Hasta La Gadget!

Even if you don’t watch the Star Wars Disney+ shows, you’re undoubtedly familiar with The Mandalorian’s Baby Yoda: one of the most effective merchandising tools of the past decade. But with the reveal of what is arguably the greatest Baby Yoda collectible to date at Comic-Con, I’m hoping we can finally move on and…

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When bees are sick, their reflexes suffer. Presented with a drop of liquid, the infirm insects don’t extend their proboscises to inspect it as quickly as they do when they’re not ill. Similarly, sick rats take longer to navigate an underwater maze than healthy ones, songbirds don’t learn as many tunes, and crows are…

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The Secret Service may face serious legal repercussions over deleted text messages relating to the January 6th, 2021 Capitol attack. NBC Newssources said the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has opened a criminal investigation into the deletion of texts from the days surrounding the riot. The Secret Service has been ordered to stop its own internal probes, according to a copy of a letter DHS Deputy Inspector General Gladys Ayala sent to the agency.

In a statement, the Secret Service acknowledged receiving Ayala’s letter. It promised a “thorough legal review” to ensure it was “fully cooperative” with all oversight.

Word of the deleted texts came last week, when the Inspector General’s office said that Secret Service texts from January 5th and 6th had been deleted as part of a “device replacement program.” Agents were supposed to back up their messages before the migration, but it’s not clear that happened. While the Secret Service told the House’s January 6th committee that it was “currently unaware” of any lost messages, CNNreported, it also acknowledged that it was still trying to recover messages. The service hasn’t provided more than a single message thread in response to a House committee subpoena.

It’s not yet clear if the messages are recoverable, and there isn’t any known evidence of malicious intent. Whatever the circumstances, there’s a chance the Secret Service could face significant charges. House committee leaders Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson warned that the service might have violated the Federal Records Act by failing to keep the messages. At the least, the investigation highlights the challenges and importance of preserving data in modern government — a botched migration could impact crucial proceedings.

If you have a spare $300,000 burning a hole in your pocket but don’t mind waiting a couple of years for a luxury electric vehicle, Cadillac’s Celestiq might be of interest. The automaker pulled back the curtain to properly reveal the EV for the first time.

Given the expected price, it’s not surprising that Cadillac sees it as an “ultra-luxury” flagship model. While it’s keeping quiet on most of the specs for now, the brand has revealed some intriguing details for the hand-built sedan. The Celestiq will feature hand-crafted materials, all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and GM’s next-gen driver assist system, Ultra Cruise. It will also be powered by GM’s Ultium powertrain tech.

Cadillac/GM

The interior is said to offer a customizable experience for drivers and passengers. For one thing, the roof has “four-quadrant, suspended-particle-device smart glass.” The idea is that each person in the vehicle will be able to set their own roof transparency level.

There are several screens inside the cabin, including a 55-inch, end-to-end LED dashboard display. Cadillac says it boasts a feature called “electronic digital blinds.” It says this will allow the passenger in the front seat to watch videos without distracting the driver. There are also screens on the back of each of the front headrests and a touchscreen console between the seats in each row.

Cadillac/GM

While the model Cadillac revealed is a show car, the production version will be very similar. According to Motor Authority, the Celestiq is expected to go on sale in 2024 as a 2025 model. Maybe it’s best to put that $300,000 into a savings account for now.

A witness captured the alarming incident on video.