Dec 18
“You can do a lot with a telephone,” the former president said at a rally in Nevada.
Dec 18
There’s something new and powerful for ChatGPT users to play around with: Custom GPTs. These bespoke bots are essentially more focused, more specific versions of the main ChatGPT model, enabling you to build something for a particular purpose without using any coding or advanced knowledge of artificial intelligence.
Dec 18
Last week, I posed this challenge: You and nine of your coworkers are sitting in a conference room when somebody wonders aloud about the group’s average salary. Everyone is curious, but nobody feels comfortable sharing their own pay with the group. How can you all learn your average salary without anybody learning any…
Dec 18
It might be ending 2023 with a new name, but X (formerly Twitter) is also capping off a year of criticism and legal action with even more condemnation. The European Commission has announced it’s opening formal infringement proceedings into X’s operation and potential violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for internal market ironically shared the news on X, detailing the platform’s suspected breach of obligations to be transparent and to counter illegal content. X’s potentially “deceptive design” is also being investigated.
In its press release, the European Commission states that it will look to X’s Community Notes feature to determine whether it’s effective enough in “mitigating risks” to “civic discourse and electoral processes.” It’ll also address “suspected shortcomings” in X’s decision to limit access to its data firehose, which could negatively affect researchers and other public bodies. The company’s advertising platform is in the Commission’s crosshairs, too, as is the “suspected deceptive design” of features like paid checkmarks.
In February 2023, all online services operating in the EU had to declare their size to determine if they were a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP). A VLOP is any platform with over 45 million users across the EU. Any company designated as a VLOP had four months to comply with the DSA. These measures include establishing a specific point of contact, transparency in advertising and content moderation and clear, user-friendly terms and conditions. It also requires identifying and mitigating risks such as illegal content, gender-based violence and protecting minors. Other logistical stipulations include permitting vetted researchers to access data that informs about systemic risks in the EU, sharing data with the Commission and having an independent audit annually.
The Commission’s actions follow a risk assessment report X submitted in September, a transparency report the platform published in November and ongoing concerns about how X is handling — or mishandling, for that matter — content about the Israel-Hamas War. Breton sent a letter to Elon Musk about the platform’s responsibility to moderate posts in line with the DSA. The European Union opened an investigation into X’s handling shortly after.
Today we open formal infringement proceedings against @X :
⚠️ Suspected breach of obligations to counter #IllegalContent and #Disinformation
⚠️ Suspected breach of #Transparency obligations
⚠️ Suspected #DeceptiveDesign of user interface#DSA pic.twitter.com/NxKIif603k
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) December 18, 2023
In a statement, Breton explained that the newly announced proceedings show “the time of big online platforms behaving like they are ‘too big to care’ has come to an end.” He continued: “We now have clear rules, ex ante obligations, strong oversight, speedy enforcement, and deterrent sanctions and we will make full use of our toolbox to protect our citizens and democracies.” This instance marks the first time the Commission has opened formal proceedings to enforce these EU regulations.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-opens-an-official-probe-into-x-over-illegal-content-and-disinformation-124139507.html?src=rss
Dec 18
Legal Experts Explain How Rudy Giuliani’s Latest Financial Blow Could Play Out
Posted in: Today's Chili“I’m not even sure that Rudy Giuliani can afford to pay for four seasons landscaping right now,” former DOJ official Neal Katyal said.
Dec 18
The winter months are ripe with long journeys — whether through a road trip to a relative’s house or a flight somewhere warm — and require good quality music to get through them. Achieving this is quite a bit cheaper right now, with the Beats Studio Buds dropping to an all-time low of $80 from $150. The 47 percent discount is available on every color, from Black to Sunset Pink.
Beats Studio Buds are a solid option for noise-canceling earbuds and — even more so now — are much more affordable than competitors like AirPods. They have IPX4 sweat and water resistance, three soft ear tip sizes and eight hours of battery life or 24 hours with the charging case. Android users can download the Beats app to see stats and updates, while this technology is built in for iOS users.
The Studio Buds aren’t Beats’ only good deal to check out right now. The Beats Fit Pro is 20 percent off, dropping to $160 from $200 in every color except Moon. The secure wing-tipped earbuds can last six hours on a single charge or 24 hours with the case and add adaptive EQ to the list of listening modes. Plus, they’re also IPX4 sweat and water-resistant.
Then there’s the Beats Studio Pro headphones, available for $180, down from $350 — a 49 percent discount. The sale price increases to $205 when adding in two years of AppleCare+. The Studio Pro headphones have 40 hours of battery life and can get another four hours with just a 10-minute charge. The on-ear buttons can activate Siri, accept calls or control the music. The Beats Fit Pro and Studio Pro are both only $10 off their all-time low prices.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beats-headphones-and-earbuds-are-up-to-49-percent-off-right-now-112029335.html?src=rss
Dec 18
Apple says it’s testing a new App Store feature called contingent pricing to lure customers into cheaper subscriptions based on their other purchases. This contingent pricing model will let developers offer discounts to customers who already have subscriptions to other services, be it those developers’ own apps or connected partner apps.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple says these bundled discounts will be highly visible to customers both on the App Store and “in off-platform marketing channels” — so elsewhere too. It’s starting with a select group of participants before rolling out to more developers “in the coming months.”
It’s been a year of increased scrutiny into Apple’s App Store and how it handles in-app purchases. Just this fall, Apple asked the Supreme Court to reverse the previous ruling that required it to allow developers to use outside payment systems, circumventing Apple’s 30 percent transaction fee. This is a way, of sorts, to get back in developers’ good graces.
— Mat Smith
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Baldur’s Gate 3 will never come to Xbox Game Pass
So says developer Larian Studios.
Larian Studios
According to Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke in an interview with IGN, Game of the Year, Baldur’s Gate 3, won’t come to Microsoft’s Game Pass. Vincke also noted this was always the plan, and the title had never been considered for Microsoft’s subscription gaming platform. Vincke says Baldur’s Gate 3 is a “big game” available for a “fair price.” He also touted the title’s lack of microtransactions and its complete story, saying “you get what you pay for.”
Meta Quest headsets join the exciting world of Microsoft Office apps
Mmm, virtual Word.
Meta Quest users can now write reports, edit spreadsheets and create presentations — if they even want to do any of those tasks on a VR headset. Support for the basic Microsoft Office suite has arrived on the original Oculus Quest, the Meta Quest 2, the Quest Pro and the Quest 3. Users can now download Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint from the Meta Quest store for free. That said, typing on the Quest’s onscreen keyboard is not particularly easy, so you might want to bring your Bluetooth keyboard along for virtual office hours.
Engadget Podcast: RIP E3
And diving into The Game Awards.
This week, Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt joins Cherlynn and Devindra to talk about the death of E3 and what it means for the gaming industry. They also explore some of the highlights (and low points) of last week’s Game Awards, which couldn’t quite balance celebrating video games and functioning as a marketing tool. We’re particularly excited for Light No Fire, the next ambitious game from the folks behind No Man’s Sky. (Oh, you should check out Jessica’s video on the subject.)
The Chinese EV with 650 miles of range
From a 150kWh battery.
Nio
Chinese manufacturer Nio is about to start selling an EV with a “semi-solid state” 150kWh battery (140kWh usable). That’s the biggest battery of any passenger EV so far. Nio CEO William Li drove a prototype version of the ET7 1,044km (650 miles) in 14 hours, a distance surpassing many gas-powered vehicles. The ET7’s 150kWh battery will only be available on a lease separate from the car, much as we’ve seen with some cars sold in Europe. We’re unlikely to see this specific battery pack in the US, however. With the Biden administration’s latest rules, some US cars, like Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range, that use specific Chinese battery components will no longer receive the full $7,500 tax credit.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-tests-app-store-discounts-121517653.html?src=rss
Dec 18
“There is so much there that is pathetic,” said the “Last Week Tonight” host.
Dec 18
Storm Drenches Florida And Causes Floods In South Carolina As It Moves Up East Coast
Posted in: Today's ChiliMore than 9 inches of rain fell in the area situated between Charleston and Myrtle Beach since late Saturday.
Dec 18
An EV from Chinese manufacturer Nio will soon go on sale with a “semi-solid state” 150kWh battery (140kWh usable) that’s the largest in any passenger car, Car News China reported. To show much range that will deliver, Nio CEO William Li drove a prototype version of the ET7 1,044km (650 miles) in 14 hours, a distance surpassing many gas-powered vehicles.
The test was run in relatively cool temperatures (between 28 – 54 F) and livestreamed. Driving was done mainly in semi-autonomous (or Navigate-on-Pilot+, as Nio calls it), and speed-limited to 90 km/h (56 MPH). The average speed was 83.9 km/h (a respectable 52.4 MPH), with a travel time of 12.4 hours excluding stops.
“The completion of this endurance challenge proves the product power of the 150kWh ultra-long endurance battery pack,” said Li in a Weibo post (Google translation). “More importantly, all models on sale can be flexibly upgraded to 150kWh batteries through the Nio battery swap system.”
In fact, the ET7’s 150kWh battery will only be available on a lease separate from the car, much as we’ve seen with some cars sold in Europe. Previously, the company said that the battery alone would cost as much as an entire car (the company’s entry-level ET5 EV), or around $42,000.
WeLion New Energy Technology
Manufactured by WeLion New Energy Technology, the battery has a single-cell energy density of 360 Wh/kg or 260 Wh/kg for the entire pack (Tesla’s latest cells are under 300 Wh/kg). Semi-solid state batteries use gel, clay or resin electrolytes, offering greater energy density and fire-resistance than current batteries. However, they’re still far from the promised land of full solid-state batteries, which could feasibly double energy density.
We likely won’t see the 150kWh battery pack stateside, though. With the Biden administration’s latest rules, some US cars like Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range that use specific Chinese battery components will no longer receive the full $7,500 tax credit.
Nio is a luxury EV manufacturer in China that offers vehicles without a battery, letting you sign up to a battery-as-a-service (BAAS) monthly subscription. That service also allows you to swap out your battery at any time for a larger one.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-chinese-ev-squeezed-650-miles-of-range-from-its-150-kwh-battery-092427301.html?src=rss
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