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Showing posts from January, 2022

Federal court decision could slow oil industry efforts to store carbon in the Gulf of Mexico

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OIL PLATFORM, GULF OF MEXICO - DECEMBER 10, 2014:  | Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images via Getty Images Fossil fuel companies’ hopes of sequestering captured greenhouse gas emissions at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico hit a snag last week when a federal court revoked a gigantic oil and gas lease sale the Biden Administration held last November. ExxonMobil was the biggest spender at the time, bidding on nearly 100 leases in shallow waters. Because the areas it bid on weren’t expected to be very lucrative for oil and gas drilling, experts speculated that ExxonMobil would use the areas for storing captured CO2. But late last week, US District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras canceled leases issued during the November sale. The enormous sale, which auctioned off 80.8 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico, was challenged in federal court by... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/M3lqrP6NQ

The voice of Joel from The Last of Us steps away from NFT project after outcry

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Troy Baker will no longer be partnering with Voiceverse. | Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for ReedPOP Troy Baker, a prominent voice actor perhaps best known for playing Joel in The Last of Us , is stepping away from an NFT partnership following significant outcry. In the early hours of January 14th, Baker announced on Twitter that he would be partnering with a company called Voiceverse, which creates “Voice NFTs” that each have a “unique AI-generated voice map,” but he now says he won’t continue the partnership . In his original announcement, it seems Baker expected some backlash — perhaps he has seen some of the gaming community’s opposition to NFTs already, like what led to the removal of planned NFTs from the upcoming S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl . “You can hate,” part of Baker’s tweet read. “Or you can create. What’ll it be?” O... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/NXxbnHQlA

The latest iPad Air is selling for its lowest price ever

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Save $100 on the iPad Air | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge The 2020 model of the iPad Air has been discounted to its lowest price ever. Normally, this slim tablet costs $599.99 but has been discounted to $499.99 in all colorways at Best Buy . The Verge ’s Dieter Bohn praised its excellent screen and overall fast performance, calling it the “best tablet for most people” in his review . This model represents a top-to-bottom redesign over its previous iteration, bringing features like a USB-C charging port, which broadens its compatibility with accessories. Our top pick for the best Chromebook you can get , the Acer Chromebook Spin 713, is currently on sale at Best Buy for $499.99 , knocking $200 off the regular price of this amazing laptop. In our review from The Verge’s own Monica Chin, she gave... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/QGbJyrnIZ

MLB The Show is making its Nintendo Switch debut on April 5th

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MLB The Show made its debut on Xbox last year , and it’s now making its way to the Nintendo Switch. MLB The Show 22 will be released on April 5th on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X / S. This is the first entry in the MLB The Show series for Nintendo’s Switch console, and it will include full cross-platform progression, cross-saves, and online multiplayer between PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch consoles. The cover athlete this year is Shohei Ohtani, who had an incredible 2021, hitting 46 home runs and 100 runs batted in. The Japanese baseball star is “the only obvious choice to grace the cover of MLB The Show 22,” says Ramone Russell , brand strategist at Sony’s San Diego studio, on the PlayStation... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/l7BwragRT

XKCD’s Randall Munroe announces What If? 2, with more scientific answers to life’s most absurd hypothetical questions

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XKCD creator Randall Munroe has announced his latest science book : What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions , which will delve into new out-of-the-box questions that Munroe attempts to answer with hard scientific facts and research. What If? 2 follows 2014’s original What If? book — which itself was borne out of an XKCD spinoff blog — that saw Munroe examine absurd questions (like whether you could build a jetpack that ran off downward-facing machine guns or if there’s enough paint to cover the entire surface of the earth) with rigorous scientific accuracy, accompanied by Munroe’s signature stick figure comics. The new volume will continue in What If? ’s absurd scientific footsteps, attempting to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/SmZgs9vDx

The new Halo TV show manages to look incredibly cheap and expensive at the same time, will release on March 24

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A Halo live-action movie has been in the works since 2007 and after years of languishing in production hell, we’ve finally got a trailer. The new show is being developed at Paramount Plus, home of the excellent Yellowstone. We actually got a bit of sneak-peek at the show back during the Game Awards but we’ve now got a full-fledged trailer that shows off some of the story and what fans can expect. The Halo TV show stars Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief and we’ve got a bunch of riff-raff that no one cares about. The show will hit the streaming service on March 24, 2022.  The new Halo trailer just hit the internet Judging from the trailer, it seems that the showrunners have not followed the game canon and will be telling a story that is separate from the main Halo games. While that sounds well and good, we are more concerned about the show pushing The Message, like every other modern TV show. Also, the sets and some of the effects look incredibly cheap, like it was filmed at a CW set but

Apple iMac Pro could make a comeback alongside iPhone SE 5G, and Mac Mini during 2022 Spring Event

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According to the latest Mark Gurman’s newsletter, Apple is likely to re-release the iMac Pro during its upcoming Spring 2022 event. Introduced in 2017 as a workstation-grade computer, Apple discontinued the iMac Pro last year. Also, as everyone knows, Cupertino is slowly but steadily shifting its entire range of devices on powerful homemade Apple silicon, it's probably the best time for the discontinued iMac Pro to make a triumphant return. The newsletter alleges that the Apple iMac Pro will likely have a bigger screen size than 24-inch. It may also feature a mini-LED ProMotion 120Hz display.  Apart from that, Apple currently sells two iMac products - a 24-inch M1 powered version and a bigger 27-inch model still using an Intel 10th Gen processor lineup. Another recent report also alleged that the 27-inch iMac is also likely to get the M1 silicon treatment. If the rumours from Ross Young, a display industry consultant are true. The newer Apple 27-inch iMac could feature a mini-LED

Realme 9 Pro+ Indian pricing and variants leak ahead of global launch on February 15

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Realme 9 Pro+ is expected to launch alongside the Realme 9 and Realme 9 Pro globally on February 15. Ahead of its launch, the Indian pricing and details about the RAM and storage variants have leaked giving us a brief look at what to expect from the successors to the Realme 8 series. As per some rumours, the Realme 9 series will launch in India on February 16, however, Realme is yet to officially reveal a launch date. According to a report by RMLeaks (previously RealmeTimes) that cites industry sources, the Realme 9 Pro+is priced starting at Rs 20,999 while the Realme 9 Pro will start from Rs 16,999. The Realme 9 Pro+ has a base variant with 6GB RAM with 128GB followed by the 8GB+128GB storage option. The report also states that the Realme 9 Pro and Realme 9 Pro+ will be offered in three colourways to choose from. Realme 9 Pro+ leaked specifications credit: Smartprix x OnLeaks The Realme 9 Pro+ is expected to feature a 6.43-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a F

Joe Rogan defends podcast and apologizes to Spotify for backlash

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Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Joe Rogan has issued a response to the ongoing controversy that has seen artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell removing their music from Spotify because of not wanting to share a platform with his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience . In a nearly ten-minute video uploaded to Instagram, Rogan defends his decision to book contentious guests, apologizes to Spotify for the backlash, and details how the podcast may change in the future. “These podcasts are very strange because they’re just conversations,” Rogan says. “And oftentimes I have no idea what I’m going to talk about until I sit down and talk to people. And that’s why some of my ideas are not that prepared or fleshed out because I’m literally having them in real time,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/FBTYgNwSx

Apple adds unlisted apps to its App Store

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple will now let developers distribute unlisted apps through the App Store that only users with a direct link can access (via MacRumors ). While unlisted apps aren’t discoverable by the general public through search results, App Store categories, charts, or recommendations, they’re available to administrators via the Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager. Unlisted apps are ideal for “limited audiences” Apple notes that unlisted apps are ideal for “limited audiences,” such as guests at a special event, members of an organization, research study participants, or a specific group of employees. To make an app unlisted and obtain a link, developers will first need to submit a request to Apple. Apps that have only been approved for... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/zHN9qhwgv

Spotify finally responds to Joe Rogan controversy with a plan to label podcasts that discuss COVID-19

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Spotify will now add COVID-19 content advisories to podcast episodes that discuss COVID-19 following criticism of the platform’s handling of the controversial content in the Joe Rogan Experience . The advisory will lead to Spotify’s COVID-19 hub , which contains credible and up-to-date information about the pandemic. To increase transparency around its treatment of the issue, Spotify is making its COVID-19 content policy and general platform rules publicly available on its site. Spotify says anyone who breaks the rules may have the content in question removed, with repeat offenders potentially having their accounts suspended or banned. The Verge obtained this policy ahead of the platform’s public release , and an internal memo revealed that... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/a5jmBr94X

Live-action Halo TV show release date revealed in new teaser

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Screenshot via Halo on Paramount Plus A new teaser for Paramount Plus’ live-action Halo series reveals the long-awaited show’s release date: March 24th, 2022 (via IGN ). At around the 52-second mark, you can hear the announcer state the fast-approaching release date. We’re just getting started. Watch the #HaloTheSeries Official Trailer today during halftime at the AFC Championship Game on @CBS and @ParamountPlus . pic.twitter.com/dER2sgbLkI — Halo on Paramount+ (@HaloTheSeries) January 30, 2022 The one-minute video teases a longer trailer set to debut during tonight’s AFC championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals — it flashes between clips of the live-action series and both teams on the field. The upcoming trailer will air during the game... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/HzSZmtqcE

BrenĂ© Brown says she won’t release new episodes of her Spotify-exclusive podcasts ‘until further notice’

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BrenĂ© Brown is the host of popular podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead . | Photo by Rick Kern / WireImage Popular podcast host and author BrenĂ© Brown says she’s not going to release any new podcast episodes “until further notice” and didn’t offer a specific reason why. Brown’s pause on her podcasts comes shortly after both Neil Young and Joni Mitchell pulled their music off Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan’s controversial podcast series. Brown signed a multi-year deal with Spotify in 2020 , and is the host of Spotify exclusive podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead . “I will not be releasing any podcasts until further notice,” Brown wrote on Twitter. “To our #UnlockingUs and #DaretoLead communities, I’m sorry and I’ll let you know if and when that changes.” I will not be releasing any podcasts until further notice. To our #UnlockingUs and #... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/AqxSDapX4

AT&T adds $45 / month unlimited prepaid plan with 5G that you can only get at Walmart

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge AT&T has a new Unlimited Max prepaid plan with 5G, and it’s available at Walmart for $45 / month . The plan comes with unlimited 5G data, unlimited talk and text, 100GB of cloud storage, HD streaming, and 10GB of available data when using your phone as a mobile hot spot. AT&T’s lowest-priced unlimited 5G plan available outside of Walmart (which doesn’t even come with HD streaming) will cost you $65 / month . While the Walmart-only Unlimited Max plan does allow for HD streaming, it streams in standard definition by default. You can stream in HD by turning off Stream Saver (a mode that plays video in 480p to save data) on AT&T’s prepaid site , or by calling 611. For comparison, several standard prepaid unlimited 5G plans, like Metro by... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/iEv6hKnNQ

OnePlus Nord 2T and Nord 2 CE prices and launch details tipped in new leak

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We recently brought you an exclusive look at the key specifications of the OnePlus Nord 2T, an upcoming mid-range phone that will refresh the Nord lineup. Today, in yet another leak, this time by 91Mobiles, the pricing details and launch timeline of the OnePlus Nord 2T has been revealed. Many of you have been asking about the Nord 2T that leaked recently. As per the info I got, we won't be seeing it anytime soon. Current timeline is April/May, this complicates 2022 plans since by late Q3 we should be hearing stuff about Nord 3. — Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) January 29, 2022 In Picture: OnePlus Nord 2 OnePlus Nord 2T to launch in Q2 2022 As per an exclusive report that cites popular tipster Yogesh Brar, the Nord 2T could launch sometime between April-May and will be priced between Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000. The Nord 2T will essentially be replacing the Nord 2 which launched in July 2021 in India with a Dimensity 1200 SoC, 50MP triple camera setup, 65W fast charging and a price tag

Redmi Smart TV X43 launching in India on February 9

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Redmi is all set to add a new TV to its X series portfolio, the Redmi Smart TV X43. Currently, the Redmi smart TV is available in 50, 55 and 65-inch screen sizes. The TV will launch on February 9 in India and there is no information about the price or availability of the TV.  Redmi Smart TV X43 features and specifications As per the teaser page on Xiaomi's website, the Redmi smart TV X43 will support a 4K resolution along with support for HDR 10 and Dolby Vision, similar to its larger siblings. The TV will come with support for Dolby Audio with 30W of sound output. The TV will run on the Android TV OS with Xiaomi’s own PatchWall UI overlaying it.  We don't know the other specifications of the TV but we can expect it to support features found on its larger siblings like e-ARC and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). For connectivity, we can expect to see the TV support three HDMI ports and two USB ports.    Sorry, didn't hear you over the sound of all that e(X)tra (L)arge enter

FCC announces $1.2 billion fund for broadband deployment in rural areas

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced over $1.2 billion in funding through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to expand broadband service across 32 states. The FCC calls this “the largest funding round to date,” and notes 23 broadband companies will provide service to more than one million new areas. In addition, the FCC also introduced the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan , which will double the number of audits and verifications performed this year in comparison to 2021. It will also require the FCC to make the results of verifications, audits as well as speed and latency tests public on the Universal Service Administration Company’s (USAC) website . The new Rural Broadband Accountability Plan will streamline our... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/hVnsSyKPZ

T-Mobile will reportedly fire corporate employees who aren’t fully vaccinated by April 2nd

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge T-Mobile will fire corporate employees who aren’t fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by April 2nd, according to an internal email viewed by Bloomberg . T-Mobile’s head of human resources, Deeanne King, reportedly says employees who’ve only received one dose as of February 21st will be put on unpaid leave. There will be “limited” exceptions for certain employees “T-Mobile’s badge-controlled offices continue to be accessible only to those who are vaccinated against COVID-19,” T-Mobile said in a statement to The Verge , referencing the digital pass system the company uses to keep track of employees’ vaccination status. “We have shared with employees that we are requiring office workers to be fully vaccinated by April 2.” The mobile carrier... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ajYVhdCRv

The IRS is reportedly looking for ID.me alternatives amid privacy concerns

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are reportedly looking for alternatives to the controversial facial recognition software ID.me, according to a report by Bloomberg . As Bloomberg notes, the agencies didn’t cite a reason for the possible change, and also didn’t mention any privacy concerns about the service. The IRS can’t establish its own software due to a “lack of funding” “The IRS is consistently looking for ways to make the filing process more secure,” Treasury Department spokesperson Alexandra LaManna said in a statement to Bloomberg . “We believe in the importance of protecting the privacy of taxpayers, while also ensuring criminals are not able to gain access to taxpayer accounts.” LaManna also told B... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/CQnbuPSHL

Head of WhatsApp on releasing an iPad app: ‘We’d love to do it’

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge WhatsApp’s chief has a message for those who have been clamoring for a native iPad app: don’t give up hope. “People have wanted an iPad app for a long time.” Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp at its parent company Meta, told The Verge during an interview this week tied to a new US marketing push for the messaging app. “We’d love to do it.” Like Instagram for the iPad, a version of WhatsApp for Apple’s tablet has long eluded users despite being a heavily requested feature. And while Cathcart wouldn’t go so far as to commit to the release of an iPad version, his comments suggest it’s possible that one will be built in the near future, especially now that WhatsApp has built the underlying technology needed for such a client to work. “If I... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3g89M0o

Neil Young says he ‘felt better’ after leaving Spotify and its ‘shitty’ sound quality

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Photo by Gary Miller/FilmMagic Even after departing the platform , Neil Young isn’t done criticizing Spotify yet. Today, the rock legend has published another letter on his website, describing Spotify as a purveyor of “more songs and less sound.” Young says that he “felt better” after pulling his music catalog from the leading streaming music service earlier this week while noting that he’s strongly opposed to censorship and that “private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information.” Throughout the latest post, Young — a longtime advocate of hi-fi sound — heavily criticizes Spotify for its lossy audio quality. “Amazon, Apple Music, and Qobuz deliver up to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3u6uOF5

Watchdog closes probe into Ubisoft Singapore and will not take action

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The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices’ case is closing its case. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A Singaporean employment watchdog has closed an investigation against Ubisoft Singapore that was opened following allegations of a toxic studio culture and says it will not be taking action against the company. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) investigation was opened last summer after Kotaku published an extensive article detailing alleged issues at the company based on interviews with more than 20 current and former employees. The claims included racial pay disparity, sexual harassment, and an HR department that allegedly took little action in response to reports. The TAFEP shared two key findings in a press release sent to The Verge . The first was that “Ubisoft Singapore has a structured... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/34gH9M7

US lawmakers probe into crypto mining companies’ energy use

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Whinstone CEO Chad Harris poses for a portrait in a room with Bitcoin mining machines during a tour at the Whinstone US Bitcoin mining facility in Rockdale, Texas, on October 10, 2021 | Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Democratic lawmakers are pushing Bitcoin mining companies in the US to divulge how much electricity they use in an effort to assess how that will impact nearby residents and the environment. Eight members of Congress sent letters yesterday to six companies that mine Bitcoin in the US asking them about the energy and environmental impact of their operations. “Given the extraordinarily high energy usage and carbon emissions associated with Bitcoin mining, mining operations raise concerns about their impacts on the global environment, local ecosystems, and consumer electricity costs,” the letters say . The letters were signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Margaret Hassan (D-NH), and Ed... Continue read

How to use Slack channels

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Slack, the instant messaging app of choice for many companies, has probably become a bigger part of your life if you’re working from home. And while Slack is usually used for work, it’s also very useful for conversing with friends and family. Slack offers paid plans , but anyone can sign up for the free version and create a workspace, a virtual space where you can set up different conversations and projects. Each of those conversations and projects on Slack are called channels. These channels function like chat rooms or group chats. While there isn’t a limit to the number of channels you can make or private messages you can send in Slack, the free version will only let you see the last 10,000 messages sent in your workspace. Here’s an... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3r9zatd

The biting lip emoji coming in iOS 15.4 will instantly make conversations awkward

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New emoji are on their way. | Image: Emojipedia iOS 15.4 will include a new crop of emoji, including a melting face, someone saluting, beans, and a slightly uncomfortable biting lip icon. As usual, the new emoji and variations of existing emoji are coming thanks to a new version of the Unicode standard that dictates the standard set of pictographs that get added to our devices. iOS 15.4 is currently in beta, but when it rolls out, it should include 37 new emoji, according to MacRumors . Emojipedia put together a first look at Apple’s renditions. The specific way emoji look will vary from platform to platform, but you can get a feel for what to expect from the Unicode Consortium, which is the body in charge of creating new emoji (among many other very important things ). Among the 838... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35vIteA

Apple might let you use Face ID with a mask in the next iOS update

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Apple appears to be testing a feature that will let you use Face ID to unlock the phone even when wearing a mask. The first developer beta for iOS 15.4 has a screen that asks if you want to be able to use Face ID while wearing a mask, at the cost of reduced security, according to photos from Brandon Butch on Twitter and MacRumors . According to pictures of the screen, Apple says that “iPhone can recognize the unique features around the eye area to authenticate” but warns that Face ID is going to be more accurate if you have it set to not work with a mask. Here’s the new toggle in iOS 15.4 (settings > Face ID > Use Face ID with a Mask) pic.twitter.com/nL8PPxrrZe — Brandon Butch (@BrandonButch) January 27, 2022 As the pandemic drags on,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3fZDox8

Hyper Scape gets no-scoped

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Image: Ubisoft In a move no one saw coming because not that many people were playing the game in the first place, Hyper Scape , Ubisoft’s attempt to get in on the increasingly bloated battle royale market, will be shutting down on April 28th. On Hyper Scape ’s website, the announcement reads : We have made the difficult decision to end development of Hyper Scape and shut the game down as of April 28th. We set out to create a vertical, close-quarters, and fast-paced shooter experience and we are extremely grateful to our community for joining us on our journey. We will be taking key learnings from this game into future products. Hyper Scape launched on August 11th, 2020 and quickly fell off . Despite rocketing to the top of Twitch charts with a coordinated... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3GaG2KW

Microsoft is making its Xbox subscriptions more flexible after UK regulator steps in

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft is making its Xbox subscriptions a little more flexible after a UK regulator raised concerns. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) “has secured undertakings with Microsoft” that will improve accidental renewals for Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. Microsoft has agreed to offer refunds to Xbox subscribers that are on recurring 12-month subscriptions and even cancel inactive memberships if customers are reminded how to stop payments and still continue not to use a membership. The CMA identified a number of concerns around Microsoft’s auto-renewing subscriptions, and the Xbox maker has agreed to address them with the following improvements: “Better upfront information: Microsoft will provide more... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3H6UAg8

DeepDotWeb operator sentenced to eight years for money laundering

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge In the culmination of a two-year legal process, the former operator of dark web index site DeepDotWeb was handed a sentence of 97 months in prison for money laundering on Tuesday. The sentence was issued to Tal Prihar, an Israeli national, by a judge of the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The judgment from the court ordered Prihar to forfeit $8.4 million in cash, along with an ASUS laptop, a black iPhone, and his accounts at cryptocurrency exchanges Binance, Kraken and OKCoin. The DeepDotWeb site started operating in 2013, operated by Prihar and another Israeli citizen Michael Phan, who is a co-defendant in the case. The site was hosted on the open internet but provided links to the .onion domains of dark web... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35k4qNu

Apple creates personal safety guide as AirTag concerns mount

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Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge On Tuesday, Apple quietly launched a Personal Safety User Guide to help “anyone who is concerned about or experience technology-enabled abuse, stalking or harassment.” The guide is a resource hub to help people figure out what their options are if they wish to remove someone’s access to shared information, as well as personal safety features available across the Apple ecosystem. Most notably, it includes a “ Stay safe with AirTag and other Find My accessories ” page at a time when an increasing number of people have come forward about being stalked with the devices. As pointed out by 9to5Mac , the hub is mostly repackaging a data privacy guide that was first published about a year ago. Overall, it’s a good thing to create an easily... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/33MfhzD

Galaxy S22: What to expect from Samsung’s February Unpacked

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A leaked image, apparently of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra. | Image: evleaks (Twitter) The Galaxy S22 will likely be the main event, but what else could there be? Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3nWahiD

Uber sued for $63 million by man who was paralyzed in a crash

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Uber faces a negligence lawsuit from a Massachusetts man left paralyzed in a crash | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A Massachusetts man is suing Uber for $63 million, claiming the ride-hailing company hired a driver with a dangerous record who was at the wheel in an accident that left him paralyzed. Will Good was in an Uber last April 30th on his way home from work when the driver swerved sharply and hit a parked car, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court. The lawsuit says Good struck his head on the passenger side seat and immediately knew he was paralyzed. The lawsuit states that the driver has a driving history dating back to 1996 that includes more than 20 driving citations, including several for failure to stop and failure to yield. According to the suit, the driver was previously required by Massachusetts to undergo a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3fXLNAX

Tech giants call on SCOTUS to let EPA regulate CO2 emissions

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The Appalachian Electric Power coal-fired Big Sandy Power Plant is seen June 3, 2014 in Cattletsburg, Kentucky.  | Photo by Luke Sharrett/Getty Images Major tech companies are weighing in on a high-profile climate case in support of EPA greenhouse gas regulations. Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, Tesla, Paypal, and Salesforce are among the companies that filed a brief yesterday asking the Supreme Court to uphold the agency’s authority to regulate the pollution causing climate change. “Both corporate action and EPA regulation are needed to reduce emissions at the rate necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change,” the brief says. The companies say they are “united in their efforts to combat this threat.” The case the companies are weighing in on, West Virginia v. EPA , concerns whether or not the EPA has the regulatory authority to limit greenhouse gas... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35kEHV7

Valve will start selling the Steam Deck on February 25th

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Image: Valve Valve announced that the Steam Deck will go on sale starting February 25th. According to the company’s blog, customers who have reservations will get an email on that day and have three days to place an order. Valve also says that it’ll release new batches on a weekly basis, so if you’ve got a reservation, March will be the time to keep an eye on your email. Here’s some more info from Valve’s announcement: We will start sending invites shortly after 10:00 am on February 25th, PST Order emails are sent in the same order that reservations were made. You can only order the Steam Deck model that you originally reserved. Your reservation deposit will be applied to the final price of Steam Deck, and shipping costs are included. The release date... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3nXxH71

The man who oversaw YouTube Gaming’s huge streamer deals is leaving for crypto

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Ryan Wyatt is leaving YouTube to join Polygon Tech. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ryan Wyatt, YouTube’s head of gaming who oversaw some of its big deals to bring Twitch streamers to YouTube, is leaving to join the crypto company Polygon Technology , where he will be leading its Polygon Studios organization. Polygon is a “protocol and a framework for building and connecting Ethereum-compatible blockchain networks,” according to its website . Said another way, it can help people build decentralized apps that aren’t as tied to one blockchain’s fees, hurdles, or performance. In one description Polygon compares itself as the “broadband” to Ethereum’s internet, with faster transaction speeds and fees that are “10000x cheaper.” Wyatt will be focused on leading Polygon’s non-tech-related efforts, he said to The Verge in a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3H0Ys2c

Facebook’s plan to offer free internet in developing countries ended up costing users, WSJ reports

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Facebook partners with mobile carriers in developing countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Pakistan to give users free access to Facebook and a few other websites, but users have been unknowingly getting charged by their cellular providers, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal . The service, called Free Basics , is offered through Meta Connectivity (formerly Facebook Connectivity) and is supposed to provide users with “access to communication tools, health information, education resources and other low-bandwidth services” at no charge. The program has been around since 2013, and as of last October, it serves more than 300 million people . Pakistan has been charged the most for using Facebook’s “free” internet at a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3KEBlwF

What’s next for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope now that it’s reached its parking spot

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NASA’s next-generation James Webb Space Telescope may have reached its final parking spot in space, but there’s still a long road ahead for the observatory before it can start taking the dazzling pictures of the cosmos that scientists have been eagerly awaiting. Over the next five months, mission engineers will meticulously tweak and test the telescope in order to prepare the spacecraft for its lifelong mission of observing the Universe . Yesterday at around 2PM ET, the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, fired its onboard thrusters for a little less than five minutes, putting the vehicle into its final orbit in space . It was a crucial last step for JWST’s journey through the cosmos, capping off a 30-day voyage from the launchpad to its... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3H63w5i

A Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is ‘really, truly, and for sure’ coming to Disney Plus

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Hyperion Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief author Rick Riordan will be the first person to tell you how much he didn’t care for 20th Century Studios’ 2010 adaptation of the novel from director Chris Columbus. For years, Riordan’s been insisting to his fans how he’s been longing to see his work transformed into a live-action story that squares with the grand vision in his mind, and now, Disney Plus plans to make that happen. Though Riordan already announced almost two years ago in a series of now-deleted tweets that Disney Plus was moving forward with a new show based on the book series, the prolific author reiterated today the studio’s plans and shared some new details about the project in a new video posted to Twitter. Along with Riordan,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/347tNlh

Blizzard announces new survival game while still reeling from multiple controversies

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A week after the news Microsoft will acquire Activision Blizzard , and amidst news of alleged union-busting , labor strikes , unionization and the continuing investigation of allegations of discrimination and abuse, Blizzard has announced it’s working on a new IP. We’re building a survival game in an all-new universe. Join us in writing our next chapter: https://t.co/yf7W5p9ERQ pic.twitter.com/vWtkDYh1kX — Blizzard Entertainment (@Blizzard_Ent) January 25, 2022 The new game is the first new universe from Blizzard since Overwatch in 2016; it’s also the studio’s first survival game. While it’s fairly common to announce games early to recruit new talent — Respawn Entertainment’s announcement of its new Star Wars game contained job listings... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rJXukm

Here’s how bad the chip shortage is, according to the White House

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Today, the White House is saying out loud what you’ve likely already heard : the chip shortage won’t end anytime soon. “We aren’t even close to being out of the woods,” said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in a briefing with reporters today, according to Bloomberg , The Washington Post , and others. Her comments come alongside a new Department of Commerce report that cites chipmakers who “did not see the problem going away in six months,” which also isn’t exactly news: chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD have repeatedly suggested the shortage wouldn’t ease until the second half of 2022, while Intel has said it might not end until 2023 . But the report , based on 150 responses from “nearly every major semiconductor producer and from companies... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/34aDrTS

PG&E’s criminal probation is ending, but the company remains a ‘menace to California’

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A burned tree is seen through the window of a business that was destroyed by the Dixie Fire on September 24, 2021 in Greenville, California.  | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Embattled California utility PG&E ends a five-year felony probation period tomorrow that failed to rehabilitate the company, according to the US District Court judge that oversaw the probation. “In these five years, PG&E has gone on a crime spree and will emerge from probation as a continuing menace to California,” US District Judge William Alsup wrote in a scathing report released days ahead of the probationary period that lifts at midnight. “PG&E has gone on a crime spree” The company was placed on probation in 2017 when it was convicted of six felony crimes connected to one of its natural gas pipelines that exploded in 2010, killing eight people. Since a company can’t go to prison for committing a crime, PG&E faced a $3 million fine... Continue reading… from The Verge - All

Cracking a $2 million crypto wallet

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Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge First, he forgot his PIN — then he started looking for hackers Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3nTRtjS

TikTok is feeling emotional damage over the market crash

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge My TikTok For You page is generally a wonderland of soothing cooking videos, lesbian carpentry, dieticians frothing at the mouth at fitness scams, and whatever it is @yoleendadong is up to. But every so often, my FYP will land me in FinanceTok and CryptoTok. And buddy, I do not think everyone there is OK. I’ve never turned down a chance to leap down the TikTok rabbit hole, and perusing the #marketcrash2022 and #cryptocrash2022 tags is truly tragic. There’s this baby going through a rollercoaster of emotions watching stocks go up and down. There’s also this grown adult man doing the same thing , set to the Emotional Damage vs. Pompeii by William Li sound. Actually, it seems like a lot of grown men are crying about their cryptocurrency and... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rSKoBA

Twitter suspends Wordle-ruining bot

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The Wordlinator account tweeted rude messages with spoilers at people posting results. Twitter has banned @wordlinator, a bot that replied to people’s Wordle posts with rude messages that include spoilers for the next day’s game. The account’s spoilers appeared to be accurate (the key is easily accessible in the game’s code, so it’s not necessarily a surprise), which could end up ruining the game for anyone who sees them. For anyone who’s managed to avoid it, Wordle is a game where you get six chances to guess a five-letter word — if you’re interested, you can learn how to play it here . The answer is the same for everyone playing, and it only changes once a day. The game also has an interesting sharing mechanic, where you can copy and paste a series of emoji to let people know how easy or hard it was for you to guess the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/347HwZj

Google could bring the fight to Roku and Amazon with an even cheaper Chromecast

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Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Google is working on a lower-end Chromecast with Google TV that would slot in below its current model in price — and also video resolution. According to Protocol’s Janko Roettgers , the upcoming, cheaper Chromecast will run the same Google TV software as the existing hardware and will still include a remote control. But it will be limited to a maximum of 1080p video quality. Playing to that limitation, Protocol believes Google might market the device as “Chromecast HD with Google TV,” similar to the branding of Apple’s Apple TV HD. The product would be marketed towards consumers with 1080p TVs who don’t necessarily care about having the very best picture quality. Other specs mentioned in the report include a maximum of 2GB RAM and 60fps... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3AHoaXf

It’s 2022, and the Surface Duo is finally getting Android 11

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The Surface Duo is getting Android 11 at last. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge At the beginning of this month, my colleague Monica Chin published an article with the headline “ It’s 2022, and the Surface Duo still doesn’t have Android 11 ,” pointing out that Microsoft hadn’t brought Android 11 to the dual-screen phone despite having said in September that it was working on delivering the by the end of 2021. That’s finally changing, as Microsoft has begun to roll out Android 11 for unlocked Surface Duos in North America and Europe, as reported by 9to5Google . Not every Surface Duo will be getting the update right away; if you have a Surface Duo that’s tied to AT&T, it sounds like you’re going to have to wait just a bit longer. “For locked or unlocked AT&T Surface Duos, we are testing this release and it is pending... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rQ3U1z

NASA’s revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope reaches final orbit in space

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After traveling hundreds of thousands of miles through space over the last month, NASA’s revolutionary new James Webb Space Telescope performed its last big course correction maneuver this afternoon, putting itself into its final resting place in space. Now, the observatory will live in perpetuity at a distance of roughly 1 million miles from the Earth, giving the vehicle a front-row view of the most ancient stars and galaxies of the Universe. Launched on Christmas Day , NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, has had a wild ride to its destination. Too enormous to fly to space in its final form, the telescope had to launch folded up inside its rocket. Once it reached space, JWST began an extremely complex routine of shape-shifting... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3IEgfwB

Tesla Cybertruck walkaround video shows the absurdly huge windshield wiper in detail

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Even in handheld video, the truck looks a little unreal. | Image: Cybertruck Owners Club We got the closest look yet at an alleged prototype of the Tesla Cybertruck, thanks to a walkaround video posted to the Cybertruck Owners Club forum ( via Electrek ). We get to see a good deal of the vehicle, including its giant windshield and wiper. You can watch the whole thing below. We saw the wiper last month when a drone video captured a Cybertruck doing laps on the company’s test track in Fremont, California. Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on the wiper at the time, saying that it troubled him and that a wiper you could stow away in the front trunk would be “ideal, but complex.” (Is getting out in the rain, sleet, or snow to put on your windshield wiper really ideal, though?) Image: CybertruckOwnersClub.com The... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3KIygM6

Apples iPhone 15 Pro could launch with a 5x periscope camera

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iPhone 15 rumours and leaks have already started surfacing. Apple has been testing prototypes and component samples of 5X telephoto lenses for the iPhone 15 Pro. A final decision will be on the manufacturer, which is expected in May 2022. According to 9to5Mac reports, analyst Jeff Pu claims the iPhone 15 Pro versions will include a periscope lens with 5X optical magnification. Apple is in talks with Lane Optics, which is likely to be the primary provider of periscope lenses for the iPhones that will be released in 2023. Also, the reports say the Cupertino-based corporation has already received component samples, and a final decision is expected by May of this year. If the components are authorised, Apple will add the periscope lens to the high-end variants of the 2023 iPhone range, which we expect to be dubbed the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. If the firms reach an agreement, Lane Optics will most likely provide Apple with more than 100 million components. It will have a signi

Yakuza director announces new studio after leaving Sega

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Toshihiro Nagoshi, former chief creative officer at Sega, where he led development of the Yakuza series as general director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, has announced his next move. He’s started up his own studio, simply titled Nagoshi Studio , which is being wholly funded by Chinese internet and gaming company NetEase. Nagoshi announced his departure from Sega last October, but today’s news also follows a report from Bloomberg back in August that named NetEase as his prospective future partner. Masayoshi Yokoyama, who The Verge interviewed last year about his work on the most recent Yakuza game Like a Dragon , is the new head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and is currently working on the next game in the series. Nagoshi Studio will be headquartered... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3s39fCP

Vivo Y75 5G specifications and features leaked ahead of its launch

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The official launch of Vivo Y75 5G is yet to be announced, but details and specifications of the device were leaked online and have since has gained some attention. My SmartPrice, in collaboration with YouTuber Ishan Agarwal, leaked the details on the new Vivo Y75 5G ahead of its launch. The render reveals that the handset is available in two colour options - Aurora and Black. The Aurora colour has a more gradient finish. The handset packs a 5,000 mAh battery unit which supports 18W fast charging as well. Vivo Y75 5G Expected Specifications and Features  Vivo Y75 5G is speculated to feature MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset under the hood and pack a 50-megapixel primary camera and two 2-megapixel sensors. Along with 8GB of RAM, it will offer an additional option to add 5GB virtual RAM. It further shows a tipping water drop style notch at the front for the 16-megapixel selfie camera., and the SIM card tray and the secondary noise cancellation mic are seen on the top of the handset, while