Feb 04
GOP Senate Contenders Tell Rural Counties Their Votes Count, Unlike In Urban Counties
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe subtext is less a dog whistle and more of a bullhorn.
Feb 04
<img width="1280" height="720" src="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/moon-1-1280×720.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="astronaut on the moon's surface" loading="lazy" style="margin: auto;margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%" data-attachment-id="710491" data-permalink="https://www.slashgear.com/the-5-most-bizarre-moon-landing-myths-weve-encountered-03710489/moon-1-3/" data-orig-file="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/moon-1.jpg" data-orig-size="1440,810" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="moon-1" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="
Oleg_Yakovlev/Shutterstock
” data-medium-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/moon-1-1280×720.jpg” data-large-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/moon-1-1280×720.jpg” />Humankind landing on the Earth’s moon was the pinnacle of scientific and engineering achievement in the 20th century. Who could have imagined that the looming gray orb that hangs over our night sky would ever have people walking on its surface? Getting there and back safely took the hard work and dedication of thousands of physicists, engineers, politicians, astronauts, and … Continue reading
Feb 04
A bill targeting Apple and Google’s app store restrictions has taken a step forward. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 20-2 to advance the Open App Markets Act, with only Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis opposing. The vote showed once again that there’s bipartisan support for the bill.
Should the legislation become law as it stands, it would prevent app marketplace owners with more than 50 million users in the US from locking third-party developers into their payment systems. The App Store and Google Play Store, which require third-party apps to use their respective payment systems, pass that threshold.
They wouldn’t be able to block or punish developers from offering apps at other prices on different platforms, and they’d have to let developers contact their users with “legitimate business offers, such as pricing terms and product or service offerings.” Another provision would force Apple and Google to let users install third-party app stores or sideload apps. This would have a bigger impact on Apple, since Android already allows sideloading.
Apple and Google have opposed the bill, claiming that it would put user security and privacy at risk. They said the same things about the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, a more sweeping tech reform bill that the committee passed last month. Both bills will go to the Senate floor for debate and a vote.
The stakes are high for both companies. The App Store and Google Play Store each take a 15 percent cut of in-app purchases up to the first $1 million developers make in annual revenue. After that, the fees rise to 30 percent.
Google parent company Alphabet reports Play Store revenue under “Google other revenues,” which also includes hardware and non-ad income from YouTube. That business segment brought in $8.2 billion last quarter, a year-over-year increase of 22 percent. App Store revenue falls under the Apple’s services segment, which raked in $19.5 billion in Q4.
Apple was last year ordered to allow developers to direct users to other payment methods as a result of its legal battle with Epic Games. An appeals court judge granted a last-minute delay before the change was supposed to take effect.
Feb 04
Capitol Rioter With Photo From Senator’s Office Told FBI He’d Visited A ‘Gift Shop’
Posted in: Today's ChiliBrian Stenz told authorities he went into “a place that appeared to be a gift shop,” but he had an image from inside Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley’s office.
Feb 04
As surveillance controversies have raged in connection with Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group, another, lesser known spyware firm from Israel has also apparently been helping hack iPhones all over the world.
Feb 04
<img width="1280" height="720" src="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/kirigami-1280×720.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Kirigami paper cut into slits" loading="lazy" style="margin: auto;margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%" data-attachment-id="710514" data-permalink="https://www.slashgear.com/this-robotic-gripper-can-lift-delicate-objects-without-breaking-them-03710512/kirigami/" data-orig-file="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/kirigami.jpg" data-orig-size="1440,810" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="kirigami" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="
apolonia/Shutterstock
” data-medium-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/kirigami-1280×720.jpg” data-large-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/kirigami-1280×720.jpg” />Humans have built cranes capable of lifting ridiculously heavy objects and moving them around with ease. We have also designed massive ships to transport large, heavy cargo across thousands of miles without breaking a sweat. But what if we wanted to perform something seemingly less spectacular? What if the goal is to move around an object that isn’t too heavy, … Continue reading
Feb 04
Motorola is once again kicking off a new year with a new Moto G Stylus, and this one still offers solid value — if you’re willing to make a couple of sacrifices. The newly introduced Moto G Stylus 2022 model still has a 6.8-inch 1080p display (albeit with a centered hole-punch camera) and an otherwise mostly fmiliar design, but makes the leap to a faster 90Hz refresh rate. You also won’t be hurting for longevity with a sizeable 5,000mAh battery in place of last year’s 4,000mAh pack.
While those are appreciable improvements, this latest Moto G Stylus is oddly conservative in some places. For one, there’s no 5G — slightly odd for a 2022 budget phone when devices like Samsung’s A32 5G already managed the feat last year. It ships with Android 11 instead of Android 12, for that matter. You do get 6GB of RAM and a higher-resolution 50MP main rear camera (up from 4GB and 48MP respectively), but Motorola has ditched the Snapdragon 678 in favor of MediaTek’s Helio G88. That’s more of a step sideways in performance than a leap forward. You still get a ultra-wide and macro cameras, though, and the 128GB of expandable storage plus water resistance should help the phone last.
The 2022 Moto G Stylus is available to pre-order now through Amazon, Best Buy, Motorola and Walmart for $300. That still makes it a good value, but it’s not an easy choice between this and last year’s Moto G Stylus 5G. You’ll have a better display and processing power, but you’ll lose 5G and the extra built-in storage. The better value could depend on sale prices for each handset, too. Until there’s an updated Moto G Stylus 5G, you may need to shop carefully to find the best device.
Feb 04
With there being so many music streaming services out there, obviously companies need to come up with ways to compete against each other. Having a larger catalogue of popular music is one thing, price is another, and so are features. In the case of Spotify, the company initially planned to launch a HiFi service with higher quality streams, but it seems that the launch date is still unclear.
During the company’s Q4 2021 earnings report, the company’s CEO Daniel Ek told analysts and investors that they are still uncertain as to when the HiFi service is expected to launch. According to Ek, “Many of the features that we talk about and especially that’s related to music ends up into licensing. So I can’t really announce any specific on this other than to say that we’re in constant dialogue with our partners to bring this to market.”
That being said, Spotify is in a bit of a tough spot. This is because Apple had previously announced their own HiFi streaming service that would be available to Apple Music subscribers at no extra cost. This is versus Spotify who said that the HiFi tier would cost customers extra if they wanted to use it.
This puts Spotify in a bit of a bind because Tidal had previously attempted to set itself apart by launching a more expensive but higher quality stream, which clearly did not pan out the way the company had hoped. This would suggest that while there might be users who are willing to pay, it might not necessarily be enough to cover the costs on Spotify’s end, especially when other platforms like Apple Music are essentially giving it away for free.
Spotify’s CEO Is Cagey On When Their HiFi Service Will Roll Out
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Feb 04
One of the best phones that come with a stylus is Samsung’s Galaxy Note series. However, there are rumors that the series could be discontinued, leaving us with the more expensive upcoming Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra as an alternative. If you’d rather not pay for a flagship phone, then Motorola could have something for you.
The company has recently taken the wraps off its latest entry-level handset in the form of the Motorola G Stylus (2022). This is a phone priced at just $300 and comes with its own built-in stylus. Granted it might not be as feature rich or as powerful as a flagship, but if having a stylus is more important, it could be worth taking a look at.
In terms of specs, the G Stylus will feature a 6.8-inch 90Hz FHD+ display. Under the hood, MediaTek’s Helio G88.chipset will be powering the handset and will also be accompanied by 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery. It also comes with a triple camera setup featuring a 50MP main shooter, an 8MP ultrawide/macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.
There will also be a slot where the accompanying stylus can be kept, a pretty useful feature to have if you need a stylus and also need a proper place to keep it. The phone is expected to be released on the 17th of February, so it could be worth checking out if you’re on a budget.
Motorola’s G Stylus Is A Pretty Affordable Alternative To The Samsung Note
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Feb 04
If you’re someone who shops regularly on Amazon, then subscribing to its Prime service might be a good idea. For an annual fee, you’ll get access to a bunch of perks like free/faster shipping as well as access to Amazon’s various services like music and video. However, it looks like it’s about to get more expensive.
The company has revealed that its Prime service will now cost $139 a year. This is up by $20 from its previous price of $119 a year. There various factors led to them increasing the price of the service, such as shipping, labor, construction, and more, but we suppose this is to be expected of most services.
To Amazon’s credit though, the company has tried to hold off increasing its prices for a long time. Amazon Prime was initially launched at $79 a year which they managed to maintain for almost a decade before bumping it up to $99 in 2014. They then increased the price again in 2018, so for them to bump the prices every few years isn’t too bad.
Amazon is obviously not the only company to hike its prices as we have seen other platforms, especially Netflix, increase their price occasionally. It is still largely worth it if Amazon is your primary online retailer, but it might be a harder pill to swallow for those who are new to the service.
Amazon Raises Price Of Its Prime Subscription Service
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