Sep 22
The “300” star said he doesn’t watch Reynolds’ movies, but guess who got the last laugh?
Sep 22
The NY actor and singer is hitting the stage with a show that reflects his mindset after 18 months of pandemic life.
Sep 22
Today is a big day for Microsoft and its fans. With Windows 11 just a few weeks away, Microsoft is hosting a new reveal event this morning. That event will cover Windows 11, but perhaps more importantly, we’ll also get the reveal of some new devices out of Microsoft. While Microsoft isn’t going to tell us what those unknown devices … Continue reading
Sep 22
Microsoft’s fall Surface event is finally here, and the company wants to be sure you can tune in to see all the new hardware. It’s livestreaming the event on its website starting at (appropriately enough) 11AM Eastern. We’ll also have a live recap on the Engadget YouTube channel (below) at 12PM Eastern if you’re eager for some insights or just want to know what you missed.
This promises to be one of Microsoft’s largest Surface presentations to date. Leaks suggest you’ll see at least a redesigned Surface Pro 8 and a significantly upgraded Surface Duo 2. We’d add that multiple models haven’t been touched for a while. The Surface Book is due for a refresh (if not a full-fledged rethink), and you can say the same for the tiny Surface Go as well as the ARM-powered Surface Pro X. We also wouldn’t rule out a surprise or two, and it would only make sense for Microsoft to hype up Windows 11 with a release just days away.
Follow all of the news from Microsoft’s fall Surface event right here.
Sep 22
Ford has announced a partnership with Redwood Materials to recycle electric vehicle batteries. The automaker is investing $50 million in the startup, whose co-founder and CEO is Tesla’s former chief technology officer JB Straubel. Redwood, which also recycles batteries for e-bike company Specialized, will use the funds to expand its manufacturing facilities.
The companies say the deal will make EVs more sustainable and affordable by bringing the battery supply chain closer to home. They plan to increase battery production in the US, something the Biden administration is looking to do to reduce dependency on imports from countries such as China.
Recycling batteries in a closed loop will help reduce costs and benefit the environment, as Ford will rely less on imports and the mining of raw materials. Redwood claims it can recover 95 percent of elements such as nickel, cobalt, lithium and copper on average using its recycling technology. The company reuses those materials to make anode copper foil and cathode active materials for new batteries.
Ford announced the financial backing as part of its plan to invest over $30 billion in electrification by the end of 2025. The company recently said it would spend another $250 million to ramp up production of the in-demand F-150 Lightning EV.
In May, Ford revealed plans to make EV batteries at BlueOvalSK plants in North America by the middle of this decade. BlueOvalSK is a joint venture Ford plans to form with SK Innovation, pending approval.
Sep 22
Amazon’s looser stance on workers’ marijuana use now covers people who were previously dismissed. The online retailer said it has restored employment eligibility for workers and applicants who were fired or rejected from unregulated roles (that is, not truck driving or similar jobs) after cannabis screenings. The company didn’t promise to rehire recently fired workers or compensate them for lost earnings, but it may be helpful for those still looking for work.
The decision, as before, came down to a combination of equity and practical reality. Candidate marijuana screening “disproportionately” affects people of color, Amazon said. It also noted that varying state levels of legalized cannabis use made it harder to run a consistent and equitable drug testing program across the US. Amazon was also frank about its constant need for more workers — dropping marijuana tests lets it “expand [the] applicant pool.”
The move comes on top of recent political efforts, including lobbying for and otherwise supporting bills that reform the federal approach to marijuana. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021 (aka MORE Act), for instance, would purge criminal records.
Those measures aren’t guaranteed to become law. However, Amazon’s overall strategy is clear — it’s determined to boost hiring, and it’s betting that its sheer corporate clout can persuade lawmakers to widen the door for more recruits.
Sep 22
The world set a scary new record last month: Wildfires around the world pumped out more carbon dioxide than ever before.
Sep 22
At its heart, Mario Paint wasn’t really a video game. There was no defined end point players raced towards, no one to stomp on, and definitely no helpless princess in peril. Like educational software, it was designed to help improve real word skills as it was played. Not in the maths, sciences, or other academic…
Sep 22
Astronomers measuring the shapes and sizes of two gas clouds in space have discovered a big gap between them, leading them to believe that the clouds are what’s left of a series of stellar explosions or a single massive one.
Sep 22
Say goodbye to plastic baggies, everyone.
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