May 23
Lotus may have an electric future ahead, but it’s sending the V6 out in style with the Emira. Gorgeous looks meet old-school sports car attitude.
May 23
A rideshare app allowing drivers to carry guns launched in Atlanta, Georgia last week. The people behind the app say it’s meant to combat the rising levels of gun violence in the U.S. The app, Black Wolf, boasts that it hires drivers who are trained in private security to give passengers peace of mind on their next…
May 23
Kate Chenli’s debut YA novel arrives in October, and I don’t think anyone would mind if you judged this book on its cover, because the cover is absolutely stunning. A Bright Heart is inspired by wuxia storytelling tropes and takes us on a journey of revenge, reincarnation, and court intrigue.
May 23
An under-18 gamer, with support from a guardian, is suing Nintendo over the company’s in-game loot boxes that charged players real money for a slim chance at pretend advantage. The class action lawsuit was originally filed last month, but escalated to the federal system through California State Court last Wednesday,…
May 23
TikTok filed a lawsuit on Monday in the U.S. District Court of Montana to challenge the state’s ban of the social platform, as reported byThe Wall Street Journal. The case was brought against the state Attorney General Austin Knudsen.
Montana’s governor signed the bill into law last week, just one month after it passed through the state legislature. It was met with immediate pushback — a group of creators quickly sued the state, calling the law unconstitutional. Now TikTok is suing the state directly with similar claims, stating in the lawsuit that Montana’s law violates the First Amendment. “Montana’s ban abridges freedom of speech in violation of the First Amendment, violates the U.S. Constitution in multiple other respects, and is preempted by federal law,” the lawsuit reads.
We are challenging Montana’s unconstitutional TikTok ban to protect our business and the hundreds of thousands of TikTok users in Montana. We believe our legal challenge will prevail based on an exceedingly strong set of precedents and facts.
— TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) May 22, 2023
The law prohibits the ByteDance-owned platform from operating in the state, as well as preventing Apple’s and Google’s app stores from listing the TikTok app for download. Although it isn’t clear how Montana plans to enforce the ban, it states that violations will tally fines of $10,000 per day. However, individual TikTok users won’t be charged. You can read the full TikTok vs. Montana suit here (viaNPR).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-suing-montana-over-law-banning-the-app-in-the-state-200642508.html?src=rss
May 23
BMW announced new EVs today as part of its summer 2023 lineup. The new models include the i4 xDrive 40 (an all-wheel-drive variant of the i4), the single-motor i7 eDrive50 and the hybrid 750e xDrive. In addition, the automaker revealed an updated infotainment operating system for some models.
The 2024 i4 xDrive40 is an all-wheel-drive, 396-horsepower variant of the popular Gran Coupe. The all-electric vehicle has dual motors that provide an estimated 307-mile range using the standard 18-inch tires (it drops to about 282 miles with optional 19-inch wheels.) In addition, the EV can accelerate from zero to 60 in 4.9 seconds. The i4 xDrive40 will start at $61,600 with an added $995 destination fee. BMW expects US-based deliveries to begin in the third quarter of 2023.
Meanwhile, the rear-wheel-drive i7 eDrive50 is powered by a single GEN5 motor, supplying 449 horsepower. BMW will announce range and performance details “closer to market launch” this fall, but we know the model will start at $105,700 (plus destination fee). Finally, the 750e xDrive combines a 308-horsepower six-cylinder internal combustion engine with a 194-horsepower electric motor. It also offers 483 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. In addition, the plug-in hybrid’s purely electric range is rated at 35 miles. The 750e xDrive will start at $107,000 and the same $995 destination fee. It also launches in the US this fall.
BMW
The automaker is updating its infotainment operating system “in certain models.” BMW Operating System 8.5 gives the home screen “clearly arranged functions” designed to work better on the company’s curved display. Ridding itself of sub-menus, it uses a “zero-layer principle” that keeps all relevant controls and information on a single level, using widgets arranged vertically on the driver’s side. In addition, it includes symbols to quick-access the climate control menu, app library, navigation and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bmw-reveals-three-new-evs-for-its-summer-2023-lineup-210725344.html?src=rss
May 22
Ex-Florida Deputy Charged With Failing To Confront Parkland Shooter Says He’s Eager For Trial
Posted in: Today's ChiliFormer Broward County sheriff’s deputy Scot Peterson says he didn’t charge into the school during the massacre because he thought the shots were coming from outside.
May 22
Jeff Bezos Reportedly Engaged to Lauren Sanchez—Will Still Launch Her Into Space
Posted in: Today's Chili
Before launching girlfriend Lauren Hernandez into space, Jeff Bezos has apparently popped the question: The two are reportedly engaged following five years together.
May 22
May 22
Xbox games will hit cloud gaming service Boosteroid for the first time in June
Posted in: Today's ChiliXbox games will hit cloud gaming platform Boosteroid for the first time next week. Users of the platform will be able to access Deathloop, Gears 5, Grounded and Pentiment starting on June 1st.
Boosteroid users in the US, UK, European Union and Ukraine will be able to stream eligible Microsoft-owned games that they buy from Steam or the Epic Games Store. Support for Microsoft Store purchases and other titles is on the way. “We’ll regularly add more hits and fan favorites from our extensive catalog of PC games,” Sarah Bond, corporate vice president at Xbox, wrote in a blog post.
This will make Boosteroid the second external cloud service where Microsoft will make its games available (Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can stream all these titles via Xbox Cloud Gaming as well). NVIDIA GeForce Now users have been able to stream Gears 5 since May 18th. Deathloop, Grounded and Pentiment will land on GeForce Now later this week.
Microsoft signed 10-year deals with NVIDIA, Boosteroid and other cloud gaming providers to offer those platforms access to Xbox and Bethesda games, as well as PC versions of Activision Blizzard titles if its attempted acquisition of that company goes through. It struck those agreements to try and persuade regulators to approve the $68.7 billion deal.
While the acquisition has been rubberstamped in dozens of territories, most recently China, cloud gaming has been a sticking point for regulators in some countries. The UK’s competition watchdog blocked the deal, claiming it would strengthen Microsoft’s leading position in the nascent cloud gaming market. The US Federal Trade Commission cited concerns about cloud gaming (and other factors) in the lawsuit it filed in an attempt to block the merger. On the flip side, Microsoft’s cloud gaming concessions have placated European Union officials, who gave the deal the green light last week.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-games-will-hit-cloud-gaming-service-boosteroid-for-the-first-time-in-june-203503259.html?src=rss
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