Oct 13
Recent rumors have suggested that Apple will release its first M3 MacBooks this year. However, a new five-year global notebook shipments forecast published by DigiTimes has suggested we won’t be seeing them until 2024.
Oct 13
Netflix is reportedly planning to open several bricks-and-mortar venues, called Netflix House. The stores will sell merchandise for hit Netflix shows, hopefully of a higher quality than that Target Squid Game tee you sleep in. Talking of Squid Game, the two initial locations will reportedly feature obstacle courses based on the hit show, entirely missing the point of the show’s scathing view of modern capitalism.
There will also be rotating hit-show art installations and live performances to excite fans. Additionally, an in-house restaurant will serve themed cuisine and drinks from Netflix’s food-based reality shows. I can’t get enough of themed restaurants, so count me in. The first two will be in the US, but more will appear across the world.
Netflix has dabbled in real-world events and venues before. It opened pop-up experiences across the planet to celebrate shows like Stranger Things and many of its reality shows. In the UK, Netflix’s Stranger Things: The First Shadow theater production will begin performances at the Phoenix Theatre in London this November.
— Mat Smith
You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
The biggest stories you might have missed
There’s no easy answer to being a space janitor
Threads gets an edit button, no subscription required
Kia debuts the EV5 SUV alongside two new affordable electric concepts
SAG-AFTRA accuses studios of ‘bully tactics’ after talks break down
Microsoft’s $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard finally gets UK approval
That was the last major roadblock for the merger.
NurPhoto via Getty Images
The UK’s antitrust regulator has given Microsoft the green light to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. The regulator called Microsoft’s concession to sell cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft a “gamechanger that will promote competition.” With the last major obstacle out of the way, the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has now largely cleared the path for the companies to close the biggest merger in gaming history. The decision was widely expected after the watchdog said in September the company’s revised merger agreement “substantially addresses previous concerns and opens the door to the deal being cleared.”
Comcast starts squeezing higher internet speeds through old coaxial cables
Three areas are getting the X-Class upgrade to start.
Comcast is upgrading its residential cable internet service to offer upload and download speeds of up to 2 Gbps through decades-old coaxial cables. The company says it’s the first ISP in the world to offer multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds to customers through DOCSIS 4.0 technology, which it’s powering through the Xfinity 10G network. Comcast has been working on this technology for several years, and it aims to offer 2 Gbps symmetrical service in more than 50 million homes by the end of 2025.
We were wrong: Coin flips don’t have 50/50 odds after all
Finally, some groundbreaking science.
Warner Bros.
A global team of researchers investigating the statistical and physical nuances of coin tosses worldwide concluded that a coin is 50.8% likely to land on the same side it started on. The authors of the new paper conducted 350,757 flips, using different coins from 46 currencies to eliminate a heads–tails bias between coin designs. (They also used a variety of people to rule out biased flipping techniques.) Regardless of the coin type, the same-side outcome could be predicted at 0.508, which rounds up to 49/51 odds.
Stockholm bans most combustion engine cars from its city center
The Swedish capital joins other low-emission zones in Europe.
While we wait for electric vehicles to be the dominant engines on the road, some areas have taken it upon themselves to solve the issue of air pollution related to combustion engines. Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, just announced a ban on diesel and petrol-powered vehicles throughout its city center, starting in 2025. The ban doesn’t impact the entire capital city, only the 20-block city center.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-netflixs-next-big-thing-is-branded-retail-stores-111551264.html?src=rss
Oct 13
The vehicle left a highway in Germany at high speed as the driver tried to evade a police check, said authorities.
Oct 13
Recent rumors have suggested that Apple will release its first M3 MacBooks this year. However, a new five-year global notebook shipments forecast published by DigiTimes has suggested we won’t be seeing them until 2024.
Oct 13
On Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) notified Microsoft that it may owe $28.9 billion in back taxes, plus penalties and interest, from 2004 through 2013. The IRS says it believes that as of Sept. 30, its tax adjustments are correct and will elevate the issue to judicial proceedings, if necessary.
Oct 13
Weeks ago during its animation showcase highlighting its future animated shows, Netflix revealed a first look at Blue Eye Samurai. Unlike most of what was shown during that event, the upcoming series is an original property from co-creators Amber Noizumi and Logan writer Michael Green, and it’s just received a new…
Oct 13
Meta responds to EU misinformation concerns regarding Israel-Hamas conflict
Posted in: Today's ChiliMeta has shared an updated content monitoring action plan as the devastating Israel-Hamas war continues. It follows a stern letter from Thierry Breton, the European Union’s (EU) regulatory commissioner, to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about misinformation concerns (such as deep fakes) and compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The company had 24 hours to respond.
In its statement, Meta said that it created an ever-evolving operations center with experts fluent in Hebrew and Arabic: “Since the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel on Saturday, and Israel’s response in Gaza, expert teams from across our company have been working around the clock to monitor our platforms while protecting people’s ability to use our apps to shed light on important developments happening on the ground.” Meta claims this new setup lets them remove content and fight misinformation faster.
Meta reportedly took over 795,000 distinct pieces of content in Hebrew or Arabic and removed or marked them with a disturbing label in the three days following the terrorist attack by Hamas. Seven times more content across these two languages was removed daily for violating its Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy compared to the two months leading up to the conflict.
Hamas is listed under Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy and banned from all of the company’s platforms — as is any content praising the terrorist group. However, “social and political discourse,” such as news articles and general discussion, are allowed.
Further actions by Meta include restricting certain hashtags that are regularly associated with content that violates its policies and removing any content that clearly identifies a hostage (though blurred images are allowed). The company has also lowered the threshold for its monitoring technology, ideally reducing the chances of it recommending harmful content to users. “We want to reiterate that our policies are designed to give everyone a voice while keeping people safe on our apps,” Meta’s statement continued. “We apply these policies regardless of who is posting or their personal beliefs, and it is never our intention to suppress a particular community or point of view.”
Whether these steps will satisfy Breton is unclear. Breton sent a similar letter to X’s owner, Elon Musk. X then released an outline of updated policies, but the EU has decided to move forward with an investigation into its compliance with the DSA.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-responds-to-eu-misinformation-concerns-regarding-israel-hamas-conflict-102640126.html?src=rss
Oct 13
Look what the chaotic House GOP made the “Tonight Show” host do.
Oct 13
It’s about to be a big time for Scott Pilgrim fans, between Netflix’s new anime adaptation of the series and the comic’s 20th anniversary next year. To celebrate both, Oni Press is kicking off a whole initiative to mark the anniversary—starting with a gorgeous collection of the original comic.
Oct 13
Hannity Accidentally Makes Brutal Admission About Trump During Wild Ramaswamy Interview
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe Fox News host may have slipped up after a shouting match with the GOP presidential candidate.
Who's in charge here?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.