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Showing posts from October, 2024

Apple MacBook Pro M4 launches with Thunderbolt 5, faster NPUs, and 24-hour battery life

Pre-orders are now open for the new MacBook Pro, starting at $1,599 for the base model with the M4 processor, $1,999 for the M4 Pro variant, and $2,499 for the M4 Max. Shipping begins on November 8, with student discounts available on each model. Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/wC4p35a via

Russia wants Google to pay a $20 decillion fine for blocking YouTube channels

Russia wants Google to pay an unfathomable amount of money in fines: $20 decillion, reportedly. For the non-mathematicians out there, that is 2 followed by 34 zeroes. The fine has been accruing and doubling weekly since 2020 after Kremlin-backed news services Tsargrad and RIA FAN won court cases over the blocking of their YouTube channels, wrote The Moscow Times , citing a report from the Russian news service RBC. The fine has also grown as 15 other channels have won cases against Google, bringing the total to — wait for it — 20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, Gizmodo reported . Google has reportedly not paid the fines, which has led to the astronomical figure. Even if it wanted to, the tech giant could not pay what it owes.  Estimates   vary  on how much money exists in the world, but it doesn't even come close to $20 trillion. SEE ALSO: How a Monday Night Football mishap may have exposed deep problems with Google Search To be clear, the exact amount Google

CEO Sundar Pichai says 25% of new code Google creates is written by AI

During the company's third-quarter 2024 earnings call, Pichai said Google is "using AI internally to improve our coding processes, which is boosting productivity and efficiency," adding that more than a quarter of all new code at Google is generated by AI. Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/exw9TXy via

M4 Mac mini vs. M2 Mac mini: What are the differences?

M4 Mac mini vs. M2 Mac mini: price and specs Starting at just $599, the M4 Mac mini is one of the more affordable Macs, by virtue of not including a display of any kind. Here are the specs you get for $599: Apple M4 chip 256GB storage 16GB RAM Obviously, there are different variants of the M4 Mac mini, and those increase in price as you bolt better specs onto it. Storage can go all the way up to 2TB, while RAM can go all the way up to 32GB. There are many different possible final prices depending on your configuration, but bumping storage and RAM all the way up balloons the total cost to $1,799. The M4 Mac mini is priced the same as the M2 model was at launch, so there's no huge advantage in that regard. However, you are getting a better value. For example, the M4 chip is more powerful than the M2 chip. Plus, M4 owners get 16GB of base RAM (the M2 model's starting configuration only came with 8GB). A newer chip and twice as much memory for the same price is not a

World of Warcraft players rush to snap up Blizzard's new $90 mount

Dubbed the Trader's Gilded Brutosaur, Blizzard has attempted to justify the staggering $90 price tag with a 20th-anniversary harness decorated with gems that "represent World of Warcraft's expansions." The mount also includes unique functionality, allowing owners to access both the auction house and their mailbox from the saddle as they... Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/uXvCdG0 via

Philadelphia sues Elon Musk for his $1 million voter payouts

Elon Musk's dubious $1 million voter lottery is getting a dose of legal scrutiny, as the city of Philadelphia sues the billionaire and X owner to stop the swing state payouts. The city's district attorney Larry Krasner is accusing Musk of trying to influence voters and running an illegal lottery, opening up the business owner to local prosecution under the state's strict lottery regulations. Krasner has asked a judge to order Musk stop the giveaway immediately, with more than 280,000 Pennsylvanians already signed up for the raffle. SEE ALSO: The truth about voting machine security in the 2024 election The payouts come from Musk's new America PAC , created to back the presidential campaign for Donald Trump and support "constitutional values," which ostensibly include secure borders and free speech. Musk has donated more than $118 million to the PAC, eclipsing other high-dollar contributions from the likes of the DeVos family, the Winklevoss twins, form

Apple Intelligence release date: When will you get Genmoji and more?

Wondering about the Apple Intelligence release date? I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Apple Intelligence is available now on iPhone, iPad, and Mac . You can play around with new features like notification summaries, AI-powered writing tools, and an updated Siri that's more tolerant of disfluencies. However, some of the more highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features, like Genmoji and Image Playground, are not out yet. Fortunately, they will be headed our way soon. Apple Intelligence release date As of this writing, you can use Apple Intelligence now, as long as you have a device that's compatible with Apple Intelligence. For example, iPhone users must have an iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max or newer to enjoy Apple Intelligence. Apple Intelligence Credit: Apple For iPad users, you'll need an iPad with an A17 Pro or M1 chip (or newer). For Mac users, you'll need an M1 Mac (or newer). Plus, you'll need to make sure that

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 28

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for October 28's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections? The NYT 's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and requir

'Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' review: A delightful romp with an anti-AI streak

For over a decade, we've been in a Wallace & Gromit drought. It's been 16 years since the franchise's last short, A Matter of Loaf and Death , and 19 since its first feature film, the Academy Award–winning Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit . That's a long time to be apart from two of Britain's greatest treasures. Thankfully, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is here to put an end to this international crisis. The new film from Aardman Animations and Netflix reunites us with the beloved Claymation duo, and the results hit as hard as a comforting cheese platter. SEE ALSO: 'Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' teaser: Feathers McGraw is back! What's Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl about? Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, Vengeance Most Fowl begins with the return of a familiar face: that of Feathers McGraw, the penguin (and criminal mastermind) who attempted t

Animal tracking made affordable with $7 Bluetooth beacons, thanks to Apple's Find My network

Conservationists' newest weapon is a simple $7 Bluetooth beacon in a 3D-printed case. Thanks to the relatively uncomplicated hardware, it weighs much less than GPS trackers. Wildlife should barely notice they are wearing the device. Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/Q7wGR5f via

Samsung speeds up development of a new breed of memory that combines RAM and SSD properties

The core concept behind SOM is using unique chalcogenide materials that perform double duty as both the memory cell and the selector device. In traditional phase-change or resistive RAM, you need a separate component, like a transistor, to act as the selector to activate each cell. Conversely, the chalcogenide material... Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/IRGPdMS via

Elon Musk admits full self-driving likely won't be possible on older Tesla vehicles

During a conference call following Tesla's Q3 2024 financial results, CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that the company's older self-driving hardware may not achieve full autonomy. The admission comes after years of promises that all Tesla vehicles would soon be able to drive themselves. Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/ewNkJKL via

No one cares about AI on our phones. We just want better battery life

Apple's newest update, iOS 18, brought with it a long list of AI features , dubbed Apple Intelligence. Gemini Live is now available on Android phones, Lenovo created an AI-powered laptop , and Google can't get enough AI in its search results, or its phones. If you've looked around at phone updates recently and thought, "huh, that's a lot of AI features — too bad I don't care about that at all," you wouldn't be alone. According to a survey of 2,484 adults including 2,387 smartphone owners from CNET and YouGov , people aren't ecstatic about AI on their phones. A quarter of smartphone users reported that they "don't find AI features helpful" at all while about half of respondents said they weren't interested in paying a monthly subscription fee for AI capabilities. Meanwhile, about a third have privacy concerns about AI on their phones. This changes a bit depending on generation, with younger people more comfortable and willing

Record-high carbon emissions in 2023 erase gains from pandemic decline

Unsurprisingly, this year's United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report states that the world's wealthiest nations aren't doing enough to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, it also shows that recent emissions growth has erased the pandemic lull. Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/M7nA5Z2 via

Next-gen Google Tensor SoC will continue to trail flagships from Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek

According to data from a credible source cited by Notebookcheck, Google's own projections reveal how the Tensor G5 and G6 will measure up against flagship processors from competitors like Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Apple. The publication notes that these forecasts consider anticipated performance improvements from companies such as Qualcomm, which is... Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/YGLJUj4 via

How Lenovo's latest AI-powered laptop fuels creative expression

Creativity thrives when an artist can fully immerse themselves in their vision. And having the right tools is essential. For creators like Kapono “Pono” Asuncion, Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition stands out as a powerful ally. With its AI-enhanced Intel chip and Windows 11 Copilot, this PC streamlines workflows, allowing artists to focus on what truly matters — creative expression.  Designed for the modern creative  With Copilot’s smart assistance, Pono can focus on their art without getting bogged down by stress. The Yoga Slim 7i automates time-consuming tasks like image rendering and color correction, freeing up valuable time for creative exploration. Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition 15-inch Laptop $1,279.99 at Lenovo Thin and light with epic battery life Shop Now As a self-taught multimedia maker, storyteller, and culture bearer, Pono appreciates how this new device from Lenovo can elevate their craft. "Finally, I have a tool t

TikTok expands its educational STEM feed to all users

TikTok is bringing its STEM feed to all users in the U.S., UK, and Ireland. Previously, it was only enabled for users under 18. SEE ALSO: TikTok's retro dating dance trends harken back to the days of courtship Launched last year, the STEM feed is a designated hub for vetted science, technology, engineering, and math content. Since its launch, nearly 200 million videos have been uploaded to the feed. It also spurred an 18 percent increase in STEM-related content on the platform. One-third of teen users in the U.S., UK, and Ireland use the STEM feed on a weekly basis. All videos on the STEM feed must be approved by Common Sense Networks and The Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Common Sense assesses a video's age-appropriateness, and Poynter checks its reliability. Misinformation runs rampant on the platform — Newsguard recently found that AI-enhanced videos spreading election misinformation garnered over 380 million views — and the STEM feed provides a rare haven o

iOS 18.2 will let EU users delete App Store and Camera apps

The move is part of Apple's effort to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act antitrust regulations. One of the DMA's requirements is that tech giants must allow users to easily remove any pre-installed apps they don't want. Apple confirmed this change back in August, and now we're finally seeing... Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/PvVQJrF via

3D-printed semiconductor-free logic gates could soon power cheap electronics devices

A team of scientists from MIT made a remarkable discovery while trying to make magnetic coils using extrusion printing. The process melts a filament and ejects the resulting material from a nozzle, printing a 3D shape layer-by-layer. Extrusion is a known 3D-printing method engineers can use to generate logic gates... Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/rP62xL9 via

How a Monday Night Football mishap may have exposed deep problems with Google Search

For nearly as long as the internet has been around, there's a particular rhythm for any curious person with a WiFi connection. You have a question, you Google it, you get an answer. But a mishap during this week's Monday Night Football and the NFL's onside kick rules has show just how unreliable Google can be these days — and how the search giant can help spread misinformation. The confusion was sparked by an unfortunate turn of events. During the waning moments of the MNF matchup the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers — one of two ESPN games last evening — Bucs star receiver Chris Godwin suffered a gruesome injury with his team trailing by 10 points. Fans wondered why such a star player was on the field at all at when the team was down by two scores with less than a minute remaining in the game. "We're just trying to win the ballgame," Tampa head coach Todd Bowles told reporters. "We're still down 10, trying to get extra points, kick a

'Only Murders in the Building' dropped an autobiographical Easter egg for Steve Martin and Martin Short

Only Murders in the Building is a delight on many levels, from the joys of comedic cozy crime, to the thrill of playing along in trying to crack the case, to reveling in the incredible chemistry of its amateur sleuths. But one of the biggest joys is watching longtime friends and colleagues Martin Short and Steve Martin mercilessly mock each other in character and on the press tour. As rough as Oliver and Charles (or Short and Martin) are on each other, you can feel the deep bond of brotherhood that's spanned decades all the way back to the 1986 comedy gem The Three Amigos. And in the latest episode of Only Murders , they pulled from a real-life staple of their friendship for an emotional moment.  Charles and Oliver fight and make up in a very Steve and Martin way. Credit: Hulu In Season 4 episode 9, "Escape from Planet Klongo," Charles and Oliver get into a very public fight on the set of the latest Ron Howard movie. Pushed to the brink by Oliver's deman

Solar power from satellites poised to become reality within a year

The daunting technical and financial hurdles have led many to dismiss the concept as a super-cool sci-fi dream that could never actually work in the real world. However, one entrepreneur believes he has cracked the code to make space-based solar power affordable and practical in the near future. Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/f0iX7WV via

Shipments of OLED monitors are soaring, up 181% this year

The market research firm said new 31.5-inch models are expected to boost adoption, adding that hardware makers like Asus and Samsung are focusing on improved specifications and other bells and whistles to spur sales. Read Entire Article from TechSpot https://ift.tt/0q3Tgb5 via

Rosanna Pansino cracks open an apparently moldy Lunchly

It seems folks might be getting a surprise when they open their Lunchly — and it's not a kids' toy or special dessert. A new video from a food YouTuber showed them apparently discovering mold in the Lunchable rival from popular creators MrBeast, Logan Paul and KSI . Rosanna Pansino, a popular food YouTuber with 14.5 million subscribers, posted a video on Sunday trying out Lunchly. And in that video, which has already racked up more than half a million views, she says she discovers mold in the cheese of the Lunchly. We obviously cannot independently verify Pansino actually discovered mold — it is something you could fake — but she does explicitly state in the video description that the "video is not faked." You can watch the 20-minute video for yourself. Pansino sets up a video comparing Lunchly to Lunchables. It's a sensible idea for a video, considering Lunchly is basically a YouTuber-endorsed version of the classic kids' meal. Lunchly has "Fiest