Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings movies are acclaimed to this day for many reasons, with its cast chief among them. It’s the series that helped introduce audiences to longtime actors such as the late Christopher Lee or Ian McKellan, and greatly boosted the profile of relative unknowns like Orlando Bloom or…
After advising President Biden on technology and competition policy for nearly two years, net neutrality advocate Tim Wu is leaving the White House. The Biden administration announced the departure this week, noting Wu’s final day at the National Economic Council would fall on January 4th. Wu became a special advisor to the president in March 2021. He held a similar position during the Obama administration.
In the New Year I’ll be leaving the White House and returning to Columbia University. We did more that I thought possible over the last two years to set a new course in antitrust and economic policy, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it https://t.co/r0bOHx033L
— Tim Wu (@superwuster) December 30, 2022
Wu told The New York Times he’s leaving the federal government to spend more time with his family. His post at the White House had required Wu to commute between New York and Washington DC, leaving his young children without their father for stretches of time. “There’s a time where the burden on family is too much,” he said. “I’ve been feeling the balance has shifted.” Wu told The Times he plans to return to Columbia University, where he was a law professor before his latest government stint.
Wu is leaving the White House at a critical moment during the Biden administration’s efforts to rein in Big Tech. Last year, he co-authored the executive order that instructed the Federal Communications Commission to restore net neutrality and promised greater scrutiny of mergers. In July of this year, the Federal Trade Commission sued Meta to block the purchase of VR developer Within. Earlier this month, the agency also moved to prevent Microsoft’s merger with Activision Blizzard. Both cases are currently before the courts and are expected to be tough battles for the FTC.
Anderson Cooper and the “Watch What Happens Live” host will be sober as they ring in 2023 on the air.
Mobile devices are a huge part of our lives today. Here’s what to do if you suspect someone or something is up to no good on your Android device.
“And I don’t really think she’s got a future in terms of her own electoral space here in Arizona,” the GOP consultant said.
There have been so many words written about the expanse of genre here at io9, and 2022 was a big one. Sure, big tentpole theatrical from Marvel and shows like House of The Dragon dominated but big swings were taken from unexpected releases like Everything Everywhere All at Once and RRR. Our team is very fortunate to…
From start to finish, 2022 felt like a weird year, one where the stability of nearly everything we’ve taken for granted was greatly tested in some form or fashion. Southwest Airlines currently being in the middle of a massive travel nightmare feels like a pretty apt comparison; everyone’s either confused or pissed off…
Facebook parent company Meta has acquired Luxexcel, a Dutch startup specializing in smart eyewear. News of the purchase was first reported by De Tijd and later confirmed by TechCrunch. “We’re excited that the Luxexcel team has joined Meta, deepening the existing partnership between the two companies,” a Meta spokesperson told the outlet. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.
Founded in 2009, Luxexcel began life as a prescription lens manufacturer. More recently, the company has made a name for itself in the augmented reality space. At the start of 2021, for instance, it partnered with WaveOptics, the display manufacturer Snap paid $500 million later that same year to buy. As TechCrunch points out, there are also rumors Luxexcel previously worked with Meta on the company’s Project Aria AR glasses.
The acquisition comes as Meta faces regulatory scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission over its purchase of Supernatural developer Within. The agency sued Meta in July to block the deal. The social media giant also faces criticism over just how much it’s spending to further its metaverse ambitions. In October, a month before the company laid off 11,000 employees, Meta told investors Reality Labs, its virtual and augmented reality unit, lost more than $9 billion in 2022. It went on to predict the division’s operating losses were likely to “grow significantly year-over-year” in 2023.
Ronaldo is also unlikely to add to his Ballon d’Or collection – the trophy awarded to the best player in the world.
Come 2023, Image Comics’ Massive-Verse that first began with Radiant Black from Kyle Higgins Marcelo Costa will continue to live up to its namesake. Inferno Girl Red was one of the first books announced to be spinning out of Radiant Black, and the character herself has shown up in the Supermassive crossover from…
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