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A battery-powered Starlink Mini is likely on the way

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This, but no cable. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge Code in recent Starlink firmware suggests that SpaceX might soon release a version of its smallest internet dish with an integrated battery. A battery-powered Starlink Mini would offer untethered portability for vanlifers, emergency responders, and anyone who wants fast, low-latency internet from almost anywhere on the planet. University researcher Jinwei Zhao spotted a number of strings hinting at the integrated battery in a May firmware release, according to PCMag . The " message DishBatteryStats " line suggests code designed to return specific fields from an integrated battery, including the current state_of_charge. If the dish were simply … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/CRA9M0x

Ferrari reveals its first EV, with design help from Jony Ive

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The Ferrari Luce will start at €550,000 in Italy, but US pricing hasn’t been announced. | Image: Ferrari After months of teasers , Ferrari is offering the first full view of its Luce electric vehicle . The Luce is notable not just for being Ferrari's first EV, but for being designed in collaboration with Jony Ive and Mark Newson at their collective LoveFrom. It's also going to be Ferrari's second four-door car and its first five-seat one. We already knew Ive and Newson were working on the Luce's interiors, which were shown off earlier this year. Now Ferrari says LoveFrom was allowed to "define the design direction of the project from the outset," inside and out. Tim Stevens reporting for Engadget offers a few firsthand impression … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/GK5QUrI

Cox Media fined after bragging it spied on users through their phones

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An exceptionally weird controversy has come back to haunt Cox Media and a pair of marketing firms, which claimed they were secretly listening to users via phones and smart devices - despite little evidence they actually could. On Thursday the Federal Trade Commission announced that Cox, MindSift, and 1010 Digital Works would pay a total of $930,000 to settle allegations that they were in fact lying about spying on people to target ads. As chronicled by Techdirt a couple of years ago, Cox publicly boasted about a system called Voice Data back in 2023, telling potential digital marketing clients they could ensure "every casual conversation be … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/G2gKCMs

Here are our favorite last-minute deals from REI’s giant Anniversary Sale

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REI’s annual Anniversary Sale — the retailer’s biggest of the year — is still going strong , letting you save on all kinds of outdoor essentials. If you’ve got a camping trip coming up, now is a good time to stock up on the basics, whether it be a tent , sleeping pad , or stove . If your summer plans involve hiking or heading into the backcountry, there are also savings to be had on everything from Garmin watches to water filters , some of which are also discounted at retailers like Amazon. The sale runs through the end of today, May 25th, and to save you time scrolling, we’ve rounded up the best deals you can still grab below. Additionally, as in previous years, REI members ge t 20 percent off one full-price item or one REI Outlet item with code  ANNIV26 , giving those who pay for a lifetime membership ($30) even more ways to save through the end of Memorial Day. Smartwatches and fitness trackers Garmin Fenix 8 The Garmin Fenix 8 is a pr...

Pope Leo calls for being ‘profoundly human’ in the age of AI

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Pope Leo XIV attends the presentation of his first Encyclical Letter "Magnifica humanitas" on May 25, 2026 in Vatican City, Vatican. | Getty Images Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks of AI and unconstrained technological power in his first major papal document released on Monday. Magnifica Humanitas is the pope's manifesto on "safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence," in which he discusses the dangers of AI-powered warfare, the effects of AI on labor, and the need for new legal and ethical frameworks to govern technology. In his papal encyclical - a kind of open letter from the Catholic Church - Pope Leo stressed the economic and social upheaval that rapid AI adoption is creating, with inadequate protections for individuals that threaten human dignity. He com … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/x0epQaG

Apple’s latest MacBook Air is $200 off in both sizes for Memorial Day

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If you’re looking for a laptop that’ll still perform well several years from now, Apple’s latest MacBook Air is hard to beat. Now, in particular, is a good time to pick one up, as you can currently buy the 13-inch MacBook Air at Amazon in the run-up to Memorial Day with an M5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for $899.99 ($200 off), which is a new low price. The 15-inch model, meanwhile, is also on sale at Amazon for $1,099.99 ($200 off) in select colors, or at Best Buy for $1,149. Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) Where to Buy: $1099 $899.99 at Amazon $1099 $949 at Best Buy Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) Where to Buy: $1299 $1099.99 at Amazon $1299 $1149 at Best Buy Unless you need a laptop for intensive gaming or demanding workloads like 3D modeling, the M5 Air is the laptop we recommend to most people. Apple’s latest model is faster and better at handling everyday workloads than the new MacBook Neo , whether that means juggling dozens of t...

Hackers are learning to exploit chatbot ‘personalities’

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This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on AI mischief, follow Robert Hart . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started Hacking the first generation of AI chatbots was a laughably simple affair. You didn't need any technical know-how, backdoor access, or even a basic understanding of what a large language model was. You didn't need to code. To get an AI system that had cost billions to build to abandon its safety instructions, sometimes all you had to do was ask. These attacks, known as jailbreaks, had the quality … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/DYv2zkO