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The Bastl Kalimba is a wild synth that thinks it’s a thumb piano

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It’s already raised over $700,000 on Kickstarter. | Image: Bastl Make no mistake, the Bastl Kalimba is a synthesizer, you just play it like a kalimba. Its tines don't really make much sound. There is an internal mic that you can blend in for a little acoustic spice, but it's mostly driven by the synth engine that combines physical modeling and FM. The tines are actually touch and velocity-sensitive triggers. And, while it can sound somewhat like a real kalimba, it's a lot more sonically versatile and offers features you can only find on a synth. Beyond the synth sounds that range from pluck to pads, there are also built-in effects covering basic spatial effects like delay and reverb, as well as distortio … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/WJhwQpY
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Writers are fleeing the Substack Tax

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Substack, the once buzzy newsletter platform, is losing a new swath of writers to rival platforms most people haven't heard of. Just last month, The Ankler , one of Substack's most popular publications, left for a platform that gives it more control over its site. Others who have departed Substack within the past year voiced similar complaints and cite the platform's increased focus on social features as well as a pricing model that puts a chokehold on their business. Substack faced talent drain in 2024 linked to its platforming of Nazi newsletters , but now it's not just the platform's stance on hate speech that's driving away creators. Sea … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/blncPsf
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Netflix may have finally figured out games

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This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Netflix, follow Andrew Webster . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started Boggle has become a spectator sport in my household. Everyone crowds around the TV while one of us plays, and the crowd either helps shout out words or waits patiently for their turn. There's a lot of yelling. But it's a game that my family can hop into easily, and once someone starts playing, it seems everyone slowly drifts into the room to join in. The surprising part is that the experience is ha … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/wvhKIMc
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Vivo’s X300 Ultra has the best cameras in any phone

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The X300 Ultra is mostly let down by its rather dull design. A few months ago, I wrote that the telephoto camera is the only lens that matters any more , at least when it comes to Ultra-class flagships. As phones got better, cameras became where manufacturers tried to stand out. As cameras got better, telephoto lenses became the next point of focus. The most recent Ultra phones from Xiaomi , Oppo , and Huawei have all made the telephoto, above all, their selling point. Vivo's X300 Ultra is doing something different. Instead of pushing its telephoto hardware to further extremes, Vivo has mostly left it be. The company has focused its efforts on a significantly improved 35mm main camera, unique among the … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/wGaXp1Y
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Amazon is adding a vertical video feed to Prime Video

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Amazon Prime Video is joining Netflix and Disney Plus in adding a vertical feed of videos to its streaming app. The new "Clips" feed will offer a stream of short-form videos from shows and movies, with options to jump into the full title, rent, or buy it. Prime Video previously offered a TikTok-style feed with NBA game highlights, but now you can see snippets from titles offered on the platform by scrolling down to the Clips carousel on the app's homepage. "Every time you visit the experience, you'll see something new based on your viewing history," Prime Video says. You can also add shows and movies to your watchlist from the Clips feed a … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/akU8qMK
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All the latest updates on AI data centers

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Massive new data centers are the physical foundation for tech companies’ hopes and dreams for AI. But the rush to expand warehouses full of energy-hungry servers has also kicked up fights across the world over their impact on power grids, utility bills, nearby communities, and the environment.  From audacious plans to launch data centers into space to the latest legal battles over pollution, The Verge has the biggest news and reporting surrounding data centers. 43 percent of Americans blame data centers as a major reason for rising power bills. A 40,000-acre data center project was just approved in Utah, despite outcry from the community. A political battleground is forming around data centers. Are AI data centers coming to your area? Data centers will soon have to complete “mandatory” energy usage surveys. “A data center should not be a pote...
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SpaceX has a $55 billion plan to build AI chips in Texas

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Elon Musk's plans to get into the AI chip manufacturing business are going to be costly. As the New York Times and CNBC report, SpaceX is planning to invest at least $55 billion into its "Terafab" chip plant in Austin, Texas. That's according to the details of a public hearing notice filed in Grimes County, Texas, for a meeting to request tax breaks for the project. The company says that if additional phases are constructed, its investment could someday balloon to $119 billion total. When Musk initially announced the project in March, he shared ambitious plans for it to produce enough chips to support up to 200 gigawatts per year of computi … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/8wzI6rS
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