Hasta La Gadget!

Amazon’s layoffs announced on Wednesday will continue into early 2023, CEO Andy Jassy said in a letter to employees posted yesterday. He said that the company “hired rapidly” over the last few years but “the economy remains in a challenging spot.” With annual planning now extending into the new year, “there will be more role reductions as leaders continue to make adjustments,” he added. 

Jassy didn’t say how many people would be laid off or when, but noted that there would be “reductions in our Stores and PXT [people, experience and technology] organizations.” He added that the company will inform impacted employees well before any layoffs are made public. 

On Wednesday, the head of Amazon’s hardware division, Dave Limp, said that the company would consolidate team and “some roles will no longer be required.” According to a report in The New York Times, as many as 10,000 jobs could be cut as a result of the changes. The company said it would extend voluntary buyouts and provide employees with “a package that includes a separation payment, transitional benefits, and external job placement support.” Some workers may also be able to find different roles within the company.

Amazon is the latest tech giant to implement mass layoffs over the last few weeks. Meta cut 11,000 jobs last week, its first-ever mass-layoffs, and Twitter recently laid off about half its staff and cut thousands of contractor jobs. In addition, a large number of Twitter employees reportedly left the company following the deadline of Elon Musk’s “hardcore” ultimatum. 

The late rocker’s estate issued a stinging response to the Donald Trump-endorsed GOP candidate’s use of “I Won’t Back Down.”

Toyota impressed many onlookers this week with a sleeker redesign for the Prius. It turns out that the 2023 Prius Prime, the plug-in hybrid model, is also getting the new look as well as some other upgrades. For one thing, Toyota says that a larger lithium-ion battery will improve on the previous model’s EV range of 25 miles by over 50 percent (i.e. to at least 37.5 miles). As such, you’ll be able to take longer trips before starting to use gas.

Another neat feature is the solar roof. These panels can recharge the battery when the Prius Prime is parked. When you’re on the road, the solar roof can provide auxiliary power to functions like air conditioning to lessen the load on the lithium-ion battery. Toyota adds that the solar panels’ electrodes are concealed to maintain the plug-in hybrid’s sleek look. “A focus for Prius Prime is to allow it to have a similar ethos to the new Prius hybrid model, but with a little something extra — more performance, technology, safety and even a little attitude,” the automaker said.

Toyota

The 2023 model is lighter and more rigid than previous ones, Toyota claims, while it has a low center of gravity and larger luggage capacity. The vehicle is two inches lower, an inch wider and an inch longer than the previous Prius Prime, with a hip point that’s nearly an inch lower too.

In terms of performance, Toyota says the fifth-generation hybrid powertrain and 2.0-liter engine help deliver a horsepower increase of nearly 100 hp over the last-gen model to 220 hp. The vehicle can seemingly go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds too.

As with the base Prius, the Prius Prime supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Toyota’s own Intelligent Assistant enables you to search for directions, tweak audio settings, change cabin temperatures and more with voice commands. To help you figure out how to get to where you’re going, the Cloud Navigation system uses the latest available map, traffic and routing information. Alternatively, you can get some help from a live agent via Destination Assist.

Other features include a JBL Premium Audio system with eight speakers and six USB-C ports. A digital key system is available on some trims as part of the Remote Connect service, enabling you to lock and unlock doors, start the engine and more with your phone.

Toyota

Elsewhere, the Prius Prime comes with Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert as standard on all trims. Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking is available as an option on SE variants and as standard on the XSE and XSE Premium grades. Those who opt for the XSE Premium trim will have the option to use a Panoramic View Monitor feature that allows for a live rotating 360-degree view around the vehicle, as well as a hands-free system that can help with parallel parking and reversing into a parking space.

Although Toyota will announce pricing and availability for the base Prius by the end of the year, you’ll need to wait longer to find out that info for the Prius Prime. The company says it will reveal pricing and the on-sale date for the plug-in hybrid in the first half of 2023.

Meta is apparently cracking down on employees who abuse their behind-the-scenes access. The Wall Street Journalsources claim Meta has fired or punished over two dozen workers for hijacking Facebook and Instagram accounts over the past year. Some of the offenders reportedly used Meta’s account recovery tool, “Oops,” and even took “thousands of dollars” in bribes from outsiders seeking access.

The perpetrators included Allied Universal’s contracted security guards at Meta locations, according to the sources. The Journal has also interviewed companies that say they charge social media users for access to insiders willing to retrieve accounts despite company policy.

The Oops tool lets workers file reports about inaccessible accounts with the community support them, which then restores control. It’s meant to be used only in rare situations, such as for public personalities and family members, and asks questions about the source of the request. Its use has supposedly climbed in recent years, The Journal says, jumping from 22,000 “tasks” in 2017 to 50,270 in 2020.

We’ve asked Meta for comment. In a statement, spokesperson Andy Stone said the company would continue to take “appropriate action” against anyone selling fraudulent services. Allied Universal said it always “seriously” responds to conduct violation reports.

The firings are small compared to Meta’s overall (if now greatly reduced) headcount. However, they might produce mixed results for the social networking giant’s reputation. While it gets rid of employees who misused their powers, it comes roughly a year after allegations that Meta let VIPs break the rules, and three years after the company discovered that employees had access to exposed user passwords. Simply put, it hasn’t always been clear that accounts have been secure and treated equally.

Today’s wordle has some symbolic value, but it’s also an unusual word, so to help we’ve drawn up some hints and the solution for you to keep your streak intact.