevchenko acknowledges it’s early, but he doesn’t seem bothered by the system’s misses. The communication works for him.
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Image: Omi
Omi’s tech is actually pretty simple — it’s mostly just a microphone. The AI is the trick.
Most people won’t use Omi this way, though. The product will ship widely in the second quarter of this year, but Shevchenko says the 5,000 people with an early version of the device are using it to help remember things, look up information, and perform other tasks common to AI assistants.
In that sense, Omi has a lot in common with devices like the Limitless Pendant and bears a striking resemblance to another wearable called Friend. When Friend launched last year, Shevchenko claimed Friend CEO Avi Schiffmann was stealing his work, and the subsequent beef included everything from sniping on X to a freestyle rap diss track. Omi was actually called Friend for a while, and Shevchenko says he changed the name both to avoid confusion and because Schiffmann dropped $1.8 million on Friend.com and subsequently dominated search results.
Shevchenko is confident that Omi can improve on those other devices. All of Omi’s code is open source, and there are already 250 apps in the store. Omi’s plan is to be a big, broad platform, rather than a specific device or app — the device itself is only one piece of the puzzle. The company is using models from OpenAI and Meta to power Omi, so it can iterate more quickly on the product itself.
For all their issues and underlying concerns, it’s clear that AI models are already good enough to feel like a true companion to millions of people. You can feel about that however you’d like, but from Omi and Friend to Character.AI and Replika, bot friends are quickly becoming real friends. What they need, then, is both more information about you and more ways to help you. Omi thinks the first answer is an always-on microphone, and the second is an app store. Then, I guess, comes the brain.
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
Lovely start to the new year, but whatever, just the way the world’s going. Not like I could run it for ever, so fine, let’s sadly end it now: https://traintimes.org.uk/map/tube/
You can get a $50 credit when you preorder the next Samsung Galaxy devices
Samsung announced its first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2025, which it’s historically used to introduce the latest flagship Galaxy smartphones. That would be the Galaxy S25 family if our count is right, including the base model, the expected Galaxy S25 Ultra, and whatever else falls between. We’ll know for sure before too long with an unveiling scheduled for January 22nd.
But before the company even confirms what we’re getting, you can already place a reservation to preorder the device. If you sign up at Samsung’s website or the Shop Samsung app by January 22nd at 1 PM ET (which only entails submitting your name and email address) and later place your pre-order, you’ll get a $50 credit that’s good toward any additional devices or accessories you’re purchasing alongside it. That sadly means you can’t use the $50 toward the device itself. The fine print also mentions that you can get a $100 credit toward your pre-order of a qualifying 2025 TV (perhaps some of the models it announced at CES) or audio device using the same email address, hinting that we may see more than just smartphones at the event.
As for what to expect from the Galaxy S25 family, they could be some of the first “Qi2 Ready” devices, which would mean they’ll support the wireless charging standard, but require cases to use them with magnetic Qi2 chargers. A recent video leak suggests the Galaxy S25 Ultra may get a slight redesign with a curvier chassis. We may even get a Galaxy S25 “Slim” to turn the de facto trio of flagships into a quartet.
And we didn’t need to see the letters “AI” in Samsung’s teaser to know that would be a central selling point for its latest devices. We’ve already seen Galaxy AI deployed in several of its devices over the last couple of years, which includes features like Circle to Search, computational photography and video tricks with generative photo manipulation, summarized notes and transcriptions, and live translations. Samsung will presumably continue building that experience out as part of One UI 7.
Mythic Quest is working through its AI woes in new season 4 trailer
Mythic Quest’s third season ended on a hopeful note as the Playpen team hunkered down to start developing an all-new expansion, but all that hard work looks like it’s just going to lead to more headaches judging from the show’s latest season 4 trailer.
While Mythic Quest’s new season will find Dana (Imani Hakim), Jo (Jessie Ennis), and Brad (Dani Pudi) basking in the success of their Cozy Galaxy project, things are going to be a bit tougher for Ian (Rob McElhenney) and Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) as they try to figure out how keep players coming back to Playpen. In the trailer, David (David Hornsby) says that he wants the pair to take their time to come up with some genuinely good ideas. But it’s clear that he really wants those solutions quickly, which feels like part of why one of Ian’s first moves is to incorporate an AI duplicate of himself into his workflow.
Poppy’s idea to let Playpen players create their own in-game content seems a bit more on the level and like something that might actually get people logging on regularly. But of course, the first thing players want to do with the features is find ways to make their characters pantomime sex, which is exactly the sort of thing that gets Congress wondering who the game is actually for. No one actually says “Roblox” in the trailer, but it’s obvious that Mythic Quest’s writers room has been reading the news and getting the sense that something smells a bit off about games with these kinds of business models. Which is probably why the show won’t pull any punches when it returns on January 29th (and its spin-off debuts on March 26th).
Meta tests eBay listings in Facebook Marketplace
Illustration: Nick Barclay / The Verge
Meta is testing eBay listings on Facebook Marketplace in the US, Germany, and France. The company said in a post on Wednesday that it’s making the change to comply with last year’s antitrust order by the European Union, though it continues to appeal the decision.
With the test, Facebook Marketplace users can browse eBay listings on Facebook Marketplace and then check out on eBay. Meta said it could “benefit” both platforms, as it exposes eBay sellers to Facebook’s audience, while giving Marketplace users access to “a broader array of listings from the eBay community.” The news was reported earlier by Bloomberg.
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Image: Meta
“It’s a small test for now, so not all people will see it, but we hope to expand soon,” Meta spokesperson Jocelyn Jones said in an emailed statement to The Verge. Facebook Marketplace users will see both local eBay listings and items that can be shipped, according to eBay’s FAQ.
Last year, the EU fined Meta $840 million over claims it forcibly exposed Facebook users to Marketplace by linking its selling and social platforms. It also accused Meta of imposing “unfair trading conditions” on rival classified ads services to benefit Marketplace, and ordered Meta to stop engaging in this allegedly illegal behavior. At the time, Meta said it would work on a solution while appealing the fine, saying that the EU’s decision relies “on a hypothetical potential to harm competition.”
Update, January 8th: Added a statement and more information from Meta.
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
fraying@xoxo.zone ("Derek Powazek 🐐") wrote:
Now that's a good headline.
"Zuckerberg Announces New Measures to Increase Hate Speech on Facebook"
https://futurism.com/zuckerberg-meta-announcement-hate-speech
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
TIL that Geekbench now excludes a whole swath of Samsung and Huawei devices from their leaderboards for cheating:
AT&T will credit you for a day’s service after some fiber or wireless outages
Illustration: The Verge
AT&T has announced a new “AT&T Guarantee” program promising better communication around outages and compensation that includes bill credits for a day’s service when the outage meets certain thresholds, reports Reuters. The new automatic-credit program covers both AT&T fiber and wireless services.
AT&T promises to email or text customers when there’s an outage and credit them for a full day’s worth of service if the outage meets its criteria. Those include fiber outages lasting at least 20 minutes and “wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers.”
AT&T also says it will issue reward cards worth at least $5 for certain tech support issues like long wait times or failed callbacks.
The company excludes any of these events if they resulted from bad weather, natural disasters, and other events out of its control, according to small print.
Last year, AT&T had multiple outages, including a massive 12-hour one in February last year that the FCC found had cut off 5G and voice for 125 million devices in all 50 states.
This Astro Bot Trophy Is A Treat For The Ears
Astro Bot is a charming and lighthearted platforming romp that is all but certain to keep a smile on your face from beginning to end. And if you love the game as much as many folks do (it did win Game of the Year at the Game Awards last year, after all), you’ll likely have your eye on its platinum trophy, meaning…
Monster Hunter Wilds Announces More Free Beta Weekends But They Won't Include Needed Changes
Capcom just announced another Monster Hunter Wilds open beta test next month, giving players a few more chances to checkout the multiplayer action-RPG for free ahead of its February 28 release date.
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
All of Ken Ham's arguments against giving Bill Nye the Medal of Freedom reinforce why he deserved it.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/08/ken-ham-is-greatly-annoyed/
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
pluralistic@mamot.fr ("Cory Doctorow") wrote:
This week on the excellent Trashfuture podcast, the regulars - joined by 404 Media's Jason Koebler - have a hilarious - wheezing with laughter! - riff on this year's CES, where companies are demoing home appliances with LLMs built in:
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-hgi6c-179b908
Why would you need a chatbot in your dishwasher? As it turns out, there's a credulous, Poe's-law-grade *Forbes* article that lays out the (incredibly stupid) case for this (incredibly stupid) idea:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2024/03/29/generative-ai-is-coming-to-your-home-appliances/
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The weirdest tech at CES 2025
Image: Yukai Engineering
CES is home to some of the coolest, cutting-edge, and most innovative technology around. But within this sea of tech are always some pretty strange gadgets. This year’s conference was no different, packed with a whole bunch of wacky devices, some of which might have a chance of taking off, and others... maybe not so much.
Here’s a roundup of all the weird tech we spotted on the CES show floor and beyond.
1. Mirumi, the shy sloth-like robot
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Image: Yukai Engineering
Mirumi is a furry little robot that latches onto your purse or backpack strap. It turns its head to look curiously around the room using built-in sensors. But much like an infant, Mirumi is designed to be a bit shy, so it might bury its face if it’s touched or approached by strangers. The company behind Mirumi, Yukai Engineering, plans to launch the bot through a crowdfunding campaign this year with an expected price of $70.
2. A phone battery charger that resembles a toaster
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Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
No, my colleague Allison Johnson isn’t sticking her phone in a toaster — that white box is actually a charging hub made by Swippitt. It’s designed to power up a series of external batteries that go into Swippitt’s Link phone case, giving your device a little extra charge. When your battery is on the verge of dying, insert your phone into the hub, and it will automatically swap out the external battery for one that’s fully charged, no cords or wireless charging stations needed.
3. This retractable keyboard
I never even thought I needed a keyboard that retracts to reveal a trackpad and number pad, and after seeing my colleague Sean Hollister use it... I still don’t think I need it. The AutoKeybo uses a built-in camera to detect the position of your hands and will automatically switch between setups when you raise them slightly. It’s supposed to help you “boost productivity” by saving you from moving your hands between your mouse and keyboard, and it comes with a pretty hefty $700 price tag.
4. An even more portable LG StanbyME display
LG is back with a second version of its portable StanbyME monitor. But this time, you can add a shoulder strap to the 27-inch monitor, letting you haul it around while on the go (or hang it up in a room). There’s even a new folio case that makes it look like an absurdly large tablet. Aside from the new accessories, the StanbyME comes with other upgrades over its predecessor, including a higher 1440p resolution, a longer four-hour battery life, and two USB-C ports.
5. SwitchBot’s modular, multitasking robot
SwitchBot made a modular robot capable of completing many different types of chores. Built on a version of SwitchBot’s mini robot vacuum, the Multitasking Household Robot K20 Plus Pro comes with a wheeled “FusionPlatform” that you can equip with various devices, like the company’s air purifier, fan, security camera, and more, allowing it to roll around your house while completing all kinds of tasks. It will be able to do even more in the future with the in-development robotic arms you can see in the video above.
6. An 18-karat gold smart ring
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Image: Ultrahuman
Forget your traditional engagement ring. What about presenting your partner with an 18-karat gold smart ring? Well, Ultrahuman made just that, with its “artisanal” Rare ring, costing $1,900 in gold (or $2,200 in platinum). Aside from full access to all of Ultrahuman’s features and lifetime membership to its warranty program, this device has the same specs as the far cheaper $349 Ultrahuman Ring Air — just in a far more expensive package.
7. LG’s air purifier your cat can sit on
The LG AeroCatTower is exactly what it sounds like: an air purifier that doubles as a cat tree. In addition to providing a heated spot for your feline friend, it filters out pet dander and even weighs your cat, too. The AeroCatTower connects to the LG ThinQ app, where you can see information about your cat’s weight and track how long your cat was asleep.
8. The “world’s first wearable solar panel”
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Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
This jacket from Anker is still just a concept for now, but it gives off real Cyberpunk 2077 vibes with its LED light strips and perovskite solar cells wrapped around the outside of the cloak. It offers a 30W maximum input, along with a USB-C output you can use to charge your phone.
9. LG’s indoor gardening side table
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Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Like LG’s AeroCatTower, the company’s latest take on indoor gardening combines multiple functions in a single package. The device looks similar to your typical side table, but it features a lamp you can grow plants beneath. It also automatically waters your plants using its built-in tank and has a built-in speaker. LG made a taller, lamp-style garden as well.
10. Encapsulated anime girls that talk to you
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Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
This is exactly what it looks like: a pod containing 3D models of dancing anime girls. But it doesn’t have to house anime girls; you can upload any character to Character Livehouse’s 1200p display, and it will use AI to interact with you. The capsule comes equipped with cameras and microphones with sound recognition, allowing the character to detect your presence. Code 27, the company behind Character Livehouse, says the model can cheer you on in games and even “gently” wake you up. It’s headed to Kickstarter soon with a price range of $400 to $500.
EU races to conclude investigation into X’s content moderation efforts
Image: The Verge
The European Union is reportedly close to deciding whether X’s attempts to combat illegal or harmful content are compliant with the bloc’s digital service rulebook. A probe into X’s risk management and content moderation will be concluded “as early as legally possible,” according to a letter to EU lawmakers seen by Bloomberg. It comes a day after Meta announced sweeping moderation changes on its own platforms inspired by X.
In the letter, the EU’s justice chief Michael McGrath and tech policy leader Henna Virkkunen vowed to “energetically” push the investigation forward. Bloomberg reports that the letter was prompted by a complaint from center-right German lawmakers over concerns regarding Elon Musk’s promotion of Germany’s far-right party leader on X.
The probe was launched under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA) in December 2023, with a focus on “the dissemination of illegal content in the context of Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel,” and how effective X’s Community Notes system is at tackling information manipulation. Additionally, the same investigation yielded preliminary findings that found X to be in breach of DSA regarding advertising transparency, dark patterns, and its “blue check” user verification system. Platforms deemed to have breached the DSA risk fines of up to six percent of their global yearly revenue.
Since purchasing X (previously known as Twitter) in 2022, Elon Musk has transformed its verification system into a subscription service and cut back its trust and safety team to focus on community-driven moderation. The EU criticized X over rising levels of disinformation on the platform, something that Musk himself actively engaged in promoting, following these changes. More recently, Musk has landed himself a position on President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, which has issued threats over perceived biases in moderation.
US tech giants are already heeding to Republicans’ complaints regarding online speech rules. Yesterday, Meta announced it was inspired by X to scrap its third-party fact-checkers in favor of implementing its own Community Notes program, alongside removing restrictions around topics like immigration and gender identity. While these changes will initially be rolled out in the US, both Meta and X operate on a global stage — and the eyes of EU regulators are ever watchful.
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Google Home hubs can now work locally thanks to Matter
Google Home hubs get a big upgrade. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
One of the key changes Matter is bringing to the smart home is a standardized way to enable local control of smart devices. This means your light bulb doesn’t have to talk to the cloud when you ask your voice assistant to turn it off. While some smart home ecosystems already offer local control, Matter should make implementing it easier for every smart home platform.
This week, Google announced it has added full local control of Matter devices to its Google Home hubs by integrating Home Runtime. Now, Google Nest hubs and speakers, Chromecasts, Google TV devices on Android 14, and some LG TVs can connect to and control Matter devices locally.
“This means when a user who has a hub for Google Home device (at home) is viewing or controlling their Matter devices (at home), they can do so with higher reliability, privacy, and lower latency,” Jeannie Zhang, product manager for Google Home, told The Verge.
If the internet is down, Google Assistant should still be able to turn on the lights
This is a significant change for the platform, which has historically relied on cloud connectivity for device control. Now, if the internet is down and you ask Google Assistant to turn on the lights, it should actually be able to follow through.
Google also shared details on its recent efforts to help developers make more products that work with Matter. These include working with the Connectivity Standards Alliance to make certifying Matter devices easier and partnering with MediaTek to build a new chipthat includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and Thread. This should make it “easier and more affordable for device OEMs to build Thread into all their new products,” Google Home senior engineering director Matt Van Der Staay writes.
Finally, Google is opening its Home APIs to all developers. This allows developers to integrate Google Home devices and automations into their own apps, allowing them to focus their resources on building devices rather than integrations.
Google announced the Home APIs at I/O, but they weren’t available to all developers. The program had been in an early access phase with companies such as Eve, Nanoleaf, LG, ADT, Cync, Yale, and Aqara. Now, any company can access the Android version of the Home APIs in public developer beta, with the iOS version coming soon. Google says the Home APIs consist of:
Device and Structure APIs: With one single integration, get access to over 600M devices already connected to Google Home and a single unified interface to manage and control both cloud-connected and Matter devices across Google Home, enabling local control, broad device reach, and support for Matter custom clusters.
Commissioning API: Simplifies device set up with Fast Pair on 3 billion Android devices, commission Matter devices directly within your app, enabling seamless onboarding, voice control via Google Assistant, and compatibility with the Google Home ecosystem.
Automation API: Empower your users with all the tools needed to create and manage home automations directly in your app, leveraging extensive signals, commands, and Google specific AI-driven capabilities for personalized and intelligent home experiences.
Essentially, all of this allows developers to use the Google Home platform to power their app’s automations and integrations with other devices. While this can significantly speed up development — it helped Eve finally launch an app for Android — the downside is if Google ever pulled the API access (as it did when it shut down its Works with Nest program), developers would be left high and dry.
However, despite its history here, the likelihood of that happening seems slim. From what I’ve seen, the company does seem to be taking a more thoughtful, thorough approach to the smart home.
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
After hearing the man-child's ramblings, I had to look up the 25th Amendment. It offers no comfort.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/08/the-25th-amendment-wont-save-us-now/
Attachments:
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Samsung is rolling out a smartphone subscription next month
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
It looks like Samsung is finally ready to roll out a paid subscription for its AI-powered smartphones, but it might not look like what we were expecting.
According to ETNews, Samsung Electronics vice chair Han Jong-hee has confirmed that the company’s AI Subscription Club, which launched last December for some of Samsung’s home appliances in South Korea, will soon roll out to both Galaxy phones and the upcoming Ballie AI robot.
“We will apply the subscription service to Galaxy smartphones starting next month,” he says. “Ballie will be introduced first in Korea and the US, and we plan to supply it as a subscription in Korea.”
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Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Five years after it was first revealed, Samsung says Ballie is ready to release in 2025.
The AI Subscription Club isn’t a requirement to access the Galaxy AI features on Samsung’s phones and other devices, which the company has previously said will remain free to users at least until the end of 2025, with plans beyond that point unconfirmed.
The model currently gives Korean consumers the ability to sign up for a monthly subscription of their AI-powered TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and more, including optional repair and maintenance services, for the sake of a lower upfront cost.
It’s not clear if the subscription model will expand beyond South Korea, but there’s a chance we’ll find out more soon. Samsung has a Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, California, scheduled for January 22nd, when it is expected to unveil the Galaxy S25 series.
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jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
piece is worth worth reading, multiple views on this election. I agree with Podhorzer:
“Americans are fed up. This election wasn’t just a vote of no confidence in Democrats; it was yet another vote of no confidence in our entire political system. We cannot mistake this result for an active embrace of Trump or MAGA fascism.”
I found the first Matter smart fridge
I tracked down the Bosch 100 Series fridge at CES. It’s the company’s first to support the Matter standard, enabling local connectivity to any smart home ecosystem. | Photo by Eelco Lammertink for The Verge
Home appliance manufacturer Bosch is showing off its first Matter-enabled appliance on the show floor at CES this week. The 100 Series Frech Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator launched in November and should be available to buy in the US this spring.
The fridge retails for $2,500 and has a chip on board that supports Matter. A firmware update to the smart home standard will come this summer, says Eelco Lammertink of BSH, which owns Bosch, Siemens, Thermador, and Gaggenau.
The 100 series is the sister product to the Matter-enabled Siemens XXL Fridge I spotted at IFA in Berlin last November. That built-in model will come to the European market on a similar timeline. Lammertink tells me BSH plans to bring Matter to all its appliances across its Bosch, Siemens, and Thermador lines, starting with refrigerators this year, one more appliance category next year, and three in 2026.
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Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
This Bosch fridge will work with Samsung SmartThings and Amazon Alexa this year. Bosch was demoing the integrations at CES via a SmartThings map view on the screen behind it and an Echo Show on the table.
The 100 Series will support Matter 1.3, allowing you to control the temperature remotely and receive notifications from the fridge on your smart home platform of choice. That way, a smart speaker can announce when the door has been left open, if you want.
While many smart fridges already have these features, with Matter, the connection between the appliance and the ecosystem becomes local — making it faster and more secure. Currently, only Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant support appliances in Matter, but Lammertink tells me that Amazon will support them this year. There is no word on Google Home or Apple Home yet.
Lammertink says the plan is to bring energy reporting and energy management capabilities to the fridge. This would enable it to be part of a Matter-enabled whole home energy management system. Sadly, he said they won't be updating existing appliances to Matter (bad news for my Thermoador range and dishwasher.) “The challenges are too big,” he said. “We just can't risk bricking your fridge.”