Multiple Women Accuse Apple of Shrugging off Sexual Misconduct Claims: Report

Apple once wanted both its users and employees to “Think Different.” But some women working at the tech giant now say the company itself needs to think different on claims of sexual misconduct. Past and present employees told the Financial Times that the tech giant routinely ignores complaints of sexual harassment and…

Read more…

Nothing Is Going to Stop This Mario Kart Go-Kart From Being My Next Car

Your Forzas, Gran Turismos, and other racing sims might be more realistic and graphically intense, but there’s only room in my heart for one racing game: Mario Kart, and soon there’s only going to be room in my garage for one car: Jakks Pacific’s new electric ride-on Mario Kart go-kart.

Read more…

Volkswagen's US-made 2023 ID.4 EV will start at $37,495

VW might just buck the trend of ever-rising EV prices. The automaker has revealed that the 2023 ID.4 electric SUV will start at $37,495 before the destination fee ($1,295) and tax credits, or well under the $41,230 price of its predecessor. The trick, as you might guess, is a smaller battery. The base model (now called the ID.4 Standard) uses a new 62kWh battery that musters an estimated 208 miles of range. While that won’t thrill anyone planning cross-country jaunts, it could make the EV a better value if you’re just looking for a commuter car.

There are numerous technology upgrades, too. The ID.4 now comes standard with a previously optional 12-inch infotainment display, 45W USB-C, simpler Plug & Charge functionality and Intelligent Park Assist. All 2023 models now have driver-initiated lane changes in Travel Assist. You can also expect a posher interior with part-leatherette seats on the Standard model.

You’ll still have strong incentives to buy higher-end configurations. The $42,495 ID.4 Pro upgrades to an 82kWh battery with an estimated 275-mile range and 170kW DC fast charging while throwing in perks like a heated windshield, a tow hitch and a variable compartment flow. An all-wheel drive variant of the Pro starts at $46,295. All of these models are available in an S trim that adds a panoramic roof, 12-way power seats, a power tailgate and more advanced lighting. The ID.4 S, Pro S and Pro AWD S respectively start at $42,495, $47,495 and $51,295.

At the high end, the $50,195 ID.4 Pro S Plus and $53,995 AWD Pro S Plus both offer 20-inch wheels, a speaker upgrade with subwoofer, an “Area View” camera system, three-zone climate control and power folding door mirrors. They replace last year’s Gradient package.

The more affordable model arrives in the fall. It comes just as VW has started US production of the EV, and reflects the company’s shifting strategy. It’s betting that a lower price and equipment upgrades will help it undercut rivals in the $40,000 range, like Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. While it won’t be surprising if competitors offer similar options in the future, there’s now a clearer reason to buy an ID.4 than before.

Waterborne Legionnaires' Disease Rears Its Head in California

With California’s ongoing water crisis impacting every part of daily life, health officials in the state’s wine country are scrambling to contain an outbreak of a waterborne bacteria that can potentially cause fatal lung infections.

Read more…

Somehow, Some Way, Westworld Is Really Freaking Good Again

It happened out of nowhere. A moment so fast and fleeting, missing it would’ve been understandable. But in that moment something happened that I never thought would happen again: I was fully engrossed in a new season of Westworld.

Read more…

Fix to Malfunctioning Lucy Probe Good Enough to Complete Asteroid Mission, NASA Says

Just a few hours into its 12-year journey to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids,
the Lucy spacecraft ran into a problem. One of its solar arrays refused
to fully open and mission controllers have been working on the problem
ever since. There’s good news to report, however, as the team appears to
have made a breakthrough.

Read more…

Lady Gaga Confirms Her Joker 2 Casting

Already the Joker movie has left a permanent scar on my mental psyche, but now it seems I’m destined to be heckled by this discarded laugh track of a film franchise forever. From Todd Phillips, the visionary director of The Hangover, The Hangover 2, and The Hangover 3, comes the next punchline on a resumé full of bad…

Read more…

Josh Hawley Was The Only Senator Who Voted Against NATO Expansion

The Missouri Republican opposed allowing Finland and Sweden into the trans-Atlantic alliance in the wake of Russia’s aggression.

Mattel’s Jurassic Park T-Rex Eating Lawyer in Outhouse Playset

Unveiled at Comic-Con 2022, Mattel has created an official Jurassic Park toy of the t-rex eating lawyer Donald Gennaro as he attempts to hide inside an outhouse. A classic cinema moment for sure. The $80 playset includes a 3.75″ Gennaro action figure, a significantly larger t-rex, along with destructible outhouse with lighting and sound effects, sure to provide hours of lawyer-eating fun.

Between Gennaro getting eaten on the can and Dennis Nedry getting spat on by the dilophosaurus, it was nice seeing those jerks get their just desserts. Sure, you could argue that nobody deserves to be eaten by dinosaurs, but you would be wrong. Those guys did. Plus several other people I know.

Unfortunately for those seriously interested, the playset appears to have already sold out, so expect to pay a pretty penny for one in the resale market. Or just cross your fingers and hope to pick one up at a garage sale in ten years. That’s what I’m doing. Either way, I’ll be saving myself a small fortune.

[via Gizmodo]

Everything You Need To Know About The Porsche 911's Electric Future

With the success of the Taycan, Porsche has triumphantly entered the EV arena. Here are its plans for the future, which include an electric version of the 911.