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Robert Pattinson in The Batman . | Photo: Jonathan Olley / Warner Bros. The Batman franchise has seen better days Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/22954478/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson-matt-reeves-movie

Image: Bungie I’m obsessed with a stick in Destiny 2: The Witch Queen . That’s a sentence I never thought I’d utter before the new glaive weapon arrived in the game last week. Released as part of The Witch Queen expansion, the glaive is a powerful and versatile... stick. Or “stabby stabby murder sticks,” as Bungie described the glaives last week . You can melee with it and slay enemies at close range, shoot a projectile from afar, or block an attack. I’ve been hooked on the glaive ever since it dropped at the beginning of The Witch Queen campaign. I feel truly invincible with the glaive in Destiny 2 , and it’s the first new weapon type in years that has made such an immediate impact on the way I play the game. When I first started using the glaive, it... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/28/22954604/destiny-2-the-witch-queen-glaive-review

The Xbox Series S is a deceptively small console. It’s about the size of two controllers side-by-side. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge It seems like every time we mention the Xbox Series S, it gets a little cheaper. The entry-level Xbox has slowly gone from dropping $10 to $30 off its regular $299.99 price, and now to a full $50 off. Woot has the Xbox Series S for $249.99 today only, or until inventory runs out. And unlike some previous Woot deals, this one’s not limited to Amazon Prime subscribers. To put it in perspective, that is half the cost of its bigger sibling, the still-elusive Xbox Series X — but to say this is half the console would not do the little white Xbox enough justice. Microsoft’s cheaper Xbox Series S does not feature a disc drive, but it plays the same games as the Xbox Series X at a more modest QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution and up to 120fps in... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2022/2/28/22954530/microsoft-xbox-series-s-ap

The weird world of Fortnite is adding another celebrity to its ranks. Tennis star and noted Overwatch fan Naomi Osaka will be joining the battle royale with two different character skins that go on sale starting March 3rd. One outfit has some clear tennis influences, while the other is called the “dark priestess” outfit, and both come with an assortment of matching accessories. Osaka will be showing off her in-game character a bit early when she streams with Twitch star Berleezy on March 1st at 7PM ET. Real-world stars have steadily been creeping their way into Fortnite , most recently with the addition of Silk Sonic duo Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak , along with multiple versions of Tom Holland . When it comes to athletes, Osaka joins some... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/28/22954749/naomi-osaka-fortnite

MSCHF calls it the MSAT. | Image: MSCHF It’ll cost $52 for you to enter, but you could take home thousands — at least. This is the latest project from art collective MSCHF: a one-off, winner-takes-all, massively multiplayer version of the SATs named the MSAT. The SAT — for non-US readers — is a multiple-choice test taken across the United States for college admissions. Because it’s so widely taken, it’s something of an object of cultural horror. “I actually took the ACT, but as 95 percent of my friends took the SAT, I remember them being out of their minds stressed and spending almost a full 12 months preparing with private tutors and study classes,” MSCHF founder Daniel Greenberg tells The Verge . So, Greenberg and his colleagues made the MSAT. Registration is open for the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/28/22954638/msch-mmo-sat-msat-competition-drop-winner-takes-all

Later this year, you can snag the 16-inch model with either AMD or Intel processors. | Lenovo Lenovo has made some hefty updates to its mid-range IdeaPad Gaming 3 lineup for 2022, which includes two Intel 12th Gen- and two AMD Ryzen 6000-series-equipped models, each with a 15.6-inch and 16-inch option. Notably, the 16-inch option for either CPU you opt for has a 16:10 aspect ratio display with the option to go up to 2560 x 1600, like the Legion 5 Pro , which is more desirable because it offers more vertical space for browsing, gaming, or anything else you want to do on a PC. The only thing they’re not particularly great for is watching movies or TV shows, which are traditionally presented in 16:9 aspect ratio. Despite each of these IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptops looking the same across CPU options, the specs differ in some ways... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/28/22947991/lenovo-2022-ideapad-gaming-3-3i-intel-amd-16-10-aspect-ratio-laptops-price-specs

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Facebook has blocked access to a number of accounts in Ukraine, some of which are associated with Russian state-backed media outlets. It’s also reviewing other governments’ requests to restrict access to these accounts in their countries. We have been in contact with the Government of Ukraine, and at their request we have also restricted access to several accounts in Ukraine, including those belonging to some Russian state media organizations. — Nick Clegg (@nickclegg) February 27, 2022 “We have been in contact with the Government of Ukraine, and at their request we have also restricted access to several accounts in Ukraine, including those belonging to some Russian state media organizations,” Nick Clegg, the vice president of global... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/27/22953790/facebook-restricts-access-russian-state-controlled-media-ukraine

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple may be working on a device with a 20-inch foldable display, which Apple tracker Mark Gurman describes as an “iPad / MacBook hybrid” in Bloomberg ’s Power On newsletter . It’s not expected until 2026 Gurman says that Apple is, indeed, exploring the possibility of a folding device of the sort, backing up the claims of Ross Young, the CEO and analyst at Display Supply Chain Consultants. Last week, Young brought attention to Apple’s supposed plans to develop a device with a large, folding screen, and Gurman has added some more depth to this rumor. Gurman claims the device will feature a dual-screen display that omits a physical keyboard and trackpad — navigating and typing on the device will be entirely touchscreen-based. In terms of a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/27/22953546/apple-reportedly-working-device-foldable-20-inch-display-rumors

Anika Molnar/BBCA Sandra Oh finally has something to do Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/27/22951447/killing-eve-sandra-oh-final-season

Roscosmos will withdraw all 87 employees from the Guiana Space Centre. | Photo by Sergei Savostyanov\TASS via Getty Images Russian space agency Roscosmos has announced that it’s temporarily halting Soyuz rocket launches in French Guiana due to sanctions imposed by the European Union, according to a report by Space.com . “Roscosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners in organizing space launches from the Kourou Cosmodrome and withdrawing its personnel, including the consolidated launch crew, from French Guiana,” a translated tweet from the agency reads on Twitter. Roscosmos says it’s working on a plan to withdraw all 87 of its staff from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, who assisted with Soyuz rocket launches for Roscosmos and other Russian companies. ⚡ «В ответ на санкции Евросоюза в отношении наших предприятий Роскосмос приостанавливает... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952535/russia-suspends-soyuz-rocket-launches-european-

Photo by Stanislav Krasilnikov\TASS via Getty Images A coalition of NATO-aligned countries has committed to new measures meant to sever Russia from the global financial system, countries announced in a joint letter today . The letter, signed by the United States, UK, Canada, and European allies, lays out new measures to isolate Russia’s central bank, and announces a new trans-Atlantic task force to freeze the foreign assets of sanctioned individuals. In a dramatic escalation, the order also blocks select Russian banks from using SWIFT — the international payment system employed by banks to send money around the world. SWIFT, which stands for The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is a cooperative company based in Belgium, whose owners include many of Europe’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22949156/russia-expelled-swift-ukraine-sanctions

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube is blocking state-backed Russian media outlets from advertising and earning money on the platform, as first reported by Reuters . As Russian troops continue to invade Ukraine, YouTube told Reuters it’s “pausing a number of channels’ ability to monetize on YouTube, including several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions.” RT will be restricted in Ukraine due to “a government request” YouTube spokesperson Farshad Shadloo told Reuters that YouTube will recommend Russian state-run media to users less often. Some of these channels — including RT — will also be restricted in Ukraine due to “a government request,” potentially in response to Ukraine digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s call for YouTube to block Russian... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952439/youtube-bans-ads-rt-russia-channels-google-ukraine

Illustration by James Bareham / The Verge More than $15 million has been donated so far Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952357/ukraine-bitcoin-ethereum-donation-vitalik-buterin

Financial sanctions from several countries bar some card payments through Google Pay and Apple Pay. | Photo By Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images Customers at a number of banks in Russia can no longer use their bank cards with Google Pay and Apple Pay due to newly-imposed financial sanctions on the country, as reported by Insider . According to a press release from Russia’s Central Bank , affected financial institutions include VTB Group, Sovcombank, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, and Otkritie FC Bank. Sanctions issued by the EU target 70 percent of Russia’s banking network While customers can still use bank cards from these institutions within Russia, they’ll no longer work abroad or when making online payments to stores and services belonging to countries that issued sanctions on Russia. This also includes card payments through Apple Pay and Google Pay, although the Central Bank says... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952191

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Twitter is putting a temporary hold on advertisements in Ukraine and Russia to ensure the visibility of public safety information. We’re temporarily pausing advertisements in Ukraine and Russia to ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don’t detract from it. — Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) February 25, 2022 “We’re temporarily pausing advertisements in Ukraine and Russia to ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don’t detract from it,” Twitter said in a tweet . In the thread, the platform outlines several measures it’s taking to protect users. This includes a suspension on “some” tweet recommendations from people users aren’t following, as well as search and home timeline prompts... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/26/22952128/twitter-pauses-ads-ukraine-russia-conflict

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge The Russian government has partially blocked access to Facebook in the country after it claims the social network “restricted” the accounts of four Russian media outlets. In a statement on Friday, Russia’s tech and communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, said Facebook was violating “the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens,” and that it had recorded 23 cases of “censorship” by the social network since October 2020. “On February 24, Roskomnadzor sent requests to the administration of Meta Platforms, Inc. [to] remove the restrictions imposed by the social network Facebook on Russian media and explain the reason for their introduction,” the Russian regulator said, adding that Meta “ignored” its requests. It’s unclear what Roskomnadzor’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/25/22950874/russia-facebook-blocked-roskomnadzor-media-censorship

Hulu Amanda Seyfried stars as Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/25/22948048/the-dropout-review-hulu-elizabeth-holmes

This Echo Show 10 is displaying a feed from the Blink Video Doorbell. Video doorbells are handy devices, alerting you to events at your front door via your smartphone, wherever in the world you are. But when you’re just chilling out at home it’s often easier to turn to your Echo Show or Google Nest Hub to see what’s going on outside, rather than pulling out your phone — or actually getting off the sofa. Many smart doorbell cameras can connect to Alexa or Google smart displays, including third-party options from companies like Lenovo and Facebook , as well as Fire TV and Chromecast enabled TVs. This lets you bring up a live view of your doorbell camera on a bigger screen with a simple voice command. Then you can see, hear, and, in some cases speak to your visitor or check on that package on your porch. I... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/22949565/doorbell-video-nest-echo-show-alexa-google-how-to

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Tumblr and New York City’s Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) have settled discrimination allegations related to the company’s 2018 adult content ban, which city regulators say disproportionately affected LGBTQ users. The settlement requires Tumblr to revise its user appeals process and train its human moderators on diversity and inclusion issues, as well as review thousands of old cases and hire an expert to look for potential bias in its moderation algorithms. The settlement, which did not involve a formal legal complaint and was signed last month, marks one of the first times that regulators have reached an agreement to change a social network’s moderation policies based on algorithmic bias issues. It resolves an investigation that the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/25/22949293/tumblr-nycchr-settlement-adult-content-ban-algorithmic-bias-lgbtq

The G9 is one of the largest Ultrawide panels available. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge Returning to its all-time low price, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor is discounted to $1,999.99 at Amazon , a hefty discount from its typical $2,499.99 price. While there are certainly less expensive gaming monitors out there, few of them can boast specs quite like the G9. The 49-inch curved, mini-LED gaming panel has a resolution of 5120 x 1440p and a whopping 240Hz refresh rate. The display has a pair of HDMI ports but also has a single input for a DisplayPort connection, and its two USB-A ports also support data passthrough. With so much screen real estate, it's handy that the G9 can display two different video sources at their native resolution simultaneously, allowing you to take full advantage of the vast display. Read... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2022/2/25/22949049/samsung-ultrawide-gaming-monitor-razer-keyboard-logitech-webcam-

Faraday Future, the California-based EV startup that has nearly gone out of business almost too many times to count, has finally made a car. On Wednesday, the company held an event celebrating the completion of its first “production intent” FF91, the ultra-luxury electric SUV that has been in the works for nearly eight years. Faraday Future — which also goes by Faraday Future Intelligent Electric since merging with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, in July 2021 — claims it is still on schedule to formally begin production of the FF91 in the third quarter of 2022. It’s certainly a milestone for the company It’s certainly a milestone for the company, which has experienced high rates of turnover, flirted with bankruptcy... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/25/22950680/faraday-future-electric-car-production-intent-milestone

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A federal judge is allowing plans for a settlement between Activision Blizzard and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to move forward, denying California state regulators’ request for a delay. The decision was filed yesterday in California district court, and it’s the latest setback for the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s (DFEH) attempts to intervene in the deal. The EEOC and Activision Blizzard agreed last year to settle sexual harassment and discrimination claims against the games publisher — which employees have accused of facilitating sexist abuse at the highest levels. The DFEH alleges that the federal settlement would harm its own case by potentially letting Activision Blizzard destroy... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/24/22949065/activision-blizzard-eeoc-settlement-california-judge-dfeh-stay-denied

There’s a new Swift in town. | Image: Acer Acer has announced updates to its Swift consumer line. The big news is that the Swift 5 , its consumer flagship, has finally moved from a 16:9 aspect ratio screen to the taller and roomier 16:10. It’s the latest of many premium flagship products to take this jump. Apart from the aspect ratio, the new 14-inch Swift 5 looks fairly similar to previous Swift 5 models we know and love. It’s gotten a bit heavier (2.65 pounds, to the previous 2.31). It now comes with a 2560 x 1600 display, whereas last year’s model was only available in 1920 x 1080 . Inside, the Swift has been bumped to Intel’s 12th Gen Core processors. It can be configured with up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. That’s a high amount for such a small device — last year’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/24/22947886/acer-swift-5-announced-price-specs-release-date

Photo by Jay Peters / The Verge While people are now venturing out after two years of the pandemic, many are still enjoying Animal Crossing: New Horizons by spending time on the game’s virtual islands and their anthropomorphic animal residents. And the game’s easy-to-use multiplayer mode that lets you host up to seven guests on an island is still a good way to throw real-world events like birthday parties and even weddings . If you want to host your own party, we’ve put together a guide right here. We’ll offer some ideas on what you can do with your visitors to give you some inspiration and walk through some of the mechanics of hosting the party so that it runs smoothly. Before the party Mail out invitations using Dodo Airlines’ postal system You could invite your... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/22948970/how-to-throw-a-party-in-animal-crossing-new-horizons

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge It’s time for another round of console restocks, and once again it’s limited to paid subscribers only. This time, Walmart is the retailer that’s scheduled to have consoles available to order, beginning at 12PM ET / 9AM PT today. The superstore will have all three of the hard-to-get consoles available to ship from its site: the standard PlayStation 5 equipped with a disc drive for $499 , the disc-less PlayStation 5 Digital Edition for $399 , and also the Xbox Series X for $499 . This restock is limited to Walmart Plus subscribers, and it requires a paid account — no free trials will qualify. Walmart Plus costs $12.95 per month or $98 per year , so it’s possible for you to pay for one month to order a console today and then cancel it before... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/24/22949041/sony-playstation-5-ps5-microsoft-xbox-series-x-console-restock-walmart-plus-availability-check

These smart shoes can tell you how to run faster Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/22948963/ua-flow-velociti-wind-2-review-fitness-tracker-running-shoes-wearables

Image: Visible Visible, Verizon’s app-based affordable mobile carrier alternative, appears to have canceled users’ accounts in lieu of denying them access to a promotion. This news came to light after a number of Visible customers posted complaints on Twitter and Reddit, claiming their service was canceled without explanation, as first reported by Best MVNO (via XDA Developers ). Visible will “restore service if warranted” “Visible identified a set of accounts that were established illegitimately and in violation of our promotional terms and conditions,” Visible spokesperson Lindsey Cohen said in an emailed statement to The Verge . “We terminated those accounts, but have heard from some customers who have asked us to review the decision.” ... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/23/22947210/verizon-visible-accounts-canceled-without-warning-promotion

Meta Meta is testing an artificial intelligence system that lets people build parts of virtual worlds by describing them, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg showed off a prototype at a live event today. Proof of the concept, called Builder Bot, could eventually draw more people into Meta’s Horizon “metaverse” virtual reality experiences. It could also advance creative AI tech that powers machine-generated art. In a prerecorded demo video, Zuckerberg walked viewers through the process of making a virtual space with Builder Bot, starting with commands like “let’s go to the beach,” which prompts the bot to create a cartoonish 3D landscape of sand and water around him. (Zuckerberg describes this as “all AI-generated.”) Later commands range from broad... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/23/22947217/meta-prototype-builder-bot-ai-world-creation-metaverse-mark-zuckerberg

The game is getting a limited regional launch | Image: EA Apex Legends Mobile will soon be available in more countries. The game first debuted in a closed beta last year that was available in a few countries, but starting next week, the game will be available in a “limited regional launch” as a free download in 10 countries on iOS and Android. People in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and Colombia will all be able to download Apex Legends Mobile , according to a post on Respawn’s website . The game was also available in India during the closed beta, but it’s not on the list for the limited regional launch, and we’ve asked EA / Respawn for comment as to why that might be. Image: EA Here’s a screenshot of the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/23/22947472/apex-legends-mobile-limited-regional-launch-10-countries

Photo by Brennan King / The Verge Google has announced it will soon remove a feature of Chrome for Android that for years helped people cut down on their mobile data usage. Per 9to5Google , Chrome’s “Lite mode” will go away with the release of Chrome version M100 in late March. Lite mode was originally known as Data Saver when Google first introduced it on Android back in 2014 . In those days, many smartphone owners were on tiered data plans and risked extra charges if they went over their monthly allotment. And in some regions, mobile speeds were limited — so Lite mode helped pages load faster by compressing them. In 2015, Google added the option to block images entirely to use even less data. But Google no longer sees much reason to keep the option around. Unlimited data... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/23/22947441/google-lite-mode-data-saver-chrome-android-discontinued

Adult Swim In the spirit of knowing their worth, the production workers behind Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty and Hulu’s Solar Opposites are moving to unionize. On Tuesday, The Animation Guild , IATSE Local 839 (TAG) announced that the production staffs for both Rick and Morty and Solar Opposites have filed a petition to the National Labor Relations Board requesting the body to oversee a vote deciding whether or not the shows’ workers will unionize. Deadline reports that the petition to TAG came after Adult Swim and Hulu’s legal representatives made clear that the studious were not interested in voluntarily recognizing the bargaining unit — which consists of storyboard coordinators, production supervisors, and a variety of assistants — in its current... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/23/22947255/rick-and-morty-solar-opposites-animation-guild

Intel launched the first wave of its 12th Gen Alder Lake chips at CES 2022 — but only for its H-series lineup of chips , destined for the most powerful and power-hungry laptops. And now, it’s rolling out the rest of its Alder Lake laptop lineup: the P-series and U-series models it briefly showed off in January, which are set to power the thinner, lighter, and cheaper laptops of 2022. In total, there are a whopping 20 chips fit for a wide range of hardware across the P-series, U-series (15W), and U-series (9W) categories, with the first laptops powered by the new processors set to arrive in March. Like their more powerful H-series cousins (and the Alder Lake desktop chips that Intel launched in late 2021 and at CES 2022), the new... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/23/22941383/intel-12th-gen-alder-chips-p-series-u-laptops-release-date

Part of a Chinese Long March 3C, shown here, is thought to be the piece of debris about to slam into the Moon in March. But China is casting doubt on that claim. | Image: STR/AFP via Getty Images China claims that a piece of distant space debris that’s about to slam into the Moon does not stem from one of the nation’s lunar missions, as astronomers tracking the object believe. However, it’s possible that China may have mixed up which mission the debris originally came from, as most evidence points to it being an old Chinese rocket. This doomed space object has received quite a lot of attention over the last few weeks, ever since an astronomer and space tracker by the name of Bill Gray first predicted that it would slam into the Moon on March 4th after years of orbiting the Earth. At first, Gray thought the object was a leftover chunk of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched a satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.

It will be going away this year. | Image: Bethesda Softworks Bethesda is retiring its Bethesda.net Launcher this year and will let people move their games and Wallet to Steam starting in early April, the company announced Tuesday. You’ll be able to access and play games on the Bethesda launcher until May. Any game you own on Bethesda’s launcher will be available for free on Steam. When you migrate to Steam, “you will not lose anything from your Bethesda.net account,” Bethesda says . “Many games will also have their saves migrated, with a few requiring some manual transfers. For games that require it, you will still use your Bethesda.net login to sign in to play.” However, Bethesda is only letting you migrate what’s on your Bethesda Launcher to Steam — you can’t use the switch as an opportunity to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/22/22945874/bethesda-launcher-steam-migrate-games-wallet

Microsoft’s flagship Xbox Series X supports 4K gaming and up to 120 frames per second. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge If you haven’t been able to nab an Xbox Series X, today may be your lucky day. Best Buy has the coveted console in stock for its usual price of $499.99 , though, the drop is exclusive to paying Totaltech subscribers. If you weren’t already aware, Totaltech is Best Buy’s premium membership, one that combines tech support, product protection, and access to exclusive console restocks for $199.99 per year. It’s an expensive service, though if you feel you’re still struggling to find Microsoft’s next-gen console, it should improve your chances of landing a console. If you are a Totaltech member, make sure you’ve logged into your account ahead of time, double-check that your billing and shipping information is correct, and stay persistent. To... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/22/22884504/microsoft-xbox-series-x-console-best-buy-totalte

Photo by Phil Esposito / The Verge Audi of America and Verizon are teaming up to add 5G connectivity to the automaker’s lineup by 2024, the companies announced. The improved connectivity will mean better software performance, enhanced navigation, and faster music and video streaming capabilities. It’s the latest deal to bring faster network speeds to new model vehicles with more advanced software needs than analog cars of the past. It also comes as car companies explore new technologies, such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, that could enhance safety and drive quality in the future. Audi and Verizon say the plan is to bring 5G Ultra Wideband technology to the automaker’s vehicle lineup, starting with model year 2024. The improved connectivity will pave the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/22/22945823/audi-verizon-5g-connectivity-2024-v2x

Meta is launching its TikTok-clone Reels worldwide on Facebook , making the feature available through the service’s iOS and Android apps in more than 150 countries. In addition to expanding access to Reels, the social media conglomerate is adding new editing features to the Facebook version of the platform and expanding advertising options. Most of these features are already available on Facebook Reels in the US and elsewhere and in Instagram Reels in the US and more than 50 countries . Facebook Reels users will be able to “remix” others’ videos (duet them) and upload clips up to 60 seconds in length, just as with Instagram Reels. They’ll also be able to save drafts, and Meta will be adding new video clipping tools in the coming months... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/22/22945800/meta-facebook-reels-tiktok-clone-global-launch

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images If you were hoping to use the Slack outage to sneak in a Peloton ride, there’s bad news: the popular connected fitness company is also “currently investigating an issue with Peloton services.” On Peloton’s status page , it appears that users cannot access logins, live classes, on-demand classes, leaderboards, or activate services on Peloton bikes and treadmills. On Twitter, the company said this may also impact users’ ability to access Peloton’s websites. However, as of this writing, the only Peloton site suffering a major outage is the member profile/workout history page. According to DownDetector , people began reporting Peloton outages at around 10AM ET. While the outage isn’t necessarily Peloton’s fault, it does highlight one of the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/22/22945849/peloton-down-outage-workout-fitness

The OnePlus 10 Pro is out in China, and while it has some flagship specs , including a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and a 5,000mAh battery, it turns out it might not be the most durable phone on the market. YouTuber Zack Nelson, creator of the popular JerryRigEverything channel, put the OnePlus 10 Pro through his usual durability test, and when he pushed on the middle of the phone to try and bend it, it snapped nearly in half. See for yourself — the bend test for the portion of the video starts at 6:57 (and that’s where the embedded video below should begin). When Nelson first pushes on the OnePlus 10 Pro, the back glass begins to crack, and many of the cracks appear under the phone’s stovetop-like camera bump . When he pushes again,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944852/oneplus-10-pro-snaps-in-half-durability-test-jerryrigeverything

Amazon is tying two of its big gaming efforts, the Twitch streaming platform and its Luna cloud gaming service, a bit closer together. If you’re looking at a game’s page on Twitch and that game is available on Luna, you might now see a “Play on Luna” button that takes you to the title on the cloud gaming service ( via 9to5Google ). While the button could be a handy way to hop directly into an interesting game you found on Twitch, there are still a lot of limitations to Luna that make the process of just jumping in and playing a game harder than it should be. Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge We need more people playing Sonic Mania on Twitch. First of all, to see the button at all, it appears you need to be... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944703/amazon-play-on-luna-twitch-button

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Instagram is discontinuing some app time limit options and encouraging users to update their settings, according to a report from TechCrunch . Originally, users were able to select a time limit as low as five minutes a day , while the new options begin at 30 minutes and go up to three hours. In screenshots sent to TechCrunch by an Instagram user who had previously set a 10-minute daily limit, a popup now appears at the top of their feed urging them to set a new daily limit value in accordance with an app update. Though the popup says the user can keep their existing limit if they want, clicking the edit button directs them to select a preset option, the lowest of which is 30 minutes. An additional popup on the activity page in the app says... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944603/instagram-daily-time-limit-options-removed-30-minutes

First Final Fantasy XIV , now Lost Ark . | Image: Smilegate The free-to-play MMO Lost Ark has had a huge debut in the West, hitting the second-most concurrent players in Steam history just 24 hours after its February 11th release . Unfortunately, that popularity has meant that players in Europe have had to wait in long queues to play, though developer Smilegate and the game’s Western publisher, Amazon Games, are working to try and fix things. The long queues were an issue for the Europe Central server soon after launch , and the developers quickly promised to implement a new Europe West server to give players another place to play. While that Europe West server is now active, “the Europe Central region is at capacity and unfortunately there is no way to increase the number of players per world in... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944611/lost-ark-mmo-long-queue-times-smilegate-amazon-games

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Crypto exchange FTX is launching a new team focused on driving cryptocurrency and non-fungible token (or NFT) adoption in the gaming world, according to a Bloomberg report . The initial offering from the new gaming unit will reportedly be a “crypto as a service” platform through which game publishers can launch tokens and provide support for in-game NFTs. “We are launching FTX Gaming because we see games as an exciting use case for crypto,” an FTX spokesperson told Bloomberg via email. “There are 2 billion+ gamers in the world who have played with and collected digital items, and can now also own them.” The new gaming-focused team from FTX is a sign of the continued push to bring blockchain-based products into the gaming space, as... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944563/ftx-cryptocurrency-exchange-gaming-unit-nft-blockchain

Anker continues to impress on value Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/22941399/anker-soundcore-liberty-3-pro-earbuds-review

Steven Thaler and/or Creativity Machine The US Copyright Office has rejected a request to let an AI copyright a work of art. Last week, a three-person board reviewed a 2019 ruling against Steven Thaler, who tried to copyright a picture on behalf of an algorithm he dubbed Creativity Machine. The board found that Thaler’s AI-created image didn’t include an element of “human authorship” — a necessary standard, it said, for protection. Creativity Machine’s work, seen above, is named “A Recent Entrance to Paradise.” It’s part of a series Thaler has described as a “simulated near-death experience” in which an algorithm reprocesses pictures to create hallucinatory images and a fictional narrative about the afterlife. Crucially, the AI is supposed to do this with extremely minimal... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944335/us-copyright-office-reject-ai-generated-art-recent-entrance-to-paradise

A live ring in action. | Screenshot: YouTube YouTube is adding a new indicator to show when a channel is live streaming on the platform, its chief product officer Neal Mohan has announced on Twitter . It consists of showing a ring with the word “Live” on it around a channel’s profile picture when they’re live streaming, which you can tap to jump straight into the live broadcast. The feature should make it easier to find currently live content as you browse YouTube. If the feature sounds familiar, it might be because it’s already used on a couple of other services. TikTok uses a similar pulsing ring effect on a channel’s profile picture if they’re live streaming when you scroll past their video in your feed. Instagram also shows a colorful ring around the profile pictures of live... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944111/youtube-live-rings-tiktok-instagram

Image: Zens Zens is expanding its excellent alternative to Apple’s failed AirPower charger, the Liberty wireless charger , with a new model: the Liberty Built-in charger — which, as the name implies, is designed to be integrated directly into your desk itself for an even more streamlined look. The original Zens Liberty charger was released back in 2020 and offered an innovative 16-coil design that allowed you to simply place a Qi-compatible phone or device anywhere on the wireless charging pad instead of having to carefully align charging coils or rely on a MagSafe-style magnetic system. Image: Zens But the original model rather boringly sat on top of your desk, while the new Liberty Built-in charger is designed to be... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22938809/zen-libery-wireless-charger-built-in-airpower-price

Capcom has announced Street Fighter 6 , the next major entry in the iconic fighting game franchise, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. A brief teaser trailer was following the season final of the Capcom Pro Tour, where Kawano defeated veteran Daigo Umehara. The trailer doesn’t show any actual gameplay, but it suggests that Street Fighter 6 will have a more realistic art style than previous games in the series — at least, as realistic as you could expect while maintaining Ryu’s formidable proportions. Capcom says more information on the game will be coming this summer. Capcom will be hoping that Street Fighter 6 has a better launch than its predecessor. Street Fighter V looked and played great when it came out for PS4 and... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/22944025/capcom-street-fighter-6-announced-capcom-fighting-collection

Truth Social is expected to be available on February 21st. | Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images Former President Donald Trump’s social media app, Truth Social , is expected to make its debut on Presidents’ Day, according to a report from Reuters . In a test version of the app viewed by Reuters , the outlet saw a post from the network’s chief product officer (CPO) indicating the app’s February 21st launch. “By the end of March, we’re going to be fully operational” “We’re currently set for release in the Apple App store for Monday Feb. 21,” the executive — who goes by “Billy B” on Truth Social — reportedly said in response to a beta tester’s question about the app’s public release date. Truth Social has been open to “invited guests only” as early as December, with around 500 beta testers later gaining access to the network. Former... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/20/22943510/trump-social-network-truth-social-presidents-day-launch

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple is reportedly gearing up to release several new Macs with an M2 chip later this year, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter . Gurman expects the company to debut a 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, 24-inch iMac, and a redesigned MacBook Air, all outfitted with the rumored M2 chip. The M2 chip will be slightly faster than its predecessor Apple hasn’t offered any hints about the potential M2 chip, but Gurman thinks its CPU will be slightly faster than the M1’s, and that it will share the same eight-core architecture. Its graphics cores, however, may jump from seven or eight to nine or 10. Come 2023, Gurman thinks Apple may release Pro and Max versions of the M2 chip — just like it did for the M1 chip — as well... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/20/22943411/apple-m2-chip-new-macs-rumor

Whistleblower Aid filed two new SEC complaints on behalf of Frances Haugen. | Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for TIME Facebook is the subject of two new Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaints filed by Whistleblower Aid, the nonprofit that represents Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, first reported by The Washington Post . The complaints accuse Facebook, now Meta, of misleading investors about its efforts to tackle misinformation about climate change and COVID-19. The complaint alleges a prominent presence of climate change misinformation The first complaint, obtained by The Washington Post , alleges the presence of readily available climate change misinformation on Facebook, making Facebook’s claims that it’s fighting climate denial fall flat. It also contains internal documents detailing employees’ own experiences with climate-related... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/20/22943279/facebook-whistleblower-climate-change-misinformati

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge On Saturday, attackers stole hundreds of NFTs from OpenSea users, causing a late-night panic among the site’s broad user base. A spreadsheet compiled by the blockchain security service PeckShield counted 254 tokens stolen over the course of the attack, including tokens from Decentraland and Bored Ape Yacht Club. The bulk of the attacks took place between 5PM and 8PM ET, targeting 32 users in total. Molly White, who runs the blog Web3 is Going Great, estimated the value of the stolen tokens at more than $1.7 million . “They all have valid signatures” The attack appears to have exploited a flexibility in the Wyvern Protocol , the open-source standard underlying most NFT smart contracts, including those made on OpenSea. One explanation... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/20/22943228/opensea-phishing-hack-smart-contract-bug-stolen-nft