DirectTV and EchoStar aren’t happy about Disney and Fubo’s settlement
Fubo
Following FuboTV’s recent move to settle its antitrust lawsuit with Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery over the impending launch of their Venu Sports streaming service, DirectTV and EchoStar are urging the courts to consider how other TV distributors could still be shut out of the sports streaming space.
On Monday, Fubo announced that, as part of its plan to merge with Hulu + Live TV, it would also drop its lawsuit against Disney, Fox, and WBD alleging that their collaboration on Venu Sports violated US antitrust laws. The settlement outlines how Hulu + Live TV and Fubo can create a new multichannel video programming distributor that Disney would own 70 percent of. But the lawsuit’s dismissal also lifted the injunction to halt Venu’s launch which US District Judge Margaret M. Garnett passed down last August.
Because Venu Sports now has a much more realistic chance of coming to market, DirectTV and EchoStar are voicing concerns about how Fubo’s proposed Hulu deal may exacerbate, rather than properly address, the core issue of sports streaming anticompetitiveness. In a letter to Garnett, DirectTV argued that while Venu’s venture partners have paid Fubo “to ensure cooperation from an aggrieved competitor,” they have also restored “an anticompetitive runway for the JV Defendants to control the future of the live pay TV market.”
DirectTV is just one of several non-parties that expressed “grave concerns” about the impact Venu would have on competition for sports programming, given that Venu would “offer content in a manner that [the Defendants] do not allow DirectTV or other distributors to offer to consumers,” DirectTV’s lawyers said.
In its own letter to Garnett, EchoStar’s legal team insisted that the original injunction blocked Disney, Fox, and WBD’s “scheme to monopolize the pay-TV market and, once accomplished, charge inflated prices to millions of Americans.”
“The parties’ settlement appears designed to eliminate court jurisdiction over this multifarious harm by effectuating the preliminary injunction’s expiration, rather than addressing the underlying competition issues,” EchoStar said. “Now, with the injunction undone by voluntary dismissal, DISH, Sling, and other distributors will suffer antitrust injury.”
Nintendo's Releasing A Game Boy Made Of Lego
Nintendo just announced a new console and it’s still not the Switch 2. The console maker is teaming up with Lego to release a Game Boy made of plastic bricks. It follows after a previous collaboration in which the two companies released a Lego NES together, complete with retro TV that displayed the first level of the…
Reblogged by fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻"):
thenexusofprivacy@infosec.exchange ("The Nexus of Privacy") wrote:
And from @juliaangwin.com's newsletter:
"This week, Mark Zuckerberg revealed his true colors in what can only be described as a pledge of allegiance to incoming president Donald Trump. In a video message, he declared that Meta was abandoning fact-checking and dialing back on content moderation — a clear capitulation to right wing demands for less “censorship” of their speech that was often found to be in violation of Meta’s prohibitions against hate speech and incitement to violence.
As I wrote in my latest New York Times Opinion piece (gift link), the billionaire Facebook founders’ actions show us what it looks like when a mature company stops innovating on its products and instead seeks to maintain its market power through political influence."
https://buttondown.com/JuliaAngwin/archive/heavy-lies-mark-zuckerbergs-crown/
And here's her gift link to the NYTimes article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/opinion/mark-zuckerberg-trump-meta-lobbying.html?unlocked_article_code=1.nk4.bvEF.EXfKAyCs6FzR&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&utm_source=JuliaAngwin&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=heavy-lies-mark-zuckerbergs-crown
(Julia Angwin's also at @Julia, but is more active on Bluesky)
Elon Musk and Donald Trump spread disinformation as wildfires rage in the LA area
Photo by Apu Gomes / Getty Images
As fires rage across Los Angeles and tens of thousands flee their homes, the usual suspects have decided to blame the blazes on their political enemies. In a series of posts on Truth Social, President-elect Donald Trump claimed firefighters’ inability to get the fires under control was due to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s water policies, including an effort to “protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!).” Meanwhile, on X, Elon Musk suggested that the fires were spreading due to the city fire chief’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. “DEI means people DIE,” Musk wrote in a Wednesday night post.
Five people have indeed died in the Eaton fire thus far, and upward of 130,000 Los Angeles County residents are under evacuation orders, according to the Los Angeles Times. But the rampant spread of the fires isn’t due to the delta smelt, DEI, or even — as Trump, Musk, and scores of mainstream publications have falsely claimed — cuts to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget. These claims aren’t without consequence. Last year, FEMA workers received threats on TikTok and other social media platforms as rampant disinformation spread in the wake of the devastation caused by hurricanes Milton and Helene.
The first wave of disinformation focused on fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades, which abruptly ran out of water on Tuesday night as firefighters attempted to put out the initial blaze. The hydrants, Trump said, were running dry because of Newsom’s water policies. “I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday. “He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!” In a separate post, Trump claimed Newsom had “refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.”
Newsom’s office responded on Wednesday, clarifying that the declaration Trump referred to in his post didn’t exist. “There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction,” Newsom communications director Izzy Gardon told CalMatters. “The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.”
Mark Gold, a board member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, told the outlet that statewide water management policies, including efforts to protect the delta smelt, had nothing to do with the lack of water in the hydrants. “Tying Bay-Delta management into devastating wildfires that have cost people’s lives and homes is nothing short of irresponsible, and it’s happening at a time when the Metropolitan Water District has the most water stored in its system in the history of the agency,” Gold said. “It’s not a matter of having enough water coming from Northern California to put out a fire. It’s about the continued devastating impacts of a changing climate.”
The lack of water in the Pacific Palisades hydrants was instead due to a reduction in water pressure caused by increased demand, the LA Times reported. Janisse Quiñones, the chief executive and chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, told the paper that so much water was being used that the utility wasn’t able to fill the tanks quickly enough. The demand for water at lower elevations was also preventing the utility from refilling tanks at higher elevations, according to the LA Times.
Wednesday night, as powerful Santa Ana winds spread the fires to Altadena, Pasadena, and the Hollywood Hills, right-wing influencers accused city officials of slashing the fire department’s budget and prioritizing diversity programs over sound fire prevention policy — which Musk reposted on X.
Fish over people: https://t.co/Ryf8ccAkzw
DEI hiring and funding: https://t.co/AMER8ElO4o
LAFD underfunding: https://t.co/gJAFMVpwWf
— Kaizen D. Asiedu (@thatsKAIZEN) January 9, 2025
But as Politico pointed out, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass didn’t cut $23 million from the fire department’s budget, a claim that has been repeated by critics on both the right and the left, some of whom said Bass cut fire department funding to pay for a new police contract. The fire department’s budget actually increased by more than $50 million over the previous year, according to Politico, though others have noted that LA fire chief Kristin Crowley criticized Bass’ decision to cut $7 million from the department’s overtime budget just a few weeks before the Palisades fire. “The reduction … has severely limited the department’s capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires,” Crowley wrote in a December 4th memo.
This nuance is, of course, being lost on X, where influencers have also begun posting AI-generated images of looters descending upon the Palisades and the Hollywood sign engulfed in flames. Disinformation is spreading like... you can probably guess what.
The Best Thing In Marvel Rivals’ New Season Isn’t The Fantastic Four, It’s This Dog
Marvel Rivals’ new season begins tomorrow, January 10, and there’s plenty to be excited about. Four new heroes are joining the roster, three maps are entering the rotation, and there’s a new battle pass of cosmetics. All that is well and good, but the most important addition to the game isn’t a new map, mode, or…
How to delete your Facebook account
Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge
You may be wondering how to delete your Facebook account now that fact-checking is no longer considered important, and Meta’s changing its definition of what constitutes Hateful Conduct. It’s easy to do, and we’ll show you how. But, you should download all your stuff first.
The following instructions are for the web version of Facebook, but you can follow pretty much the same sequence on the mobile app.
Download your archives
Your Facebook archives contain just about all of the pertinent information related to your account, including your photos, active sessions, chat history, IP addresses, facial recognition data, and which ads you clicked. That’s personal information you should save.
- Click on your personal icon in the upper-right corner.
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click on the Accounts Center box on the left.
Screenshot: Meta
The Accounts Center is where you can both download your info and delete your account.
- Go to Your information and permissions on the left, and then Download Your Information > Download or transfer information.
- You can choose to transfer information from your Facebook or Instagram account (or both).
- You now have a...
The best fitness trackers to buy right now
Photo illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
From simple fitness bands and rugged sports watches to rings, these are the best trackers you can get.
@MLNow "two different waymos were causing huge traffic jams so a cop had to drunk-drive one of them away" is an amazing portent for our extremely wealthy new mayor's tenure
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How To Set Up Your PS Portal For The Perfect On-The-Go Gaming Experience
The PlayStation Portal is one hell of a handheld device, capable of streaming games from your PlayStation 5 and directly from Sony’s servers if you’re a PlayStation Plus member). But you probably already know that if you’ve grabbed one for yourself. Instead, you’re probably here to learn the step-by-step process of…
Google and Microsoft donate $1 million apiece to Trump’s inauguration
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images
Google and Microsoft are the latest tech companies to donate to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Each company contributed $1 million to the fund — the same amount pledged by Meta, Amazon, Sam Altman, and Tim Cook.
In a statement to CNBC, Karan Bhatia, Google’s global head of government affairs and public policy, said the company is supporting the inauguration “with a livestream on YouTube and a direct link on our homepage,” as well as with a financial contribution. The donation may be part of Google’s larger strategy to win over Trump, who has threatened to break up the tech giant or shut it down altogether.
Microsoft, which is also giving $1 million, previously contributed $500,000 to Trump’s first inauguration and donated the same amount to President Joe Biden’s inauguration fund, a company spokesperson told CNBC. Per CNBC, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has met with Trump multiple times, and was involved in negotiations over acquiring TikTok in 2020, when Trump tried to ban the app in the US.
The Last of Us Part 2 on PC requires a PSN account, too
Image: Naughty Dog
The Last of Us Part 2 remasteris joining the PlayStation Network club. That means you’ll need to link a PSN account if you want to play the game after buying it on Steam, Epic Games, and other PC platforms when it launches in April, as spotted earlier by Video Games Chronicle.
The requirement has proven very unpopular with other Sony titles released on PC, including Ghost of Tsushima, God of War Ragnarök, and the Horizon Zero Dawn remaster. Last year, Helldiver players review-bombed the game after it suddenly introduced PSN account linking, leading Sony to walk back on the requirement completely.
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Screenshot: Steam
It’s still not clear why Sony requires a PSN account to play The Last of Us Part 2, as it doesn’t have any multiplayer features, and the requirement may also prevent people across dozens of countries where PSN isn’t supported from playing the game.
The Last of Us Part 2 remaster launches on PC on April 3rd for $49.99.
😂 😂 😂 😡
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PHOTOS: See the California wildfires' destructive force, in satellite images
Satellite images show the extent of devastation from multiple wildfires burning in Los Angeles County after one day. The fires have killed at least five people and destroyed thousands of structures.
cobweb@corteximplant.com ("Cobweb 💿") wrote:
I’d like to send a special “fuck you buddy” to all the boomers that told me “oh you’ll get more conservative as you get older, once you get some money”
I don’t know what world those people live in, but every day since probably 1989 everything I have seen in the world has only convinced me more and more that capitalism is a disease that is destroying lives and the planet.
Spy pics appear to show Tesla’s refreshed Model Y in testing
Oh hey, another full-frontal light bar design. | Image: Cochespias1
Pictures posted on social media give us a look at a facelifted Tesla Model Y “Juniper” refresh that lets go of the original Model 3 headlight style in favor of a new front lightbar setup that reminds me of the Chevy Equinox EV. As reported by InsideEVs, Instagram car spy account Cochespias1 and X user DominicBRNKMN posted spy shots of the updated Model Y as it drove around on snowy grounds.
Although the images are a bit blurry, they also show a new rear end with a Cybertruck-ish lightbar similar to the one seen in a July leak.
After this exciting journey it’s time to unveil the secrets… Here is the 2025 Tesla Model Y Juniper pic.twitter.com/prRhQlSP7M
— Dominic BRNKMN (@DominicBRNKMN) January 9, 2025
Reuters first reported Tesla was working on a Model Y redesign in early 2023 before a purported mule was seen in the wild last year with the front and rear camouflaged. The Model Y is one of the top-selling vehicles in the world, and it’s also the last vehicle Tesla makes that still has stalks for changing gears and activating turn signals.
As it’s essentially unchanged since launching in 2020, barring a center console refresh, it’s about due for a makeover. Tesla’s most recent redesign was for the Model 3 “Highland” that made its US debut last year, which also mainly changed the front and rear, along with other tweaks to make it quieter and improve the ride quality.
It’s unknown when Tesla might plan to launch the new Model Y, but previous reports suggested the automaker is getting set to build a redesigned six-seater Model Y in China for late 2025.
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
any more, “a successful morning of coding” is defined as: “I only completely broke it twice, I seem to have fixed what I broke both times, and I may have successfully simplified one overly-complex constructor without breaking anything else”.🙄
The Switch 2 leaks keep coming
Image: OnLeaks on X
New day, new Nintendo Switch 2 leaks. Nintendo is getting ever-closer to its April 2025 deadline to reveal its Switch successor, but thanks new renders from OnLeaks and 91Mobiles, we may now have an even better idea of what the new console might look like.
If you’ve been following our coverage of other Switch 2 leaks, these renders shouldn’t look too surprising. According to the new renders, the console will resemble the original Switch, but it will be bigger, with an 8.4-inch screen. Interestingly, OnLeaks and 91Mobiles report that the screen will “most likely” be an “OLED panel” — previous reports have said the console would have an LCD screen.
The renders show that the top of the Switch 2 will feature a power button, a volume rocker, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a game card slot, and, new for the Switch 2, a USB-C port. OnLeaks and 91Mobiles also say that “there also seems to be a sensor of sorts” and they speculate that “this might be an ambient light sensor or something else.” These renders also have a U-shaped kickstand that has appeared in other leaks.
As for the Joy-Cons, OnLeaks and 91Mobiles’ renders show the mysterious second new button on the right Joy-Con. However, they say the new button is above the Home button; other leaks have included the new button below it. The Joy-Cons in the renders have the large buttons in the back that are apparently used to detach the controllers from the console, which are apparently attached magnetically.
The renders also show an interesting color scheme for the Joy-Cons: they are mostly black but have color accents — light blue on the left one and orange on the right — under the joystick pads and on the bumped-out part of the controllers with the SL and SR buttons. A similar design popped up earlier this month for an alleged Switch 2 left Joy-Con with light blue accents. I love it, personally.
Hopefully, given the tidal wave of recent leaks, we don’t have to wait too much longer for Nintendo to officially announce the new console. But whenever the console actually launches, it’s going to have some stiff competition.
Photos: Los Angeles wildfires threaten lives, homes and cultural landmarks
The fires have forced mass evacuations. Firefighters are struggling to control a patchwork of deadly blazes that have killed at least five people and leveled entire communities.
Amazon is selling the tech behind its $50 billion ad business to other retailers
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Amazon’s massive advertising business, which is only surpassed in the US by Google and Meta, is about to get bigger. In addition to selling ads on its sprawling marketplace, it will now let other retailers use the technology powering its $50 billion business on their own websites, as reported earlier by Adweek.
The company’s new Retail Ad Service beta will let other online stores “Deliver contextually relevant ads by leveraging Amazon’s two decades of ad tech expertise, driven by machine learning models trained on trillions of shopping signals” across their product, search, and browsing pages.
It also plugs the retailers into Amazon’s existing advertising customers, as brands already using Amazon’s ad system can choose to place their ads on third-party sites. The setup also allows Amazon to pull more profit from “retail media” (ads you see in stores or while shopping online) even when the shopping isn’t happening on its site, and could give it access to more data — which is something the FTC may have questions about.
The path of this business is similar to the launch of Amazon Web Services, which the company built to keep its online marketplace running and loading quickly 24/7 before selling access to the servers as a backbone for other companies’ operations, as noted by CNBC.
The best chargers at CES 2025
Image: Ugreen
If there were some common themes among the chargers and portable power solutions announced at CES this year, it would be more power and more convenience through built-in cables. It’s not a new idea, but with most devices now being USB-C-compatible, it’s easier for companies to integrate charging cables without having to accommodate competing charging standards.
Here are some of the standout charging solutions making their debut at CES this year.
Ugreen Nexode Desktop Charger 500W
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Image: Ugreen
If you’ve got a desk overflowing with laptops and a power strip overpacked with adapters, Ugreen has upgraded its Nexode desk charger with 500W of power output. That’s shared across five USB-C ports and a single USB-A port. The topmost USB-C port delivers up to 240W of power, while the other five share 260W. That’s enough power to charge five laptops simultaneously, assuming four of them don’t need more than 60W. It’s expected to be available as soon as March 2025.
Anker Charger (140W) with display
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Image: Anker
As the size and power output of Anker’s wall chargers increased, they had a tendency to succumb to gravity and not stay plugged in. Anker’s latest solution to that problem is a redesigned wall charger that positions three USB-C plus a single USB-A port on the underside, improving its center of gravity. Two of the USB-C ports can output up to 140W, but only one at a time, as that’s the charger’s maximum power output. It’s available now for $89.99 and includes a small screen showing how much power each port is drawing.
Sharge Shargeek 300
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Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Sharge debuted another eye-catching power bank with a transparent design and an aluminum case at CES. The Shargeek 300 can deliver up to 300W of power to four devices simultaneously from its 24,000mAh battery and up to 140W to two devices simultaneously, so you can fast-charge a pair of laptops. It’s got a color screen showing the power draw on each port and how much battery life it’s got left. When it’s dead, it can recharge at up to 140W speeds, replenishing its battery from zero to 50 percent in just 20 minutes. Sharge will be launching it through Kickstarter in April for under $300.
Baseus PrimeTrip VR2 Max
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Image: Baseus
Your car might feature a couple of USB ports on the dashboard for charging devices, but did you remember to grab a charging cable on your way out the door? With the Baseus PrimeTrip VR2 Max car charger, you don’t have to. It features a pair of retractable USB-C cables over 31 inches in length plus an additional USB-A and USB-C port. It provides a total of up to 240W of power across all four ports and up to 105W through a single port, letting you charge a power-hungry laptop on the road. It’s expected sometime in April 2025 for $44.99.
Anker Power Bank (165W)
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Image: Anker
Anker’s new soda can-sized 25,000mAh power bank includes a few welcome conveniences. It can deliver up to 165W of power shared across a USB-C port, a USB-A port, a short 8.6-inch USB-C cable that can be used as a carrying strap, and a 27.2-inch USB-C cable that fully retracts. Maximum output to a single USB-C port is 100W, so you can fast-charge a laptop, and you can monitor how much power each port is drawing on a small screen. It’s available now for $99.99.
Baseus Enercore CJ11
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Image: Baseus
Charging cables excel at mysteriously going missing, which is the most compelling reason to consider the Enercore CJ11 wall charger. Available as early as April 2025 for $69.99, it features two retractable USB-C cables, each over 32 inches long, that can’t be swiped. The charger has an additional USB-C port for connecting cables with other connectors and can deliver up to 67W of power with a single device connected or share a maximum of 65W with two or three ports in use.
Baseus EnerGeek MiFi Power Bank
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Image: Baseus
In need of a power bank that delivers more than just power? Baseus’ EnerGeek MiFi incorporates a 20,000mAh battery that can deliver up to 67W of power to two USB-C ports, a single USB-A port, and through an integrated USB-C cable that serves as a carrying strap. The power bank also doubles as a mobile hotspot, allowing up to 10 devices to wirelessly connect to the internet over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi at 4G speeds. Baseus hasn’t announced how much mobile data plans will cost, but the power bank is expected to release in April 2025 for $89.99.
Nintendo’s next Lego console will be a Game Boy
Image: Nintendo / Lego
While we’re all waiting for official news about the Switch 2, Nintendo has gone ahead and announced a very different kind of console. The company is teasing a collaboration with Lego that will see the original grey brick known as a Game Boy rendered in Lego blocks. There are no details yet, aside from the fact that it’ll be out in October, but it’s likely an official reveal is coming soon.
This isn’t the first collab between the two companies, as there have been a handful of Lego sets based on Nintendo properties, along with a blocky rendition of the NES.
If you’re keeping track, this is part of a lengthy string of non-Switch 2 announcements and launches that Nintendo has made over the last few months. A Nintendo museum opened in Kyoto in October, and after that the company released an alarm clock called Alarmo, started a music streaming service full of classic gaming tunes, and kicked off a test for a mysterious MMO. At this rate, it’s almost pointless to guess what Nintendo will do next.
Assassin's Creed Shadows Delayed Again
Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been delayed again. The open-world stealth game was set to arrive in February following its initial delay in September 2024, but now it won’t launch until March 20.
Ubisoft delays Assassin’s Creed Shadows again
Image: Ubisoft
Ubisoft announced a “strategic update” today, and the changes include a delay for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the upcoming entry in the franchise that takes place in feudal Japan, from February 14th to March 20th.
“As part of the renewed focus on gameplay quality and engaging Day-1 experiences, it has been decided to provide an additional month of development to Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” Ubisoft writes in a press release. “This additional time will allow the team to better incorporate the player feedback gathered over the past three months and help create the best conditions for launch by continuing to engage closely with the increasingly positive Assassin’s Creed community.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows now releases March 20, 2025. pic.twitter.com/wTPzY0oiHy
— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) January 9, 2025
This is the game’s second delay — it was previously scheduled to launch on November 15th before getting pushed.
Ubisoft also says it has “appointed leading advisors to review and pursue various transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders.” The company says that it will “inform the market in accordance with applicable regulations if and once a transaction materializes.”
Ubisoft has had a bit of a rough go of things as of late. Star Wars Outlaws didn’t sell as well expected and the company also announced that it would be shutting down XDefiant, a live-service shooter.
Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, other celebrities share LA fire experiences, resources
The California wildfires are burning in the middle of what's usually a busy awards season in Hollywood, home to many celebrities.
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
Whispers through dry trees,
Flames flicker, hungry and wild,
Change dances with force.
What it will take for TikTok to survive in the US
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty Images
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case against the TikTok divest-or-ban bill on Friday, which will determine the future of the app in the US.
How Microsoft can turn Windows PCs into an Xbox
Illustration: The Verge
Lenovo’s mysterious “future of gaming handhelds” event at CES delivered confirmation this week that Microsoft is combining “the best of Xbox and Windows together” for handhelds. Microsoft’s VP of Next Generation, Jason Ronald, spoke to my colleague Sean Hollister after the event to reveal that not only are big changes coming to the Windows handheld experience but also “you’re going to see a lot of stuff as early as this year.”
I’ve been writing for more than a year about how Microsoft needs to overhaul Windows on handhelds and use an Xbox OS UI on top, keeping the complexity of the Windows desktop hidden away. That sounds exactly like what Microsoft is about to do. “I would say it’s bringing the best of Xbox and Windows together, because we have spent the last 20 years building a world-class operating system, but it’s really locked to the console,” says Ronald. “What we’re doing is we’re really focused on how do we bring those experiences for both players and developers to the broader Windows ecosystem.”
Ronald says Microsoft’s “goal is to deliver an Xbox experience that puts your content front and center, and not the Windows desktop that you have today.” For this to happen in...
You’ll finally be able to buy the Super Retro Champ that plays SNES and Genesis carts
The Super Retro Champ plays classic 16-bit titles from the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. | Image: My Arcade
First announced at CES four years ago, My Arcade’s Super Retro Champ was a chunky handheld that could play classic 16-bit titles using original Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo cartridges. The console didn’t end up launching, but at CES 2025, My Arcade is reviving it with an expected release later this year.
The design and functionality of the Super Retro Champ appears nearly identical to what My Arcade revealed in 2020, but as with many things now, it’s expected to be slightly more expensive. Instead of $110, the handheld is now priced at $149.99.
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Image: My Arcade
Super Nintendo cartridges end up slightly sticking out of the top of the handheld, while Sega Genesis carts sit flush in its bottom slot.
Unlike the Analogue Pocket, which can play retro titles using cartridges or ROM files, the Super Retro Champ is similar to the ModRetro Chromatic and sticks to carts. It’s got a slot on the top for SNES games (that end up slightly sticking out) and a second on the bottom for Genesis carts. It’s also compatible with cartridges released for the international versions of those classic consoles, including Super Famicom and Mega Drive games.
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Image: My Arcade
It’s unlikely you’re ever going to find a pocket large enough to carry the Super Retro Champ.
With a six-inch screen surrounded by generous bezels plus a directional pad and action buttons on either side, the Super Retro Champ doesn’t prioritize portability. You can use it as a handheld with “hours of uninterrupted gameplay” from its rechargeable battery, My Arcade says, but it’s better suited for playing while propped up on a table using its folding stand, a pair of connected controllers, and a power adapter.
If six inches feels too cramped for you and another player, there’s also an HDMI port on the back of the Super Retro Champ for connecting it to a TV. Just don’t expect to enjoy your favorite 16-bit titles in HD or expect them to look as good as they did on the old CRT TV you grew up with.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Writer Reveals What They Took From Us
We’ll probably never get a true sequel to Deus Ex: Mankind Divided or experience just how it and its predecessor would have connected up with the original Deus Ex, released all the way back in 2000. But there was a plan to wrap things up and connect all the dots, and it sounds like it would have been pretty dang cool.
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOTOS (Short Film)
Even the most well-meaning Americans have a terrible blind spot when it comes to Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans, and a legacy of US policy that has cause a lot of harm.The best way to help Puerto Ricans achieve self determination is to learn your history, and understand how US policy negatively affects the island today.
This short firm by Bad Bunny doesn’t address everything, but it’s a good start. https://youtu.be/gLSzEYVDads?si=4C_VbosaZo42fthP
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Marvel Rivals Fans Think Season 1’s New Map Teases Another Member Of The X-Men
Marvel Rivals’ Fantastic Four-centric season officially begins tomorrow, January 10. However, some streamers and content creators have early access to the new heroes and maps, so breakdowns of Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman’s kits, as well as footage of the upcoming New York-based maps, are already out there.…
How To Use The DualSense Touchpad On A PS Portal
The PlayStation Portal is quite a striking device, with its massive screen nestled between two halves of a DualSense controller. It’s comfortable and familiar enough to use for anyone who has spent time with Sony’s popular PlayStation 5 console, and it’s extremely rare to run into any major controller compatibility…
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
okay, that compiled and ran momentarily and then died spectacularly and without emitting a single error message.
Hmph. that's not how it is supposed to work, Ollie...
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
nazgul@infosec.exchange ("Kee Hinckley") wrote:
Mexican President trolls Trump over his wanting to rename the Gulf of Mexico.
rust@social.rust-lang.org ("Rust Language") wrote:
Rust 1.84.0 has been released!🌈🦀✨
This release includes Cargo's new MSRV aware resolver, a new trait solver for checking coherence, new pointer provenance APIs and docs, integer square root methods, and more!
Check out the blog post and release notes: https://blog.rust-lang.org/2025/01/09/Rust-1.84.0.html
Canceled Transformers Game Leaks And Actually Looks Really Cool
Transformers: Reactivate was originally teased at The Game Awards 2022, only to never be heard from again. Yesterday, Splash Damage announced the sci-fi multiplayer shooter had been canceled, potentially resulting in cuts to the studio after Hasbro pulled out of the project. Now, in-development footage of the…
Former President Jimmy Carter: The 'Fresh Air' interviews (Part 2)
The 39th president spoke with Terry Gross in 1995, 2001 and 2005 about poetry, Sept. 11 and his concerns about how intertwined politics and religion had become. Carter died on Dec. 29 at age 100.
Mail service is suspended, and trading floors are silent, in honor of Jimmy Carter
Post offices are closed and mail delivery is suspended Thursday on the national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. The stock market and some national parks are also closed.
Fans Rejoice As New Xenoblade Chronicles X Trailer Shows Off Much Needed UI Glow-Up
With Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, the last major Wii U exclusive will find a new home on Switch. But it’s not just a spiffy port of a cult classic. A new trailer shows the 2025 version will add new characters to fight with, mechs to pilot, zones to explore, and a much-improved UI.
Which Headphones Work With The PS Portal?
As updates have poured in throughout the last year or so, the PlayStation Portal has become ever more attractive for on-the-go gaming (at least, as long as you have wi-fi available). It’s also perfect for streaming games while laid up in bed at night—or while taking care of some, uh, natural business if you’re so…
Netflix’s Sakamoto Days turns a hitman into a small business owner in new trailer
Netflix / TMS Entertainment
Though Yuto Suzuki’s manga Sakamoto Days hasn’t been publishing for all that long, an animated adaptation of the series is already making its way to Netflix in just a few days.
Set in a world where it’s not uncommon for people to have superhuman abilities, Sakamoto Days tells the story of Taro Sakamoto (Tomokazu Sugita / Matthew Mercer), a legendary hitman who becomes a humble convenience store owner after falling in love with his wife. While Sakamoto’s wife Aoi (Nao Tōyama / Rosie Okumura) doesn’t hold his past against him, their marriage hinges on her rule that he must never kill again.
For the most part, it’s easy enough for Sakamoto to stick to Aoi’s rule. But things start to get tricky when a bounty is placed on his head that makes him the target of other assassins like telepath Shin Asakura (Dallas Liu) and sharp-shooter Heisuke Mashimo (Ryōta Suzuki / Xolo Maridueña). Netflix’s new trailer for the series teases a bit of how some of Sakamoto’s enemies quickly become allies in his fight to keep his small family safe, and while it doesn’t show all that much of the show’s action, we’ll be able to check it out for ourselves when the show debuts on January 11th.
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
alexandrageese@bonn.social ("Alexandra Geese") wrote:
Meloni‘s 1,5 bln deal with SpaceX hands over Italian government, defence and military communication to an unpredictable proto-fascist individual member of a future US government threatening Ukraine. European security is at stake! Where‘s the outcry?
https://www.corriere.it/economia/finanza/25_gennaio_05/l-italia-in-trattative-per-un-accordo-dal-valore-di-1-5-miliardi-con-space-x-di-elon-musk-68f3fb90-816f-499c-8e81-428585c6dxlk.shtml
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
linuxgal@techhub.social ("🌈 ☯️Teresita🐧👭") wrote:
Attachments:
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
Top NY court rejects Trump bid to delay sentencing, court official says - https://www.reuters.com/legal/top-ny-court-rejects-trump-bid-delay-sentencing-court-official-says-2025-01-09/
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
glynmoody ("Glyn Moody") wrote:
Steve #Bannon: #Musk’s money will help us make Europe a populist haven - https://www.politico.eu/article/us-steve-bannon-elon-musk-wealth-and-influence-are-weapons-to-advance-maga-aligned-goals-in-europe/ this is arguably the most serious threat to European democracy now, and I doubt leaders there understand the seriousness of the threat... #adtech
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
Large blonde dog leaps,
Soft snowflakes dance all around,
Joy in every paw.
The touchless smart locks are here
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images
Smart lock companies have spent 2024 crafting nifty ways for you to gain entry into your front door, including iPhone-tapping Home Key ones from Aqara, a palm scanner from Philips, keypad and fingerprint options from August, and even a Face ID-style one from Lockly. These all sound pretty futuristic already... but does it feel like magic?
I’m talking magic like how my car’s driver door unlocks without me needing to do or touch anything other than pulling the handle. I’m talking about smart home locks that see me approaching and take action — so I don’t have to pause and interact with anything when I really just need to run inside to use the bathroom.
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Image: Ultraloq
You don’t even need to take out your phone to unlock UWB-capable smart locks.
Luckily, at CES 2025, many smart lock makers are poised to launch models that offer touchless, passive entry support. That means you won’t need extra steps like pulling out an RFID fob from your pocket or smacking your Apple Watch against a pad to unlock your door. (That’s so last year!)
One of the most promising locks from the show is Schlage’s new Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt, which comes equipped with an ultra wideband (UWB) chip that will sense your paired smartphone’s trajectory and motion to know when to trigger an unlock for you.
Schlage isn’t the first to announce UWB in a smart lock; that credit goes to U-tec’s Ultraloq Bolt Mission, which was revealed last year. The Ultraloq was announced with a lack of support for the new Aliro smart access standard backed by Google, Apple, Samsung, and others (meaning no Apple Home hands-free unlocking support).
Now, the Bolt Mission is here at CES with a “Q1 2025” launch timeframe, a $399 price tag, and a promise that Aliro and Apple Home hands-free are coming. There’s also the Lockly Secure Pro which also promises Apple’s touchless feature, costs $379.99, and will arrive in Q4. While it’ll still be a moment before a lot of these devices are on the market, the UWB-powered smart lock options are clearly arriving soon.
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Image: Schlage
Schlage’s Sense Pro debuted at CES 2025 and supports hands-free unlocking.
Of course, plenty of companies are still sticking to other unlock technologies instead of UWB. That includes palm scanner locks such as TP-Link’s Tapo PalmKey and TCL’s Smart Lock D1 Pro, both of which claim they use AI to scan for vein patterns in your hand. Meanwhile, others like the Lockly Styla are just here to look nice. Heck, if you’d rather have everything but UWB, you can look at SwitchBot’s new Lock Ultra, which literally has 16 different hands-on-something unlocking methods.
Smart lock makers are trying pretty much anything right now, including adding digital peepholes to deadbolts in the new Lockly Vision Prestige and TCL Smart Lock Ultra. But what's really missing from smart homes today is that new car feeling: where you finally drive off the lot no longer needing to think about age-old ideas like lock, unlock, and push to start. We still have to see these locks in action to see whether they can reliably and securely pull off their hands-free feat. But the opportunity is coming. I hope the smart lock companies have that transformative feeling in mind as they launch products with UWB this year.
Nintendo Stays Completely Silent Amid Flood Of Switch 2 Leaks At GameStop And CES 2025
Nintendo’s ongoing refusal to announce the Switch 2 has reached the point of being downright absurd. As leaks continue apace, we’re piecing together the unacknowledged console like a jigsaw puzzle, rapidly leaving Nintendo with nothing else to say but, “Yup, that.” The latest pieces come from third-party…
What We’re Missing About the Cause of the LA Wildfires
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County caught fire. Driven by unusually strong Santa Ana winds, as my colleagues report, five fires have ignited some 27,000 acres of land (and counting), and forced state officials to issue evacuation orders for more than 100,000 residents. Five people have already died in the fires, authorities say. The Palisades Fire, […]
What We’re Missing About the Los Angeles Wildfires
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County caught fire. Driven by unusually strong Santa Ana winds, as my colleagues report, five fires have ignited some 27,000 acres of land (and counting), and forced state officials to issue evacuation orders for more than 100,000 residents. Five people have already died in the fires, authorities say. The Palisades Fire, […]
Xbox's First Showcase Of 2025 Will Have Deep Dives Into Doom: The Dark Ages And More
Microsoft has a huge lineup of big games for the Xbox Series X/S and PC (as well as PlayStation 5) this year, and it’s getting the ball rolling early with a January showcase to give players a better look at Doom: The Dark Ages and a bunch of other stuff coming out in 2025.
The Switch 2 is almost here — but PC handhelds are giving it big competition
Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
The first Nintendo Switch basically had the road to itself, and Nintendo instantly proved just how awesome a hybrid console and handheld could be, leading to massive success. The next Switch is imminent, but it will launch into a world that’s packed with very capable handheld gaming PCs that could present an interesting challenge to Nintendo, especially following news from CES 2025.
Valve’s Steam Deck kicked off the handheld gaming PC push in large part because its Linux-based SteamOS makes playing your games just about as easy as it is on consoles. That’s why one of the biggest CES announcements is that Valve is going to let people install SteamOS on other handhelds as soon as April, potentially making the entire handheld PC gaming market a lot more appealing.
The first official non-Valve device with SteamOS is set to be Lenovo’s $499 Legion Go S, which launches in May. But it’s not hard to imagine a near-term future where many other hardware makers announce their own SteamOS handhelds, meaning the magic of SteamOS might be available in all kinds of interesting devices very soon. (And, hopefully, the increased competition means Valve will make the eventual next Steam Deck really good.)
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Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
The Lenovo Legion Go S next to a Steam Deck OLED.
CES 2025 featured a bunch of other handheld gaming hardware, too, like the chonk that is Acer’s Nitro Blaze 11. It has a gigantic 10.95-inch screen, detachable controllers, and a kickstand. It’s huge! Intel and Tencent also made a handheld with an 11-inch screen, and theirs has stereo 3D. My colleague Sean Hollister finally got to see the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus. Razer made a docking station that works with handheld gaming PCs. And in a CES panel, Microsoft promised news about changes to the handheld Windows experience for later this year, which could improve things for people who already own Windows-based hardware.
That’s a lot of cool stuff! But Nintendo is the 800-pound gorilla in the room, and as interesting as all of the PC gaming hardware is, the Switch’s imminent successor will almost certainly be a very compelling upgrade. The original Switch was released nearly eight years ago, so the successor will likely be much more powerful and will probably have splashy new games in marquee franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. (I’d bet already-announced Switch games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A will get some kind of boost on the next Switch, too.)
Right out of the gate, Nintendo’s new console will also have an enormous library. The company already announced its next console will be compatible with original Switch games — a catalog that includes many of the indie hits that are also some of the best games on handheld PCs.
Back in 2017, when the original Switch launched, there wasn’t anything like it. The Switch’s successor will compete in a much more crowded field and one that’s getting even more crowded after CES 2025. Hopefully, the competition means everyone makes better hardware and better games. It’s a great time for handhelds.
Freewrite’s latest keyboard has a mechanical word-counter to track your writing
The Astrohaus Wordrunner keyboard will be available through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in February. | Image: Astrohaus
Astrohaus has announced a new addition to its distraction-reducing Freewrite line of writing tools at CES. Unlike its previous all-in-one devices that pair a keyboard with basic monochromatic screens, its new Freewrite Wordrunner is a standalone mechanical keyboard customized with keys and tools designed to help writers stay focused and work more efficiently.
The company hasn’t announced pricing for the new Freewrite Wordrunner yet, but it’s expected to be available for preorder sometime in February 2025 through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The company’s all-in-one writing devices range in price from $349 to $999, but without a screen, storage, and other electronics, its keyboard will potentially be much cheaper. Discounts will be available to early backers, but Astrohaus is also currently selling $1 refundable reservations that promise “priority access” and “exclusive early-bird pricing.”
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Image: Astrohaus
The Wordrunner’s Wordometer is an eight-digit electromechanical counter keeping tabs on your writing progress.
The Freewrite Wordrunner features a compact tenkeyless design, a body made from durable die-cast aluminum, backlit “high-quality tactile switches,” and several layers of sound deadening so it can be used in shared spaces without itself becoming a distraction to others nearby.
What sets the Wordrunner apart from other mechanical keyboards are the addition of two electromechanical counters with rotating numbers on its top edge. One, called the Wordometer, will continually track word count until you press a reset button, while the other, upgraded with “subtle LED indicators,” serves as a timer for quick writing sprints or tracking your productivity.
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Image: Astrohaus
A rotating red joystick in the upper left corner of the keyboard controls media playback and volume.
The keyboard’s other big differentiator is a redesigned function row with keys customized for quickly navigating and editing a document. These include dedicated keys for undo and redo, jumping between paragraphs, and quickly skipping to the top or bottom of a page. There are also three dedicated macro keys — labelled zap, pow, and bam — that writers can customize to their specific needs.
It means the Wordrunner loses keys dedicated to controlling media playback, but that’s all handled through a rotating red joystick in the upper left corner of the keyboard that can be pressed or moved in four directions for skipping tracks or making volume adjustments.
Other features include an extended wrist rest, and the ability to connect to and switch between up to four devices through dedicated hotkeys. The Freewrite Wordrunner can connect to three devices over Bluetooth, including computers and mobile devices, and a fourth with a USB-C cable.
Toughen Up Like A Dragon For This Yakuza-Themed Astro Bot Trophy
There are a lot of unique, one-off trophies to earn in Astro Bot if you’re trying to unlock the game’s platinum trophy. Some of them are worded in a way that makes you stop and think for a bit, which isn’t the most helpful for us digital completionists. For instance, if you’re stuck on the “Deep-Pocket Dragon” trophy,…
VLC player demos real-time AI subtitling for videos
Image: VideoLAN
The popular open-source VLC video player was demonstrated on the floor of CES 2025 with automatic AI subtitling and translation, generated locally and offline in real time. Parent organization VideoLAN shared a video on Tuesday in which president Jean-Baptiste Kempf shows off the new feature, which uses open-source AI models to generate subtitles for videos in several languages.
“At the same time we have automatic translation working to translate the subtitles to your own language,” Kempf says, with more than 100 languages planned for support. “What’s important is that this is running on your machine locally, offline, without any cloud services. It runs directly inside the executable.”
VLC automatic subtitles generation and translation based on local and open source AI models running on your machine working offline, and supporting numerous languages!
Demo can be found on our #CES2025 booth in Eureka Park. pic.twitter.com/UVmgT6K4ds— VideoLAN (@videolan) January 8, 2025
AI-powered subtitling has been under development for some time in the form of a plug-in using OpenAI’s speech recognition system Whisper, but this new demo appears to be built directly into the VLC app and generates translated subtitles in real time. There’s no word on when the feature will roll out.
This week, VideoLAN also celebrated hitting 6 billion downloads, with Kempf boasting, “The number of active users of VLC is actually growing, even in this age of streaming services.”
With CES 2025 still in full swing, we’ll track VideoLAN down on the show floor to see the AI subtitling in action for ourselves.
Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct returns on January 23rd with a ‘brand new game’
Image: Microsoft
Microsoft is holding another Xbox Developer Direct event on January 23rd. It’s the third Developer Direct in a row, making it an annual look at what’s ahead for Xbox for the year. Like last year’s event, Microsoft will provide some updates on Xbox games that are planned for release in 2025, including feature South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Microsoft’s teaser image for the event also includes a teaser for an unannounced “brand new game” Xbox game. Last year’s Developer Direct featured a first look at Bethesda’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
The Xbox Developer Direct will likely follow a similar format to the last two events, with no hosts and around 45 minutes of gameplay and announcements. The Xbox Developer Direct will take place at 1PM ET / 10PM PT / 6PM UK on January 23rd and will be streamed live on on Twitch and YouTube.
Mercedes-Benz EV owners can start using Tesla Superchargers in February
Image: Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz said that its electric vehicles will be able to access Tesla’s Supercharger network starting in February.
By now you should be familiar with how this goes: a manufacturer announces Supercharger access, first through the use of NACS-to-CCS adapters and then later with native NACS integration. The adapters are available to purchase through dealerships. And EV owners will get to giddily watch as the number of accessible public EV chargers suddenly grows by the thousands. (By last count, Tesla had 20,000 stalls in the US and Canada.)
Of course, this is all unique to North American residents, as Europeans who own any flavor of EV have long been able to access Tesla Superchargers thanks to a more enlightened stance on technology standards.
By now you should be familiar with how this goes
Mercedes will be the seventh automaker to gain access to Tesla’s lauded EV charging network, following Ford, General Motors, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, and Nissan. Mercedes originally hoped to have everything sorted out with Tesla by 2024, but we’ll cut it some slack. Elon Musk was pretty busy last year. (Volkswagen is also planning on opening access this summer, PC Magazine reported.)
The adapter, which is produced by EV charging supplier Lectron, will sell for $185 through authorized dealerships. According to Mercedes spokesperson Andrew Brudnicki, the Lectron adapter is “the only adapter to date that has been tested for safety and compatibility with Mercedes-Benz EVs” and “includes other advantages for customers, such as a more robust interlock connection between the cable and adapter compared to similar adapters.”
(Lectron had a few issues with a faulty latch pin last year, resulting in a recall of around 1,600 units; the company says those issues were addressed in April 2024, and since then, there haven’t been any other problems.)
Tesla Supercharger locations will also be added to Mercedes’ charger map in its app. And the system will be integrated with the company’s use of Plug & Charge, in which charging initiates as soon as the customer plugs in, with no additional steps or authorizations required.
Later this year, Mercedes plans to roll out its first vehicles with factory-installed NACS ports. We don’t know which models will come first, but the company has a variety of EVs available, from the luxurious EQS, to the more affordable EQE and EQB, to the status-conferring electric G-Wagen.
Mercedes is involved in a range of EV charging expansion projects, including the installation of thousands of fast chargers with solar company MN8 Energy and the Ionna venture, along with several other major OEMs.
Perplexity partners with Tripadvisor to source hotel info from real people
Image: The Verge
The AI search engine Perplexity is launching an integration with Tripadvisor that will add more information about hotels. Now, when you search for places to stay, Perplexity will present you with a neatly organized list of hotels, alongside summaries of why it chose them using information sourced from Tripadvisor.
In an example shared by Perplexity, a search for “hotels in Madrid for a business trip” yields a result for Hotel Regina, which the search engine says you should choose “if you want a centrally located hotel in Madrid with exceptional service and a rich breakfast offering.” It also displays its ratings and images from Tripadvisor as well as a list of perks, like “location,” “service,” and “cleanliness.”
Previously, Perplexity only displayed a numbered list of hotels with their address, user rating, and features, while showing images gathered from each hotel’s website in its sidebar.
“From the Tripadvisor side, they provide an up-to-date trustworthy source of information that we sync regularly,” Perplexity cofounder Johnny Ho said during an interview with The Verge. “On the fly, we’ll index and retrieve the right results depending on the user intent of the query.”
Perplexity, which bills itself as an “answer engine” rather than a search engine, plans to expand the Tripadvisor integration to include information about restaurants and experiences in the future. The AI search engine also added data from Yelp last year as part of its goal to include accurate information you can use.
The change comes just weeks after ChatGPT widely rolled out its AI search engine, which now displays results from the web for certain queries. Perplexity’s Tripadvisor integration is rolling out now to Perplexity on the web, but it will be available on its mobile app “soon.”
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
Maybe I should learn some French? I want to welcome the Canadian invasion appropriately.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/09/i-for-one-will-welcome-our-canadian-overlords/
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Meta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images
Meta’s overhaul of its content moderation and fact-checking policies in the US is bringing into focus a key geopolitical tension likely to grow under the incoming Trump administration: the regulation of speech online.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg made no secret of his attempt to align his interests with those of President-elect Donald Trump, saying he planned to work with Trump to “push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies and pushing to censor more” — naming Europe specifically. The US and the European Union have long had different approaches when it comes to digital regulation, which has at times inflamed tensions since many of the largest tech companies that end up being targeted by Europe’s rules are the US’s crown jewels. That dynamic is likely to be exacerbated under a second Trump administration, with the incoming president’s protectionist policies.
“The inflection point is Trump, and Facebook is just following along,” says Daphne Keller, director of the program on platform regulation at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center. Through the policy change, Meta is signaling to Trump that “we want to be part of a fight with Europe. We’re on...
Wildfires upend lives in Southern California. And, Jimmy Carter's state funeral
Wildfires drastically impact life in Southern California, destroying neighborhoods. Here's where things stand. And, what to expect from former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral today.
LA residents find a lifeline in this free wildfire-tracking app
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Watch Duty, a nonprofit-run app that tracks wildfires with live maps and alerts, has shot to the top of Apple’s App Store charts this week as Californian residents look to navigate catastrophic blazes devastating the area.
The app launched in 2021 and is now available in 22 states, providing evacuation warnings, real-time text, photo and video updates, and a map interface with flame icons to show regions where fires are blazing. Users can access information on evacuation routes, shelter locations, and firefighting efforts, alongside zooming in on the map view to see the latest updates for precise locations. It’s a one-stop shop for everything needed during a fire emergency.
Watch Duty is powered by a team of around 200 volunteers, many of which are retired or active firefighters, dispatchers, or first responders. The app pulls its wildfire information from official government reports, volunteer reporters, and 911 dispatch calls which are then vetted and monitored using radio scanners, wildlife cameras, satellites, and local announcements from law enforcement and fire services.
Watch Duty says that the community-bolstered network allows it to provide more real-time information than fire-tracking services like CalFire and InciWeb which rely on government alerts. The app is used by active firefighters and has become a lifeline for people across the western United States who live in areas deemed to be high-risk fire zones — Watch Duty says its active users increased to 7.2 million by December 2024 compared to 1.9 million in 2023.
Californians on social media are encouraging each other to download the app in light of the ongoing LA fires raging across thousands of acres of land fueled by high winds and extremely dry conditions. As of Thursday morning, the LA Times reports that the fires have killed five people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, including the homes of celebrities like Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, Adam Brody, and James Woods.
Over 367,000 California households are currently without power according to PowerOutage, and at least 130,000 LA residents are now under evacuation orders.
“Seconding the Watch Duty app so hard,” said one Californian on a Threads post encouraging users to download the app. “I live in Butte County, CA, (near where the Camp Fire was in 2018) and Watch Duty has been immeasurably helpful during fires like the Park Fire last summer.”
Watch Duty’s vice president of operations Nick Russell says that users are drawn to the app because it’s more accessible than manually checking several sources and social media updates, and because of its network for vetting and verifying factual information. Conspiracy theories surrounding natural disasters and climate change have become a common occurrence online, with misinformation regarding weather-related events being shared by users across social media platforms.
“One of the big things for us, our big theme, is quality over quantity. We’re not in a big hurry to get information that we’re going to have to go and retract later,” Russell told NBC News on Wednesday. “And so if it takes a few extra minutes to get it out there, that’s fine, but we want it to be that official info; and because we built a one-way communication platform, we don’t offer that venue for people to circulate nonsense ... And so it really puts the ball in our court for good information.”
Russell also noted that Watch Duty doesn’t collect or sell user data, instead relying on premium app subscriptions and funding from private donations to stay up and running. The core features of the app that are essential for fire monitoring, safety, and evacuation, are entirely available for free.
“I think it’s really important in today’s world, where so many people are trying to profit off disaster, to really understand that that’s not what Watch Duty is,” Russell said. “Watch Duty will remain free forever.”
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
Yet sunlight pours in; it brightens the scene,
Reminding me some moments can sparkle and gleam.
This drudgery shows all the love that I share,
Through effort and care, I’m always aware.
So I sweep and I mop, and while it may bore,
Each chore is a blessing, a chance to restore.
For early mornings might feel a bit grim,
But they bring a new day where hope can begin.
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
The broom sweeps the floor, swish-swish left and righ
Collecting the crumbs from the snacks of the night.
As I gather the dust, my thoughts drift away,
To dreams big and bright, and a new kind of day.
The laundry awaits, with its mountains to climb,
Sorting out colors, it happens each time.
Folding and stacking, each shirt and each sock,
Feels like quite the task, a nine-to-five block.
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
In the quiet of dawn, when the world’s still asleep,
The morning unfolds, yet my chores seem so deep.
The sun starts to rise, painting gold in the sky,
But here in the kitchen, it’s just me with a sigh.
I wash all the dishes from last night’s big feast,
Scrub pots and pans that are now my great beast.
The rhythm is steady, a song I have known,
Each bubble and splatter, a routine all my own.
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
@deoan @neurovagrant defederating from threads[.]net would not bother me
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
Today in History: James Patrick Page (Led Zeppelin) born in Middlesex, England, 1945
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
On Early Morning Work
Before the sun glows,
Tasks repeat like whispering,
Routine, morning's crawl.
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Up close with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 FE, an incredibly compact flagship video card
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
We might be skeptical of some Nvidia’s claims, like whether a $549 RTX 5070 will truly deliver the performance of a $1599 RTX 4090. But it’s almost impossible not to be impressed by the RTX 5090 Founder’s Edition, where Nvidia fit 575 watts of graphics power, including 21,760 CUDA cores and 32GB of GDDR7 memory, into a video card just two slots wide.
It almost has to be seen to be believed, and we sent my colleague Antonio around the CES show floor in Las Vegas in what was initially a fruitless search. No PC manufacturer seemed to have an interactive game demo running on a 5090, much less the two-slot card.
But on Wednesday, we finally spotted the real deal at Nvidia’s offsite event — and then some. It’s heavy, and the uniquely desirable $2,000 card may wind up being rare, but it’s here, and it works.
Below, find our pictures of the relatively compact 5090; its incredibly compact PCB with the Blackwell chip on top; a game demo running on the 5090; a picture of the 5090, 5080, and 5070 Founder’s Editions side by side; and some examples of just how bulky every other partner’s cards can be compared to Nvidia’s own.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
The...
Looking to have fun without alcohol? This guy has ideas that may help
If you're looking for inspiration to stick with Dry January, or you're worried about the cancer risk linked to alcohol, you may want to check out booze-free gatherings happening all over the country.
Fluoride analysis triggers renewed debate over what levels are safe for kids
A new study suggests a link between high levels of fluoride and lowered IQ. It's heating up arguments over fluoridating drinking water, which dentists say is critical for protecting teeth.
More fires erupt in Southern California and spread to the Hollywood Hills
Three new fires broke out in Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Wednesday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 7,500 personnel are helping in the response to the infernos.
Google can turn your Discover feed into an AI-generated podcast
Illustration: The Verge
Google is testing an experimental AI feature that creates a personalized podcast using your Search and Discover feed history. The Daily Listen feature in Google’s Search Labs is rolling out to Android and iOS users in the US according to 9to5Google, and works similarly to the Audio Overviews feature for Google’s NotebookLM project.
Daily Listen references search data and Discover feed interactions to assess which news articles would be of most interest to the user, and then summarizes those stories and topics into a roughly five-minute audio overview. It provides a text transcript, alongside audio scrubber controls that allow users to play, pause, mute, rewind, or skip to the next story.
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Image: Google (Via 9to5Google)
Here’s a few screengrabs of the Daily Listen UI, showing where the feature is located and how it presents related topics.
Search Labs users who opt-in to try this experiment will find Daily Listen in the personalized widget carousel underneath the Search bar at the top of the Google app. A “Related stories” tab will appear at the bottom of the audio player that corresponds to content within the overview that allows users to like or disapprove of each story with a thumbs up/down, and explore new topics.
There’s currently no word on when/if this feature will be rolled out to the wider public. Google’s AI Search Overviews were tested in a similar way via Search Labs before launching to a general audience last year, so it’s possible that Daily Listen may one day become a persistent feature — hopefully one that’s easier to opt out of than AI Overviews.
Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after being incommunicado for over 700 days
He was last heard from in February 2023. Since then, authorities haven't released any information about his condition and barred his lawyer from visits.
All 5 living presidents expected to attend Jimmy Carter's National Cathedral funeral
President Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy to former President Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral service.
Here's what's behind Russia cutting off its last gas line to Europe
A decades-long Russian-Ukrainian transit gas deal to Europe ended on Jan. 1. For now, the most acute effects are being felt in a region called Transnistria, on the eastern edge of Moldova.
What's next for Canada? 5 questions will help decide the future after Trudeau
"We're in a unique situation in Canadian politics," Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, tells NPR. Voters need to replace a lame-duck leader — and cope with threats from Trump.
U.S. stock markets close to honor former President Jimmy Carter
The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq will both observe Thursday's national day of mourning in a Wall Street tradition dating back to 1865.
A major winter storm will bring snow to the South. Here are tips from winter experts
Southern states don't often deal with winter conditions, but New England does. New Hampshire especially has tips for how to prepare for a winter storm.
Special ed students benefit from being integrated at school. It doesn't always happen
Research shows including students with and without disabilities in the same classroom can benefit everyone. Two students with Down syndrome show what can be gained when that happens.
Japanese crime leader pleads guilty to conspiring to sell nuclear materials to Iran
Prosecutors said samples of the alleged nuclear material was weapons-grade, meaning enough of it would be suitable for use in a nuclear weapon.
Reblogged by keul@fosstodon.org ("Luca Fabbri"):
shadeed9@front-end.social ("Ahmad Shadeed") wrote:
This is an excellent overview of the front-end features to watch out for this year.
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2024/12/new-front-end-features-for-designers-in-2025/
RobotDiver@starlite.rodeo ("Robot Diver") wrote:
As a trained firefighter I'm astounded/horrified at the number of reporters not wearing masks while reporting on the fires in LA.
A good story isn't worth sacrificing your life and health to hydrocarbons and burning plastic. The average home in 2025 is so toxic while burning that it's hard to watch; far more toxic than homes historically have ever been throughout history. This is something they drilled into us deeply while training.
The cause and effect can be long term and utterly devastating. A mask is gonna save your life in the coming years, be it pandemic or flames.
Wear a mask, shower often. Wash your hands before you eat. A lot of firefighters died before we figured out those basics.
PS- if you have a paint respirator with VOC cartridges even better.
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
brewsterkahle@mastodon.archive.org ("Brewster Kahle") wrote:
Cool tool of the day: wormhole.app
Ever wanted to send a big file (up to 10GB) file to someone easily? it expires in a day, but I have found it super useful for sending around zip files.
this free service that is secure and built by Feross, a genuine wizard.
Reblogged by isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:"):
jenniferplusplus@hachyderm.io ("Jenniferplusplus") wrote:
I know no one asked me, but here's my opinion anyway:
I said at the time that the best approach to federating with Threads was to follow your established policies. For most of the fediverse, that means to federate by default, and defederate if that becomes a problem. I stand by this.
I don't actually know what reason Meta had for federating. I doubt they do either. But the story they can tell is that it makes them more open and interoperable. It makes them one (large) provider among many within a market. Which means they're not an illegal monopoly, or whatever.
And if they try to federate and everyone else refuses to even consider it? Then the story they can tell is that nobody wants that. There is no market. And so they're just a normal website with a lot of users.
But if they try to federate, and the market is receptive, but then rejects them as unsafe? That's different. That's now a story that we can tell. And that story practically begs for stricter regulation, at least.
Reblogged by keul@fosstodon.org ("Luca Fabbri"):
jscholes@dragonscave.space ("James Scholes") wrote:
Amazon has added a new (to me) image/video gallery thing to product pages. For #screenReader users, it's a list of seven buttons that all say "Submit". Hope the team got a big bonus. #accessibility
Justice Department accuses 6 major landlords of keeping rents high
The lawsuit arrives as U.S. renters continue to struggle. The latest figures show that half of American renters spent more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities in 2022, an all-time high.
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
luckytran@med-mastodon.com ("Dr. Lucky Tran :verified:") wrote:
From a UCLA scientist 💔
Attachments:
isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:") wrote:
Was about to listen to the recent interview Zelenskyy gave to Lex Fridman.
Fridman, from the get-go: "People like Donald Trump and Elon Musk *really care* about fighting corruption…"
Me: Okay, I think I heard everything I needed from this interview, bye.
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
ryan@hates.company ("ryan wolf") wrote:
it's a good internet, if you can keep it
Apple says Siri isn’t sending your conversations to advertisers — even if it accidentally records them
Illustration: The Verge
Apple is refuting rumors that it ever let advertisers target users based on Siri recordings in a statement published Wednesday evening describing how Siri works and what it does with data.
The section specifically responding to the rumors reads:
Apple has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it available for advertising, and never sold it to anyone for any purpose. We are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private, and will continue to do so.
The conspiracy theory the company is responding to resurfaced last week after Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit over users whose conversations were captured by its Siri voice assistant and potentially overheard by human employees.
While Apple’s settlement addresses an issue that The Guardian reported in 2019. The report showed human contractors tasked with reviewing anonymized recordings and grading whether the trigger was activated intentionally, would sometimes receive recordings of people discussing sensitive information. But it doesn’t include any reference to selling data for marketing purposes.
After T_he Guardian’s_ report in 2019, Apple apologized and changed its policy, making the default setting not to retain audio recordings from Siri interactions and saying that for users who opt-in to sharing recordings, those recordings would not be shared with third-party contractors.
However, reports about the settlement noted that in earlier filings like this one from 2021, some of the plaintiffs claimed that after they mentioned brand names like “Olive Garden,” “Easton bats,” “Pit Viper sunglasses,” and “Air Jordans,” they were served ads for corresponding products, which they attributed to Siri data.
Apple’s statement tonight says it “does not retain audio recordings of Siri interactions unless users explicitly opt in to help improve Siri, and even then, the recordings are used solely for that purpose. Users can easily opt-out at any time.”
Facebook responded to similar theories in 2014 and 2016 before Mark Zuckerberg addressed it directly, saying “no” to the question while being grilled by Congress over the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018.
So, if Apple (and Facebook, Google, etc.) is telling the truth, then why would you see an ad later for something you only talked about?
There are other explanations, and attempts to check the rumors out include an investigation in 2018 that didn’t find evidence of microphone spying but did discover that some apps secretly recorded on-screen user activity that they shipped to third parties.
Ad targeting networks also track data from people logged onto the same network or who have spent time in the same locations, so even if one person didn’t type in that search term, maybe someone else did. They can buy data from brokers who collect reams of detailed location tracking and other info from the apps on your phone, and both Google and Facebook pull in data from other companies to build out profiles based on your purchasing habits and other information.
Here are the best Apple Watch deals right now
The latest Apple Watch SE is an entry-level smartwatch if there ever was one. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
In September, Apple launched its latest smartwatch, introducing the Apple Watch Series 10 alongside a black rendition of the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Each wearable has its own pros and cons, as does the second-gen Apple Watch SE, but the recent introduction of the new wearables also means there are now more Apple Watch models on the market than ever before — and a lot more deals to be had.
But with all of those options, which one should you pick? Generally speaking, you want to buy the newest watch you can afford so that it continues to receive software updates from Apple. The latest update, watchOS 11, launched in September on the Apple Watch Series 6 and newer, ultimately leaving those still using an older Series 4 or Series 5 behind.
That being said, picking up a watch from the latest (or a recent) generation ensures you’re getting a smartwatch with an updated design, a robust number of features, and plenty of sensors.
Now, let’s get to the deals.
The best Apple Watch Series 10 deals
The Apple Watch Series 10 represents the latest wearable in Apple’s flagship Series lineup. It features the new S10 SiP chip, faster charging, and a wide-angle OLED display that’s brighter, larger, and easier to read than that of previous models. It weighs half as much as the Ultra, too, and is about 30 percent thinner despite its new 42mm and 46mm sizing. Other upgrades include an added depth and water temperature sensor, as well as a new FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection feature, the latter of which is also available on the last-gen Series 9 and Ultra 2.
While the improvements are certainly welcome, the Series 10 isn’t a vast departure from the prior model, the Series 9. That being said, you can already pick it up at Amazon and Best Buy in the 42mm sizing with GPS starting at $329 ($70 off), which matches the wearable's best price to date. The GPS-equipped model is also on sale at Amazon and Best Buy in the 46mm variant for $359 ($70 off), while the LTE models can be had at Amazon and Best Buy starting at $429 ($70 off).
Read our Apple Watch Series 10 review.
The best Apple Watch Series 9 deals
In 2023, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 9 alongside the second-gen Ultra. It uses Apple’s last-gen S9 SiP chip and a second-gen ultra wideband chip, which allows for onboard Siri processing and precision finding with select iPhone models. It also features a brighter, 2,000-nit display and support for Apple’s nifty “double tap” feature — two minor additions that are also present on the Series 10.
The Series 9 has been out for more than a year, but certain configurations have become increasingly difficult to find with the arrival of Apple’s latest watch. Luckily, the GPS-equipped Series 9 is still on sale in the 45mm configuration at Walmart starting at $279 ($150 off), or at Amazon and Best Buy in the 41mm sizing starting at $299 ($100 off). There are also a handful of deals to be had on the LTE models with cellular connectivity, though none of them undercut the current price of the LTE-equipped Series 10 model by much, hence their exclusion here.
Read our Apple Watch Series 9 review.
The best Apple Watch SE deals
The Apple Watch SE received a refresh in late 2022. It has the same chipset as the Series 8, which is great, but with fewer sensors, no always-on display, and a slightly outdated design compared to the Series 8, Series 9, and Series 10. Those omissions might take this out of the running for some people, but it still may be exactly what you’re after. Best of all, it starts at $249 for the 40mm Wi-Fi / GPS model, which is $30 less than the previous generation’s baseline cost. Opting for cellular connectivity bumps the starting price up to $299 for the 40mm size (44mm adds $20 to each configuration).
At the moment, the best deals on the latest Apple Watch SE can be found at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, where you can pick the 40mm model with GPS for $199 ($50 off). The 44mm configuration, meanwhile, is available at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $229 ($50 off). If you want the LTE configuration, the 40mm configuration is currently on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $249 ($50 off), or in the larger 44mm sizing at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $279 ($50 off), its typical sale price.
Read our Apple Watch SE (second-gen) review.
The best Apple Watch Ultra 2 deals
The latest Apple Watch Ultra launched at $799 in September with GPS and LTE support, much like the original model. The ultra-capable smartwatch has the most features, sensors, and ruggedness of any Apple Watch model available thus far, along with a display that’s 50 percent brighter than the first Ultra. The 49mm smartwatch also packs Apple’s S9 SiP and second-gen ultra wideband chips, just like the Apple Watch Series 9, while maintaining long-lasting battery life, precise GPS tracking, and a bevy of diving-friendly sensors.
In recent months, we saw the Apple Watch Ultra 2 dip to as low as $642 ($157 off) in select configurations. Right now, however, it’s only on sale at Amazon and Best Buy with a Trail Loop starting at $719.99 (about $79 off), or with an Alpine Loop at Amazon starting at $759 ($40 off). You can also pick it up at Amazon with an Ocean Band starting at $769 ($30 off), which is about $80 more than the lowest price we’ve seen on the elastomer-equipped model.
Read our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review.
A note on the more premium models
While all of the Apple Watch models and colorways covered here are encased in aluminum (except the Ultra 2, which has a titanium build), Apple does make a more premium range built out of stainless steel and titanium. These offerings are functionally and aesthetically similar to their aluminum counterparts, with slightly refined colors and finishings — polished for the stainless steel and brushed for the titanium. However, they start at much steeper prices of $699 and above. They, too, can often be found on sale, but they’re never discounted as low as the standard base models, so we don’t include them here.
This robovac has an arm — and legs, too
This robot vacuum from Dreame has a robotic arm that can pick up items and use tools from its toolbox (pictured in the background) to clean more areas of your home. | Image: The Verge
I’ll see your arm and raise you an arm and two legs. It was the battle of the bots on the CES show floor as robot vacuum manufacturers Dreame and Roborock each added limbs to their rival robovacs.
Dreame launched its X50 Ultra at the show earlier this week, debuting the first robovac that can use its legs to navigate steps and room transitions up to 6cm high. But elsewhere at the show, competitor Roborock was showing off its latest flagship, the Saros Z70, which has an arm that can pick up items like socks.
Not to be outdone, Dreame then showed off a soon-to-be-released model at its CES booth, combining those two step-climbing legs with a robotic arm of its own.
Dreame’s model has a chunkier-looking arm than the Roborock’s, and it says it can pick up items up to 500 grams, whereas Roborock’s can only tackle items up to 300 grams. Dreame says its arm can pick up sneakers as large as men’s size 42 (a size 9 in the US) and take them to a designated spot in your home. The concept could apply to small toys and other items, and you’ll be able to designate specific areas for the robot to take certain items, such as toys to the playroom and shoes to the front door.
However, I didn’t see the robot picking up a sneaker — or anything at all — apparently, the infamous CES show floor Wi-Fi couldn't hack it. Instead, they showed the robust-looking arm moving up, down, and around while the robot lifted itself up on its two small legs. It looked like a tiny horse.
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Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
The robot vacuum lifting itself up on its legs while its arm stretches out.
Another interesting invention is a separate toolbox with various brushes that Dreame says the arm can connect to, enabling it to reach into corners and tight spaces where the bot itself cannot go and sweep out the dirt and dust. They also had a new base station that dispenses multiple mopping pads. This allows the robot to choose different pads for different jobs around your home — one for the kitchen another for the bathroom — to help avoid cross-contamination around your home.
Dreame’s Longdong Chen told _The Verg_e that the step-climbing, tool-using, arm-touting bot should be available later this year. A price hasn’t been announced, but it’s a safe bet that it’ll cost an arm and a leg.
The NHL postpones a game and the Lakers coach evacuates his family amid LA fires
The fires burning across Los Angeles have affected tens of thousands of people, including athletes and staff for the city's sports teams. Pasadena's iconic Rose Bowl was under evacuation warning.
As Los Angeles Burns, We’re Seeing a Conflagration of Lies and Disinformation
This story was originally published by Slate and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. The firestorms that have been ravaging Los Angeles and Southern California since Tuesday afternoon are nothing short of calamitous. Thanks to dry weather and a burst of high-speed Santa Ana winds—some billowing in at close to 100 miles per hour—brush fires began flaring […]
Microsoft is reverting its Bing AI image generator because of quality complaints
Illustration by Haein Jeong / The Verge
Microsoft is rolling back a model upgrade to its AI-powered Bing Image Creator, reports TechCrunch. The rollback came after weeks of complaints by users that the tool just didn’t work as well after Microsoft “upgraded” to a new version of the DALL-E 3 model on December 18th.
Microsoft declined to comment on its decision to roll things back or offer specifics on what may be causing the gap between user’s expectations and its output.
Today, Microsoft’s head of search, Jordi Ribas, tweeted that they could reproduce “some of the issues reported” and are reverting to an older version of the DALL-E model for now, although it could take a few weeks until it’s complete.
Since the launch of Bing Image Creator last spring, users have generated billions of images with text prompts. I'm pleased to share our latest updates to enhance your creative experience. Starting today, we’re rolling out the latest DALL-E 3 model PR16, which will create images… pic.twitter.com/3p9HsYMlr6
— Jordi Ribas (@JordiRib1) December 18, 2024
Thanks again for the feedback and patience. We've been able to repro some of the issues reported and plan to revert to PR13 until we can fix them. All Pro users and about 25% of the requests using boosts are now on PR13. The deployment process is very slow unfortunately. It…
— Jordi Ribas (@JordiRib1) January 8, 2025
As soon as Ribas posted about the change in December, there were complaints that Bing Image Creator was producing less-detailed results or images that didn’t accurately reflect their prompts. In his initial replies, Ribas said the model’s output quality “should be a bit better on average” than before.
It was the same story in posts and comments on Reddit and OpenAI’s community forums. On OpenAI’s forums, a person complained about the model’s handling of fabric on an anime-style character’s dress. The person who posted the below images says the one on the left is “perfect quality” while the one on the right is “over-lit.”
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Screenshot: OpenAI community forum
Another didn’t like the way Bing placed starburst effects:
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Screenshot: OpenAI community forum
All of these things are subjective, and I can’t claim to think any of them look better than any others. If anything, it feels like an indication that Microsoft doesn’t just have to deal with complaints about bugs or people upset about feature changes — now it has to deal with AI art critics comparing the machine’s output to what they imagine it should create. Perhaps they should ask the artists whose work the generators were trained on for tips about managing a client’s expectations?
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
Folks who pay $1K for an iPhone have to put up with some extractive, authoritarian software nonsense, but they get a lot of what they pay for when it comes to hardware.
Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung Semi, and Google OTOH...woof. The very latest, very-top-end parts (Snapdragon X Elite and Dimensity 9400) are maybe worth the cost (finally)...but the rest of the market? Ouch.
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
Apple continues to lead on top-end chip frequencies, in part because it pays more for access to the smallest process nodes...but that's not what's really going on. The big story for the past 10 years is that Android SoC vendors (Google very much included) have *sucked* at keeping their chips fed with enough data to retire work quickly.
Why? Because they were afraid to trade cores for cache, no matter how much it hobbled their phones.
Attachments:
- CPU frequencies are stagnant at the low-end, but not enough to explain the size of the perf gap between high-end iOS and mid-tier Androids. (remote)
- The mid-tier is finally getting some die-shrink, but because the SoC vendors keep cheaping-out on caches, that isn't turning into faster phones for most users. (remote)
