Playtron’s wildly ambitious gaming OS aims to unite stores, lure “core casuals”
Headed by former Cyanogen CEO, it's a Linux OS that might not be fully open. Enlarge / This isn't what the first PlaytronOS-powered device will look like. That could be your Steam Deck, a 5G device from your cell carrier, or mayb.....»»
Steam Families opens up game libraries for sharing, with a few caveats
It's a more simple and somewhat more liberal version of "Family Sharing." Enlarge (credit: Valve) PC gaming is often regarded as a solitary pursuit, but the advent of PC gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck has made shar.....»»
Chrysotile asbestos finally banned in the US after decades of EPA efforts
But, companies will have up to 12 years to phase out chrysotile asbestos. Enlarge / An asbestos warning sign is seen at Victoria Park in Camperdown on February 29, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (credit: Getty | Jenny Evans).....»»
Dell tells remote workers that they won’t be eligible for promotion
Report highlights big turnaround from Dell's previous pro-WFH stance. Enlarge (credit: Getty) Starting in May, Dell employees who are fully remote will not be eligible for promotion, Business Insider (BI) reported Satur.....»»
Report: Sony stops producing PSVR2 amid “surplus” of unsold units
Pricy tethered headset falters after the modest success of original PSVR. Enlarge / PSVR2 (left) next to the original PSVR. (credit: Kyle Orland / Ars Technica) It looks like Sony's PlayStation VR2 is not living up to th.....»»
Fujitsu says it found malware on its corporate network, warns of possible data breach
Company apologizes for the presence of malware on company computers. Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Japan-based IT behemoth Fujitsu said it has discovered malware on its corporate network that may have allowed the people.....»»
Apple may hire Google to power new iPhone AI features using Gemini—report
With Apple's own AI tech lagging behind, the firm looks for a fallback solution. Enlarge (credit: Benj Edwards) On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Apple is in talks to license Google's Gemini model to power AI features l.....»»
USB hubs, printers, Java, and more seemingly broken by macOS 14.4 update
Issues seem to be related to security fixes made in Apple's latest OS. Enlarge A couple of weeks ago, Apple released macOS Sonoma 14.4 with the usual list of bug fixes, security patches, and a couple of minor new featur.....»»
Google’s phone app no longer searches Google Maps
Google's search-infused phone app was touted as a major feature a few years ago. Enlarge / The Google Phone's Play Store listing still touts Nearby Places as a major feature. (credit: Google) 9to5Google reports that Goo.....»»
Playtron wants to go way wider than Steam with a gaming OS for “core casuals”
Headed by former Cyanogen CEO, it's a Linux OS that might not be fully open. Enlarge / This isn't what the first PlaytronOS-powered device will look like. That could be your Steam Deck, a 5G device from your cell carrier, or mayb.....»»
Here’s what we know about the Audi Q6 e-tron and its all-new EV platform
Audi has bet big on its next flexible EV architecture, starting with this SUV. Enlarge / This is Audi's next electric vehicle, the Q6 e-tron SUV. (credit: Audi) Audi provided flights from Washington to Munich and accommo.....»»
Tesla settles with Black worker after $3.2 million verdict in racism lawsuit
Tesla and Owen Diaz both appealed $3.2 million verdict before deciding to settle. Enlarge / Tesla cars sit in a parking lot at the company's factory in Fremont, California on October 19, 2022. (credit: Getty Images | Justin Sulli.....»»
The US government seems serious about developing a lunar economy
You know the military is serious when the guy running the program is nicknamed "Orbit." Enlarge / Permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles are an area of interest for the resources they might harbor. (credit: LROC / ASU /.....»»
Brewing kombucha in silicone bags makes for less alcohol, faster process
Using glucose instead of sucrose also results in less alcohol and less sour vinegar taste Enlarge / Brewing kombucha tea. Note the trademark gel-like layer of SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). (credit: Olga Pankova.....»»
SpaceX building hundreds of spy satellites for US government, report says
Satellites to "track targets on the ground" for US intelligence, Reuters writes. Enlarge / A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 3, 2024. (credit: Getty Images | Anadolu ).....»»
Elon Musk’s xAI releases Grok source and weights, taunting OpenAI
Amid criticism of OpenAI's closed models, Musk makes the Grok-1 AI model free to download. Enlarge / An AI-generated image released by xAI during the open-weights launch of Grok-1. (credit: xAI) On Sunday, Elon Musk's AI.....»»
Qualcomm’s “Snapdragon 8s Gen 3” cuts down the company’s flagship SoC
The "s" moniker doesn't make it better than the old 8 Gen 3 chip. Enlarge / The promo image for Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip. (credit: Qualcomm) Qualcomm's newest smartphone SoC is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. Years.....»»
Is TikTok’s parent company an agent of the Chinese state?
Op-ed: In China Inc., it’s a little more complicated than that. Enlarge / A stand of TikTok (Douyin) at The First International Artificial Products Expo Hangzhou on October 18, 2019, in Hangzhou, China. (credit: Long Wei | VCG.....»»
The top 5 astronomical discoveries of all time (so far)
From Eratosthenes' circumference to black holes, we've learned a lot about the cosmos. Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) We’ve managed to discover quite a lot about our Universe from our relatively limited.....»»
Redwoods are growing almost as fast in the UK as their Californian cousins
New study finds that giant sequoias add 70 cm of height and store 160 kg of carbon per year. Enlarge / Looking up at the canopy of a redwood tree in a forest near Golden Gate Live Steamers, Grizzly Peak Boulevard in Oakland. (cre.....»»