fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤") wrote:
Meta employees speak out against bias, censoring, and reckless policy at their workplace.
Metamates For Ceasefire:
"Most recently, questions about investigative reports indicating the possibility of governments, ISPs, and coordinated bad actors using Whatsapp data for military targeting have been met with dismissive and insufficient responses or outright deleted throughout internal forums. "
Any Fediverse leaders want to ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2024/05/07/meta-employees-speak.html
collinsworth@hachyderm.io ("Josh Collinsworth") wrote:
"React is, for the vast, vast majority of organisations…objectively worse than many of the alternatives.
React meta-frameworks…are never going to outperform dedicated server frameworks or tailored front-end code.
They make hiring easier but they also make it easier for management to fire your entire team and replace you with something cheaper.
So it doesn’t matter if it’s worse. …Tech management will sacrifice technological progress if it disempowers labour."
https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2024/react-electron-llms-labour-arbitrage/
Pioneering stuntwoman Jeannie Epper, of 'Wonder Woman' and 'Charlie's Angels' dies
"We were united in the way that women had to be in order to thrive in a man's world, through mutual respect, intellect and collaboration," Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter posted in a tribute.
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
This is shockingly on point re: React.
https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2024/react-electron-llms-labour-arbitrage/
/via @baldur
Some students who protested at colleges don't regret potential punishment
Some students face criminal charges, suspensions and even expulsions for participating in pro-Palestinian protests and encampments. Their reason? A "just cause".
Toxic culture is the norm at the FDIC, outside review cites 500 employee complaints
A law firm investigation of the FDIC documents a toxic workplace culture where hundreds of employees complained of sexual harassment, discrimination and other misconduct.
Here’s how the latest iPad Pro compares to the new iPad Air (and previous models)
The 2024 iPad Air still offers a nice display, though, not as nice as the OLED display on the new iPad Pro. | Screenshot: Apple
After nearly a two-year wait, Apple finally updated its iPad lineup with a thinner iPad Pro and new iPad Air. The new tablets start at $999 and $599, respectively, and both are already available to preorder ahead of their May 15th release date.
These are no iterative updates, either. For the first time, Apple added an OLED display to the iPad Pro, along with a new M4 chip. Apple also added a 13-inch Air to the lineup, so both models are now available in 11- and 13-inch sizes. Combine that with support for most of the same accessories — including the new Apple Pencil Pro — and you now have even more options to consider if you need a big tablet for work or play.
Yet, while the iPad Air and iPad Pro now look more alike, they differ enough...
The US is propping up gas while the world moves to renewable energy
Solar panels point to the sky at the Weesow-Wilmersdorf solar park on May 3rd, 2024, near Grischow, Germany. | Photo by Maja Hitij / Getty Images
The amount of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants likely peaked in 2023, according to the annual global electricity review by energy think tank Ember. That means human civilization has likely passed a key turning point, according to Ember: countries will likely never generate as much electricity from fossil fuels again.
A record 30 percent of electricity globally came from renewable sources of energy last year thanks primarily to growth in solar and wind power. Starting this year, pollution from the power sector is likely to start dropping, with a 2 percent drop in the amount of fossil fuel-powered electricity projected for 2024 — a decline Ember expects to speed up in the long term.
“A major...
Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago classified documents case is delayed indefinitely by judge
The classified documents trial had been scheduled to begin May 20. But months of delays had slowed the case as prosecutors pushed for the trial to begin before the November presidential election
After calls for gun safety, Tennessee votes to arm teachers
Despite calls for gun safety legislation after the Covenant School shooting, Tennessee passed a measure allowing teachers to carry firearms in schools.
Helldivers 2 Community Manager Seemingly Gone After PlayStation Login Meltdown
Things in the world of Helldivers 2 are going back to normal after Sony reversed course on a controversial PSN login requirement for the popular sci-fi shooter on PC. But not everyone appears to have made it out of the public relations fiasco in one piece. Arrowhead Studios community manager Spitz is seemingly no…
Report: Devs Were Working On Redfall's Offline Mode Up Until They Were Fired
Earlier today, Redfall development studio Arkane Austin was closed by Xbox alongside Tango Gameworks and Alpha Dog Games. And it sounds like, before the shutdown, the team was working on new content and updates for the vampire-hunting shooter that, now, won’t ever be released.
US indicts LockBit ransomware ringleader, offers $10 million reward
Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The Department of Justice has unsealed charges against a Russian national accused of developing and administrating LockBit ransomware. In a filing on Tuesday, the DOJ claims the 31-year-old Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev helped make LockBit one of “the most prolific and destructive ransomware group[s] in the world.”
Khoroshev has allegedly had involvement in LockBit since it first emerged in September 2019. Over the years, LockBit ransomware attacks have claimed over 2,500 victims in at least 120 countries, with Khoroshev and other co-conspirators allegedly collecting at least $500 million in ransom payments.
Image: UK National Crime Agency
US and UK authorities seized LockBit’s data leak site in February.
LockBit...
OpenAI working on new AI image detection tools
Illustration: The Verge
OpenAI has added a new tool to detect if an image was made with its DALL-E AI image generator, as well asnew watermarking methods to more clearly flag content it generates.
In a blog post, OpenAI announced that it has begun developing new provenance methods to track content and prove whether it was AI-generated. These include a new image detection classifier that uses AI to determine whether the photo was AI-generated, as well as a tamper-resistant watermark that can tag content like audio with invisible signals.
The classifier predicts the likelihood that a picture was created by DALL-E 3. OpenAI claims the classifier works even if the image is cropped or compressed or the saturation is changed. While the tool can detect if images...
Microsoft Tried To 'Steal' Little Big Planet From Sony
According to Media Molecule’s co-founder Mark Healey—the creative director on Little Big Planet, its sequel, and Dreams—early on in LBP’s creation, Microsoft was “on the prowl” and trying to “steal” the game from Sony.
Tesla bought over $2 million worth of lidar sensors from Luminar this year
EMBARGO: June 15, 2021, 10:30am ET | Image: Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge
Elon Musk doesn’t like lidar, the laser sensor that powers many companies’ self-driving ambitions. He previously called it a “crutch” and said any company that relies on lidar for its autonomous capabilities was “doomed.”
Well, apparently Tesla is stocking up on crutches.
In its quarterly earnings report released today, Orlando-based lidar manufacturer Luminar disclosed that Tesla was its “largest LiDAR customer in Q1,” comprising more than 10 percent of the company’s revenue for the quarter. That translates to around $2.1 million worth of lidar, based on Luminar’s $21 million in revenue for the quarter.
Tesla is stocking up on crutches
In fact, Tesla bought so much lidar from Luminar, it helped offset a quarter-over-quarter drop in...
Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):
davatron5000 ("Dave Rupert") wrote:
Big news: I’m happy to share that yesterday I started a new job at Microsoft where I'll be working on web components for Fluent UI.
I've had a long relationship with Microsoft – from Paravel helping to build the first responsive version of their homepage in 2012 to the whole 5 year "#davegoeswindows" stunt that Rey Bango coordinated for ShopTalk – and this feels like a nice new chapter in that story arc.
andreu@andreubotella.com ("Andreu Botella") wrote:
Since this seems to be easy to miss even though it's been in my profile here and in other places for a while: hey, I'm non-binary, and my pronouns are they/them.
Just wanted to make you aware of that fact, if you weren't before.
Man admits racial harassment of Utah women's NCAA basketball team
Prosecutors in northern Idaho say they won't bring charges against a man who admitted to using a racial slur against University of Utah women's basketball players.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners Won't Get A New Season, But It's Getting A Tabletop Epilogue
Cyberpunk Edgerunners is an excellent anime. Some might even say the Netflix series is one of the best video game adaptations of all time. That being said, there are no plans for a second season, and given how definitive its ending was, it probably doesn’t need one. However, R. Talsorian Games, publisher of the Cyberpu…
Compression-mounted laptop RAM is fast, efficient, and upgradeable
Image: iFixit
The first laptop with LPCAMM2 memory is finally here. The folks at iFixit got their hands on the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 (Gen 7), which uses LPDDR5X memory in an LPCAMM2 module that you can upgrade or replace by simply unscrewing from the laptop’s motherboard.
That’s a major change from existing LPDDR memory in most modern laptops. This type of memory is typically soldered onto the motherboard, making it much more difficult to upgrade. LPCAMM2 — or Low-Power Compression-Attached Memory Module — offers modularity without losing the power efficiency of LPDDR.
Traditional DDR RAM uses SODIMM sticks that slot into the motherboard, much like on desktop PCs. As pointed out by iFixit, LPDDR is much more power-efficient, but it needs to be soldered...
10 Star Wars Songs They Should Add To Fortnite
Fortnite’s big Star Wars update arrived last week and added plenty of new content based on the popular sci-fi franchise to Epic’s massively popular free-to-play game. It also added a new Star Wars song to the game that can be played in the Guitar Hero-like rhythm game, Fortnite Festival. Sadly, the song is the Cantina…
Nebraska Republican brings resolution to censure Ilhan Omar
This comes after recent remarks Omar gave on a college campus where she referred to Jewish students not engaging in an anti-Israel protest "pro-genocidal."
Hades 2: Essential Settings To Tweak
Hades 2 hit Early Access on May 6, giving those eager for a sequel to the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning action RPG roguelike a chance to jump in. We’ve already covered some starting Hades 2 tips, whether you’re a newcomer or a Hades vet, as well as some essential info for taking down Headmistress Hecate.
#iPad Pro has amazing hardware, but I can't get over the OS that feels like working with one-finger gloves on.
Increasing Election Violence in Mexico
Mexico's general election will be held at the beginning of June and it will mark the end of a campaign season of record violence. Some thirty candidates have been assassinated in the past month. Our reporter goes to one of Mexico's most violent towns to talk to candidates who are brave enough to run for office. Sign up for State of the World+ to listen sponsor-free and support the work of NPR journalists. Visit plus.npr.org.
This is the Sonos Roam 2 portable speaker
Image: The Verge
The most important upcoming hardware product for Sonos is undoubtedly its long-anticipated Sonos Ace headphones. They will mark the company’s debut in a massive (and highly competitive) new category. But spring and summer are always the seasons of new portable speakers, and Sonos hasn’t forgotten about that part of its business.
The company has been developing a sequel to the Sonos Roam, the tiny portable speaker it released three years ago. I’ve obtained images of a prerelease Sonos Roam 2 and can share a little more about the differences between it and the original model, which has been criticized by some owners for unreliable battery performance and other issues.
In terms of design, the Roam 2 is basically a carbon copy of the...
Walmart’s Google-powered streaming box and smart speaker combo is live
Image: Walmart
Walmart has listed its new “Pro” Google TV streaming box / smart speaker combo a weekafter the product leaked into the real world and intermittently appeared on the store site.
The new Onn 4K Pro, which retails for $49.88, comes with new features, including a built-in Google Assistant smart speaker, Dolby Vision plus Atmos, HDR, and a remote with a big blue “Free TV” button to subtly point you to Google’s FAST channels as well asa customizable star button that can launch an app or change TV inputs.
Image: Walmart
You get a barrel plug power supply instead of direct AC or USB-C, but at least you get an included HDMI cable.
Image: Walmart
It’s not “Magic” — it’s the Customizable button.
...
Hades 2: The Best Cauldron Incantations To Unlock First
Hades 2, released on May 6 in Early Access, is already surpassing its predecessor’s feats. The sequel will feel familiar enough to those who fought their way to the surface as Zagreus in the first game. Some existing systems, however, have been iterated on, with perhaps the biggest example being the incantations…
'Long Island' renders bare the universality of longing
In a heartrending follow-up to his beloved 2009 novel, Brooklyn, Colm Tóibín handles uncertainties and moral conundrums with exquisite delicacy, zigzagging through time to a devastating climax.
Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):
beckett@social.coop ("Old Tom") wrote:
If you saw the CBS 60 Minutes segment on private equity's
"Ownership Works" push into employee ownership, and wondered why there was no mention at all of any organizations or people who have been advancing worker ownership for years and years, here's a look behind the PR.Employee FAUXnership.
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
MSFT words I have to unpack in every meeting:
- "ask" == "request"
- "inbox" == "include"
- "double click" == "discuss in detail"
- "learnings" == "lessons"
- "delighter" == "feature" (apologies to Kano)
Biden decries surge of antisemitism since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel
President Biden spoke out against harassment of Jewish students on college campuses, part of what he called a "ferocious surge of antisemitism" seen since Oct. 7.
After years of scandal, Boy Scouts of America changes its name to Scouting America
The 114-year-old organization says it's rebranding to Scouting America to be more inclusive. The move by the Boy Scouts after a wide-ranging child sex abuse scandal and bankruptcy.
On the Anniversary of Family Separation, the Heritage Foundation Hosted the Policy’s Intellectual “Father”
On May 7, 2018, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions officially announced the Trump administration’s infamous “zero tolerance” policy. “If you are smuggling a child,” Sessions said, “then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law.” The idea was to deter would-be migrants from coming to the United States by ripping […]
Aid Groups Warn of “Bloodbath” After Israeli Forces Seize Rafah Crossing
Israeli forces announced on Tuesday that they had seized control of the Rafah border crossing, a vital passageway for transporting aid into Gaza, prompting intense condemnation from international aid groups warning that the humanitarian crisis would be significantly exacerbated. The incursion into Rafah comes a day after White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said […]
cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen") wrote:
No, I don't think I'll pay two orders of magnitude more for shipping. :/
Hack solution coming up!
cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen") wrote:
TFW you need a $0.36 part to fix something, but you'd have to order it.
How to set up eSIM on a new iPhone
Say goodbye to your physical SIM card. | Image: Samar Haddad / The Verge
If you’ve purchased an iPhone 14 or 15 series phone in the US — or one of the latest iPads — you’ll notice it’s missing one key feature: a SIM tray. That’s because Apple’s gone all in on eSIM, which is a digital version of the tiny card that allows you to use your wireless provider’s network.
There’s good news and bad news here. If you’re switching from an older iPhone, activating an eSIM on your new iPhone is incredibly easy. If you’re switching from an Android phone to an iPhone 14, well, it’s less straightforward.
Whichever path you need to take, we’ve got some guidance for you.
iPhone with physical SIM to iPhone 14 or 15
To switch from an iPhone with a physical SIM card to an eSIM iPhone, follow these steps:
- Make sure your old...
Amazon adds 50 electric trucks to its delivery fleet in a bid to reduce pollution
Image: Amazon
Amazon is deploying 50 battery-electric heavy-duty trucks in California, which it claims is the largest such fleet in the country. The company says the new trucks represent an important step in its mission to eliminate pollution from its global operations — even as its carbon emissions have spiked in recent years.
Amazon says the trucks will be integrated into first-mile operations, in which goods are moved from container ships at the ports to fulfillment centers, as well as middle-mile operations, in which packages are transported from fulfillment centers to delivery centers. From there, the packages will be loaded into Amazon’s last-mile fleet, a portion of which are electric delivery vans produced by Rivian.
It's Time To Stop Giving Xbox Boss Phil Spencer A Pass
On May 7, Xbox announced that it was closing four studios: Arkane Austin (Redfall), Tango Gameworks (Hi-Fi Rush), Alpha Dog Games (Mighty Doom), and support studio Roundhouse Games. The news is yet another example of Xbox—which has spent billions buying up studios—cutting costs, laying people off, and rearranging…
What Happened When Stormy Daniels Finally Met Trump in Court
The first criminal trial of a former US president is underway, with Donald Trump facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments allegedly made in 2016 to cover up an affair he had with adult film star Stormy Daniels. Here’s the latest—the key updates and absurd moments—from the historic trial. Stormy Daniels, the […]
Brittney Griner reflects on 'Coming Home' after nearly 300 days in a Russian prison
The WNBA star, who is six feet, nine inches, says she felt like a zoo animal in prison. "The guards would literally come open up the little peep hole, look in, and then I would hear them laughing."
The new iPads are ditching physical SIM cards
Not a SIM tray in sight on the new iPad Pro. | Photo: David Pierce / The Verge
Apple giveth OLED screens, and Apple taketh away... SIM cards. As spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple has removed the physical SIM slot on the cellular versions of the new iPad Air and iPad Pro models. First the iPhone, now the iPad — Apple is all in on an eSIM future, it seems.
The iPhone 14 was the first model to lose the SIM slot, but only in the US — versions sold in other countries still include a physical SIM tray. That doesn’t seem to be the case with the new iPad Air and iPad Pro; Apple’s UK and Canadian retail sites state that the new models use eSIM and are “not compatible with physical SIM cards.”
eSIM has been catching on in popularity over the past few years. Most smartphone flagships support the technology, but only Apple has taken...
Reblogged by fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤"):
twrling@sfba.social ("Tracy Rosenberg") wrote:
#Surveillance vendors are engaged in false and deceptive advertising and the #FTC could step in to protect consumers, says NY group STOP. https://ipvm.com/reports/marketing-stop
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤") wrote:
Sexy men eat honey crisp apple slices and Tillamook cheddar cheese as a little midday snacky snack
A New Poll Shows Trump’s Abortion Problem Isn’t Going Away
One of Donald Trump’s greatest political liabilities as he seeks to return to the White House is his position on abortion. Just last month, Trump rolled out a new stance in an attempt to neutralize the issue, switching from support for a national ban to leaving its legality up to the states. “Whatever they decide […]
Reblogged by fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤"):
digitalhuman ("Digital Human ✔") wrote:
Meta test wereldwijd cross-posting tussen instagram en threads https://www.trendingtech.news/trending-news/2024/05/10428/meta-test-wereldwijd-cross-posting-tussen-instagram-en-threads #Meta Cross-Posting #Instagram naar Threads #Sociale Netwerken #Threads Actieve Gebruikers #TechCrunch Meta #Trending #News #Nieuws
Google’s Pixel Tablet relaunch at $399 makes its magnetic dock optional
Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
Along with a new value-priced entry for the Pixel 8 lineup, Google has some news about the largest member of the Pixel lineup, as its 128GB Pixel Tablet is now available for preorder at $399 — $100 cheaper than the launch price last summer.
However, to reach that price, you’ll have to go without its smart display-like magnetic Charging Speaker Dock.
Nothing is changing about the Pixel Tablet itself compared to the model that launched last summer, as it still has a Tensor G2 processor, 8GB of RAM, fingerprint sensor, and Wi-Fi 6. Google is just creating a new SKU that decouples the Charging Speaker. If you purchase the standalone tablet and later decide you want the dock, you can buy it separately for $129 in hazel and porcelain colors...
Reblogged by fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤"):
nikki@topspicy.social ("Nikki") wrote:
the cost of blowing up a balloon has increased due to inflation
You can upgrade the iPad Pro’s processor now, too
Apple has two versions of the M4 chip for the iPad Pro. | Screenshot: Apple
The newly announced iPad Pro hides a sneaky upgrade option that Apple didn’t mention during its event today. When you cough up the $600 it costs to jump from the 256GB base model iPad Pro to the 1TB version, Apple doesn’t just double the RAM along with that — it also puts a faster chip inside, going from a nine-core M4 chip to a 10-core version.
This is the first time Apple has offered a processor upgrade on a specific tablet model — in the past, no matter what other options you picked on a given tablet, you knew you were getting the same chip as any other configuration. In the past, Apple only tied RAM upgrades to storage boosts; that’s still true here, with the quantity doubling from 8GB to 16GB. You also get the privilege of buying...
The iPad Air is now heavier than the iPad Pro
Also, this is barely purple. | Image: Apple
When I see the word Air attached to an Apple product, I assume two things: it’s going to be thin and light. You can’t really assume that with the just-announced iPad Airs. For one, both the 11-inch and 13-inch sizes are heavier and thicker than either iPad Pro model.
Behold the spec comparison charts.
Screenshot: Apple
So what does Air mean anymore really?
Screenshot: Apple
The 13-inch iPad Air is actually heavier than the 10th-gen iPad, too.
The 11-inch Air weighs 1.02 pounds to the 11-inch Pro’s 0.98 pound. The 13-inch Air is 1.36 pounds to the 13-inch Pro’s 1.28 pounds. It’s not just weight, either. Both iPad Pro sizes are also thinner.
During the “Let Loose” event, the iPad Air...
'A F***ing Gut Stab': Game Industry Reacts To Shocking New Studio Closures
One of the worst years for cancellations, cuts, and closures in the history of the video game industry has just claimed its next victims, including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks. Developers and fans alike are in disbelief. “Great teams are sunsetting before our eyes again, and it’s a fucking gut stab,” wrote Dinga…
What we can learn from 4 schools that have reached agreements with Gaza protesters
Northwestern, Brown, Rutgers and University of Minnesota are among the handful of schools that have reached agreements with student protesters. Here's how they did it, and what could come next.
Hi-Fi Rush Was The Hit Xbox Needed, And It Still Wasn't Enough For Them
Today, May 7, Xbox announced it’s shutting down three studios and merging another. This includes Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Mobile Doom studio Alpha Dog Games, while Roundhouse Games is being absorbed into Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. But perhaps most shocking of all is the closure…
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
Very cool:
Here are the courtroom sketch artists drawing Trump's hush money trial
Elizabeth Williams, Christine Cornell and Jane Rosenberg are among a dwindling group of courtroom sketch artists. "It's about trying to draw the most honest and true and real moment," Williams says.
All the news on Google’s Pixel 8, 8 Pro, and 8A
Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Google’s Tensor 3 and AI-touting Pixel 8 phones have been joined by a cheaper versio, the Pixel 8A.
Here’s where you can preorder Apple’s latest iPad Air and iPad Pro
The new iPad Air comes in two sizes, while the Pro model picks up an M4 chip and a more vibrant OLED panel. | Image: Apple
At long last, Apple’s newest iPad Pro and iPad Air are finally, officially real. Preorders begin today, May 7th, with the former starting at $999 and the latter at $599. Both models come in 11- and 13-inch sizing and are set to arrive in stores on Wednesday, May 15th.
One of the most notable changes in the Pro models is the switch from LCD-based displays to OLED, which could be the killer feature for creatives. But there’s a lot more to like, such as a new M4 chip that is said to offer 50 percent faster CPU performance than Apple’s last-gen M2 chip, plus a new 10-core GPU that supports mesh shading and ray tracing. The new iPad Pro also features better rear cameras and a repositioned front-facing Face ID camera that now sits centered...
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
IDK, man. Maybe testing on representative devices is actually too hard hard? But if you're gonna produce a "numbers every web developer should know" clout-farming thinkfluence feelpiece, maybe disambiguate compressed vs. uncompressed file sizes.
TikTok sues the US government over ban
The Verge
TikTok is suing the US government over the new law that would force the short-form video app to be divested from its China-based parent company ByteDance or face a ban in the US. In a court filing submitted Tuesday, TikTok says Congress has “taken the unprecedented step of expressly singling out and banning TikTok” and calls the move “unconstitutional.”
The complaint argues that a sale from ByteDance isn’t possible and that the law would “force a shutdown” by January 19th, 2025.
“For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide,” the...
TikTok challenges U.S. ban in court, says it violates the first amendment
The high-stakes legal battle could determine the future of the popular app in the U.S. TikTok's legal filing calls the ban law an unprecedented violation of First Amendment rights.
Wordle now has a playable puzzle archive
Photo by Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto via Getty Images
Wordle players no longer have to worry about missing a daily puzzle. Today, The New York Times is launching a new feature for subscribers that will let them access an archive of past Wordle puzzles. The archive is rolling out now for those with a “Games” or “All Access” subscription and will include more than 1,000 past puzzles, though it sounds like not everyone will have it right away; the Times says that the rollout is expected to “take place over the next couple of months.” At launch, the feature will be available on both mobile and desktop, and the Times says it will be coming to its Games app in the “coming weeks.”
Image: The New York Times
“This expansion is not just about playing past puzzles; it’s about...
Helldivers 2 Community Rallies To Rescue The Game's Steam Reviews
Co-op shooter Helldivers 2 was enjoying tons of success in the months since its February launch. Then, a few days ago, Sony announced that PC players had to link (or create) a PlayStation Network account to continue playing the game. This enraged fans who have been playing for months, resulting in a massive…
Google’s Pixel 8A is a midrange phone that might actually go the distance
Aloe is the new coral. | Photo: Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
The Pixel 8A is officially here, with very little in the way of surprises since it leaked to all heck over the past few weeks — as Google hardware always does. The 8A gets Google’s latest processor, adds a bunch of new AI features, and still starts at $499 in the US. But the very best news is that the 8A adopts the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro’s seven years of software support, which is just unheard of in a midrange phone.
The 8A retains the same general shape and size as its predecessor. But its 6.1-inch screen gets a couple of significant updates: the top refresh rate is now 120Hz, up from 90Hz, and the panel gets up to 40 percent brighter, up to 2,000 nits in peak brightness mode. They’re important upgrades, especially since the 8A’s main...
cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen") wrote:
I used a grid method to get the character to approximate the image the kiddo picked. I drew the grid on the back of the poster, and I was using the outside light so I could see the grid from the front as I drew. When it's all done, the grid should not be visible.
Apple quietly kills the old-school iPad and its headphone jack
Apple no longer sells the ninth-gen iPad, which was the last iPad with a headphone jack. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
Along with introducing a new iPad Air and iPad Pro during its Let Loose event, Apple quietly killed its ninth-gen iPad — also known as the last iPad with a headphone jack. The 10th-gen iPad is now the sole entry-level iPad in Apple’s official lineup and, as such, has received a $100 price cut.
Released in late 2022, the 10th-generation iPad arrived starting at $449, or about $120 more than base entry-level iPads from previous years. Apple justified the price increase with new iPad Air-like features, like a 10.9-inch screen and USB-C support.
However, we never believed the price increase was warranted. After all, the now last-gen iPad Air was often on sale for around the same price, but with a faster processor, a nicer display, and...
cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen") wrote:
The kiddo remembered the "pin the kissy lips on the frog" game they played on their 4th birthday and requested a "pin the nose on the Sonic" game for their 6th. I am attempting to oblige. I'm trying very hard not to make a mistake that requires me to start all over from scratch.
(Also, at about the time I finished transferring the pencils to the poster, I was like "Maybe there was a poster I could've just *bought*" But this way is more "fun" and stressful. 😆)
[photo taken on my potato]
Attachments:
- Bad photo of a white 22 x 28 inches (56 x 71 cm) poster board taped up to a sliding glass door where a large image of 16-bit style Sonic has been transferred using a grid method. Only the black ink lines have been drawn so far, and his nose is missing because it's supposed to be "pin the nose on the Sonic". (remote)
OpenAI strikes licensing deal with the magazine giant behind People
Image: Hugo Herrera / The Verge
Dotdash Meredith, publisher of People, Better Homes & Gardens, Investopedia, Food & Wine, and InStyle, signed a deal on Tuesday with OpenAI to use AI models for its ad-targeting product, D/Cipher. In turn, Dotdash Meredith will license its content to ChatGPT.
With the partnership, OpenAI will bring content from Dotdash Meredith publications to ChatGPT, link to the articles in the chatbot, and train AI models with its articles. (Presumably, this also includes an archive of all the previous sexiest men alive.)
Dotdash Meredith and the AI company will also collaborate on new AI features for the magazine’s readers.
Dotdash Meredith will use OpenAI’s models to upgrade D/Cipher, which helps advertisers find consumers through the content...
Can drones help the National Weather Service better predict a devastating tornado?
An aerial view shows homes destroyed by a tornado on March 15th, 2024, in Winchester, Indiana. | Photo by Scott Olson / Getty Images
Verizon’s first responder network inked a deal to share its drones with the National Weather Service in the hopes of “rapidly” deploying the drones to survey the aftermath of storms and tornadoes.
The US copes with more tornadoes than any other country, and millions of Americans have been under tornado watches this week as storms sweep across the Central US.
Not only will the new partnership allow the National Weather Service (NWS) to quickly assess storm damage, but drone footage could also inform research into tornado behavior. There’s still a lot scientists don’t know about tornadoes. A better understanding of how they form could help the NWS issue earlier and more accurate warnings to people, which could ultimately help save lives.
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fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤") wrote:
Anyone have a list of everytime Jack Dorsey has been sued? Asking for a friend
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤") wrote:
"You down with OPD (Other People's Data)? Yeah you know me!" — Jack Dorsey trying to impress Kendrick Lamar on Twitter
Apple launches Final Cut Camera app to support multicam productions
Image: Apple
Apple is releasing a new Final Cut Camera app for iPhone and iPad that can take video and stream it live back to an iPad for a Multicam shoot, as well as provide more controls for filmmakers. The company’s new pro-level app provides “precise manual controls” and can be used as a plain standalone camera app.
The new Final Cut Camera is launching alongside the updated Final Cut 2 app, a successor to last year’s debut Final Cut for iPad. Final Cut 2 has a multiscreen view that captures and controls each Final Cut Camera-running device connected to it. Final Cut 2 also lets you hop between production and editing, allowing you to live-cut your project.
Image: Apple
Final Cut Camera in action.
I...
Apple puts more ‘Pro’ in Final Cut and Logic Pro for the iPad
Image: Apple
Apple is updating two of its biggest pro apps to complement the new iPad Pro models announced today. The updated Logic Pro will be available first, hitting the App Store starting on May 13th for both the iPad and Mac, while the next version of Final Cut Pro for both platforms comes later this spring. Both will be free updates for existing users of the macOS and iPadOS versions.
Final Cut Pro for the iPad finally supports external projects — that is, users can create and access products on external storage and won’t need to import the media to their iPad’s internal storage. That’s a big deal for anyone editing on the go, as even Apple’s higher tablet storage tiers can be limiting when working with massive video files (particularly now...
Hands-on with the new iPad Pro: yeah, it’s really thin
The OLED screen looks nice, but the design is the iPad Pro’s real story.
Apple just announced a new iPad Pro, and at a watch party in New York City, a few reporters got to take a look at Apple’s new tablet firsthand. After holding and playing with the device for a few minutes, I can say pretty confidently that Apple’s not kidding about how much more svelte the new model is. At 5.3mm thick for the 11-inch model and 5.1mm for the 13-inch tablet, this new iPad is noticeably thinner and lighter than anything the company has made before.
It’s such a big difference that the larger model, which I’ve always felt was kind of preposterously huge, feels much more comfortable to hold and use. (And it’s technically even larger now, up to 13 inches from 12.9 before1) You can tell the difference between the Pro and the new...
The 7 biggest announcements from Apple’s iPad event
Screenshot: Apple
Apple just wrapped up its “Let Loose” event, where it showed off the newest additions to its iPad lineup in nearly two years. But the event had more than just iPads — we also got a first look at some refreshed accessories and updated software.
If you want a quick rundown of everything Apple announced, check out our roundup below.
The iPad Air adds more screen real estate
Screenshot: Apple
Apple has added a new 13-inch iPad Air to its lineup, offering a cheaper and lighter alternative to the iPad Pro. In addition to the larger size, Apple added its M2 chip to the device — an upgrade from the M1 chip it included with its 2022 model.
The new iPad Air comes in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray. It costs $599 for...
This Underrated 2023 Gem Is Getting A Second Chance On PC, PS5, And Xbox
One of 2023’s most criminally underrated games is getting a second chance. Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is Spike Chunsoft’s spiritual successor to its beloved murder mystery series Danganropa. It launched on Switch to decent reception last year, but several reviewers noted some technical trouble on Nintendo’s…
Tesla vehicles kept crashing even after the Autopilot software updates, NHTSA says
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
At least 20 Tesla vehicles with Autopilot engaged were involved in crashes since the company issued a voluntary recall for the advanced driver assist system last December, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed in a new filing this week.
Tesla recalled over 2 million vehicles with Autopilot in response to NHTSA’s investigation into dozens of crashes involving the company’s driver assist feature, including several which were fatal. The recall was meant to address issues around driver inattention and Tesla’s warning systems, which NHTSA said has contributed to hundreds of crashes and dozens of deaths. But last month, the agency opened a new investigation into Teslas fix, and now it’s requesting more information from...
The new Apple Pencil Pro is harder to lose and better to draw with
Image: Apple
Apple announced its third-generation Apple Pencil today during its “Let Loose” iPad event, adding Find My support and new capabilities for adapting the stylus to different creative tasks. Available to order today for $129, the Apple Pencil Pro introduces features closer to what you’d find on pens for dedicated drawing tablets — like a “Barrel Roll” gyroscope feature and a squeeze gesture for switching between software functions.
This is the first real update to the Apple Pencil series since the second-generation model was announced in 2018. While the more affordable USB-C Apple Pencil that was released last year supported a wider range of iPad models than the Apple Pencil 2, it also ditched advanced second-gen features like pressure...
In One Day, Hades II Doubled The First Game’s Record For Concurrent Players
After a short technical test, Supergiant Games started this week with a bang by releasing Hades II into Early Access. The sequel to the studio’s 2020 action roguelite has been eagerly awaited by fans of the original, but it turns out the audience for Hades 2 is much bigger than anybody was expecting. Not even 24 hours…
Katy Perry's own mom fell for her Met Gala AI photo. Do you know what to look for?
Katy Perry and Rihanna weren't at the Met Gala on Monday night, despite the viral AI-generated photos showing them on the red carpet. Here are some tips for recognizing and investigating deep fakes.
Apple’s new Magic Keyboard makes the iPad Pro feel ‘just like’ a MacBook
Screenshot: Apple
Alongside the long-expected OLED iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air, Apple has also released a lightly updated Magic Keyboard with an aluminum palm rest and a larger trackpad with haptic feedback — and, finally, a function row.
The new Magic Keyboard comes in two sizes — one for the 11-inch Pro and one for the 13-inch model and in two colors: black and silver. They cost $299 and $349, respectively, and like the new iPads, they are available for preorder today, shipping next week.
This is the first major revision of the iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard since its launch in 2020. Unlike the original, it finally has a function row — a feature Apple granted the base-model iPad back in 2022 with the Magic Keyboard Folio.
Screenshot:...
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤") wrote:
Apple announces ChapGPT LLM. Similar to ChatGPT in every way, except it appends each result with "innit?"
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤") wrote:
Machine learning, Neural Engine, AI
Machine learning, Neural Engine, AI
Machine learning, Neural Engine, AI
Machine learning, Neural Engine, AI
Apple announces new M4 chip
Apple
At its “Let Loose” event on Tuesday, Apple announced its M4 chip will be coming to its next generation of devices, starting with the iPad Pro. After rumors of a “true AI-powered device,” the new OLED iPad Pro will include an upgraded M4 chip that’s focused on improving performance for AI-related tasks in iPadOS.
Apple focused heavily on the M4’s AI capabilities, thanks to a new neural engine making it “an outrageously powerful chip for AI,” capable of 38 trillion operators per second (TOPS). It’s supposedly 60 times faster than the A11’s NPU, but that number falls short of the Snapdragon X Elite’s 45 TOPS. However, Apple still claims the M4 can deliver the same performance as the latest PC chips with only a quarter of the power.
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fromjason ("fromjason.xyz 🖤") wrote:
Watching the Apple event this morning, and presenters have used the term "AI" twice so far. It was almost jarring. I've never heard Apple use the term before.
Apple announces new iPad Pros with OLED displays and thinnest design ever
Image: Apple
At its “Let Loose” virtual event this morning, Apple introduced its long-awaited iPad Pro updates. The new 13-inch and 11-inch tablets have a fresh design, more powerful internals, and a thinner profile than ever before, and they come with a major display upgrade. As rumored, Apple has switched to OLED screens on both sizes, bringing perfect blacks, richer color saturation, and enhanced contrast to its flagship iPads. Oh, and the front-facing camera is now in the correct (landscape) position for video calls.
The iPad Pros use a tandem OLED structure that allows the display to reach 1,000 nits of peak full-screen brightness — just like the Mini LED model before it — and 1,600 nits for HDR content. The 13-inch model measures just 5.1...
Warhammer's About To Get A Bit More Expensive
Money is imaginary, and yet we imagine the worst possible version. As we all agree to pretend that swapping numbers on a computer, or paper and metal in person, makes sense as a transaction for goods, we also for some reason pretend that said goods get more expensive. As a result of this, Games Workshop is putting its…
Apple adds a 13-inch iPad Air to the mix
Image: Apple
Apple has unveiled its 2024 iPad Air, now in two sizes for the first time thanks to a new 13-inch option. The company also updated the 11-inch iPad Air. Both tablets are outfitted with Apple’s M2 chip and will be in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray colors. The tablet will start at $599 for the 11-inch and $799 for the 13-inch model, and they’re available today on Apple’s site.
The new iPad Air has a single rear 12MP camera lens and a front-facing 12MP camera, as before — now centered on the long edge, or what I’m now calling the One True Placement. It’s also got support for the Apple Pencil Hover feature, which was previously exclusive to the iPad Pro.
Image: Apple
With 128GB of storage for the base model,...
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
This grandma has NY cops running scared.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/05/07/beware-of-60-year-old-grandmas/
Attachments:
The invisible lives — and deaths — of the children of sex workers
Children of sex workers are a neglected population facing serious health issues and at risk for premature death. A new effort sheds light on a group that's often missing from official data.
Microsoft Promises 'Make-Good Offers' As It Cancels Redfall DLC Players Already Paid For
Just days after Redfall’s one-year anniversary, Microsoft has announced it’s shutting down the studio behind it, Arkane Austin, and ending all further development on the vampire shooter. That includes its promised Hero DLC which some fans already paid for in the $100 Bite Back edition of the Xbox console exclusive.
Apple iPad event: all the news from Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ reveal
Image: Apple
New OLED iPad Pros, bigger iPad Airs, and new accessories are expected.
Microsoft Closes Studios Behind Redfall, Hi-Fi Rush, And More To Prioritize 'High-Impact' Games
Xbox is shutting down four studios in its first-party stable, specifically ones that fall under the Bethesda/ZeniMax umbrella. The brutal cuts will affect Redfall developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, and Mobile Doom developer Alpha Dog Games. ZeniMax subsidiary Roundhouse Games will be…
