Plenty of Tesla owners (and people who hope to own Teslas one day) love their electric cars. But do they love them enough to pay for the car twice? CNBC points out a trend where multiple recent buyers who paid for their cars with direct debit payments say their bank accounts were charged twice. That's annoying when it happens with a movie ticket or a pair of shoes, but can be backbreaking if it's a $53,000 SUV.
To make matters worse, while Tesla's zero-contact deliveries and remote service stations can make it convenient to get a car, it's apparently not so easy to contact someone who can work out a way to reverse the charges. These customers are still waiting to get the situation worked out, but at least one of them says he still loves Tesla, so that Model Y must be an amazing vehicle.
The White House has announced it would designate the New York Bight, an area of shallow water off the coast of Long Island, as a new priority zone for offshore wind projects. The plan also lays out a target of building 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind projects nationwide by 2030. To help reach that goal, alongside speeding up the permit process, the Biden administration is investing $230 million towards any ports that would support those projects. It will also put up $3 billion in funding through the Innovative Energy Loan Guarantee Program. Continue reading.
This close to April 1st, we can't be sure about anything.
On Monday, the automaker prematurely published an incomplete press release to its website that it planned to share on April 29th. VW quickly took down the announcement, but not before CNBC managed to get a good look at it. A rebranding will reportedly see Volkswagen EVs feature a badge that bears the new Voltswagen branding and a lighter-blue VW logo. Any gas-powered cars the company sells moving forward will feature only the classic VW emblem in the automaker's signature dark blue.Continue reading.
Cyberpunk 2077's 1.2 patch is now available to download on PC and consoles and includes various performance improvements that should make the biggest difference on lower-end PCs and previous generation consoles. Oh, and you'll now be able to buy all-important cat food at stores across Night City. Continue reading.
Google Cloud AI is taking on a Great British Bake Off winner in a dessert face-off. Sara Robinson, an amateur baker and Google Cloud developer advocate, built a machine learning model that examined hundreds of baking recipes (including ones for traybakes, cookies and scones) to help her come up with a new one.
The result included a Marmite-infused buttercream frosting, after Google Trends identified that "Is Marmite sweet or savory" was a top search related to "sweet and salty." Peter Sawkins, the 2020 Great British Bake Off champion, created his own Maltesers cake, using soy sauce. I am sure hope they taste better than they sound. Continue reading.
Niantic Labs CEO John Hanke has been talking up the potential of augmented reality via high-tech glasses since at least 2017, and his company is getting closer to making that a reality. Hanke has tweeted an intriguing teaser image that looks like a close view of AR glasses, complete with lenses and a small speaker. The company that brought us Pokemon Go is keeping busy. Alongside its AR push, there's also a Pikmin game in development. Continue reading.
Xiaomi is now back with a beefed up model of its latest flagship phone. The new Mi 11 Ultra is the first smartphone to use Samsung's more powerful ISOCELL GN2 sensor for its main camera, and to get the most out of it, the device packs a small screen next to the rear cameras for higher-quality selfies. The 1.1-inch AMOLED screen (126 x 294) serves as a mirror for taking better selfies and doubles as a notification screen or an always-on display.
There are flagship features elsewhere, including a 6.81-inch screen with 120Hz refresh rate. In addition to the Snapdragon 888 processor, there's up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, along with a denser 5,000mAh silicon oxide anode battery and 67W fast charging — both wired and wireless. The phone is coming to China and Europe, with prices starting from €1,199, which works out at roughly $1,400. Continue reading.
A one-off Leica M camera designed by Sir Jony Ive, in collaboration with his friend (and fellow designer) Marc Newson, fetched $1.8 million at auction in 2013. Now, a rare prototype of the device is going under the hammer in June. Bidding for the camera starts at €100,000 ($118,000), and it's estimated to command between €200,000 and €250,000 ($235,000 to $295,000). Practically a bargain compared to the final product. Continue reading.
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The future will involve artificial intelligence, but (in case you weren't already cautious) we need to be very careful what data we feed into these systems. A team led by computer scientists from MIT examined ten of the most-cited datasets used to test machine learning systems and found that around 3.4 percent of the data was inaccurate or mislabeled.
These aren't niche datasets. Some have been cited over 100,000 times in machine learning research. Some of the errors are bigger than others, but include mistaking Bruce Springsteen for an orchestra and mislabelling a baby as a nipple. (You can shake your head while browsing through all the label errors on a website created by the researchers here.)
These errors could have huge ramifications for machine learning systems unless addressed. It may still be the early days of artificial intelligence, so we might want to check its homework.
Yes, this mysterious swirl of light is actually the most detailed picture yet of a black hole. Event Horizon Telescope researchers have released an updated snapshot of the Messier 87 galaxy's hole that shows it in polarized light for the first time. Here, we can see how magnetic fields (indicated by the lines you see here) behave at the very edge of the cosmic phenomenon. Expect more insights in the future: While the EHT's combination of worldwide telescopes is limited, a future version should be capable of producing videos of the magnetic activity. Continue reading.
New York state has launched a digital passport that residents can use to prove they've been vaccinated or recently tested negative for infection. You can use your phone's virtual wallet (on Android or iOS) or a printout to flash a QR code of your Excelsior Pass to show you're safe when you want to go to a concert or stage performance.
The initial adopters will be large venues. Madison Square Garden in New York City will start using Excelsior Pass this coming week. The passes will also be useful for smaller family events, such as weddings. State officials have stressed that the Excelsior Pass is strictly voluntary for both businesses and the general public. They added that the IBM-powered apps don't store or track private health data. Continue reading.
Uber users in central London can request an all-electric vehicle instead of a regular ICE or hybrid car, the Financial Times has reported. Called Uber Green, the new service starts today in London's Zone 1 as part of Uber's push to be fully electric in London by 2025. Trips must originate in Zone 1, but destinations are unrestricted. Starting in January 2019, the company tacked a 15 pence ($.20) fee per mile to help drivers switch to greener cars. So far, that has raised £125 million ($172 million), and Uber has boosted the number of EVs in its London fleet from 100 to 1,600. Still, that's a small percentage of Uber's 45,000-strong London fleet. Continue reading.
NBCUniversal's Peacock is removing racist scenes from classic WWE matches. While it's not clear just how much has been edited so far, the removals include blackface in 1990's Wrestlemania VI event as well as racist language in 2005's Survivor Series 19.
Peacock is reportedly reviewing the full 17,000 hours of WWE material and alerting the wrestling giant of any change. It's going to be a long March for those reviewers. It highlights the challenge of filling out streaming libraries with material that goes back decades. We want the full collection, but doing so risks dredging up unsavory content that is tone-deaf or outright insulting in 2021.
Disney+ and HBO Max have faced similar issues. Contentious content has included Gone With the Wind (removed then reinstated with contextualized companion videos)and Song Of The South, which never made it toDisney+.Continue reading.
I didn't think it would get beyond glossy renders and CES headlines, but Razer's RGB light-infused face mask has wannabe cyber ninjas very excited, and the company has responded by making the thing.
Razer
Earlier this week, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan told Yahoo Finance that the electronics maker plans to manufacture its Project Hazel mask concept. Beyond the RGB razzle-dazzle, it has a built-in microphone and speaker that can amplify your voice when you speak, with bacterial filtration efficiency pods that can trap 95 percent of airborne particles, making it comparable to an N95 mask.
Tan didn't say when the mask will go into production, but he explained that post-vaccination, many will still want to mask up in the future. There are also countries and regions where that may not be able to vaccinate their entire population within the next year or two. The CEO added: "Project Hazel is going to be a reality. We are going to make it happen and I think we will, unfortunately, be wearing masks for a long time to come."
Devoted followers of Zack Snyder, the director behind Man of Steel and Batman vs. Superman, have clamored to see his version of 2017's Justice League. It was meant to be just as significant for comic book fans as Marvel's Avengers. But when Snyder announced that he would be leaving the film in the middle of production to tend to his family, Joss Whedon, who spearheaded the Avengers films, was brought on board to finish the project. The theatrical version of Justice League, a mashed-up movie from two very different artists, flopped with critics and fans alike.
The fans got what they wanted/deserved: a four-hour-long recut meant to capture Snyder's full vision. Continue reading.
OnePlus' new phone is unashamedly a top-tier phone with a price to match. The company has nailed everything you demand in a smartphone at this price, offering (finally!) an option beyond Samsung or Apple — or Google if you're hardcore. According to Mobile Editor Chris Velazco, this is the best device OnePlus has ever made. If you've been thinking about splurging on a new smartphone, the 9 Pro deserves your consideration. Oh, and the company has a smartwatch incoming, too. Continue reading.
Dyson is very aware we've all spent more time indoors, and a lot more time in our own homes. At the (rather revolting) microscopic level, that means we're all shedding more skin cells and hair on our floors, carpets and rugs. Dyson's new stick vacuum models, at various sizes and prices, claim to offer a level of clean you can demonstrably see — and some use lasers to do so.
The Dyson V15 Detect, which is the $699 showcase model for the company's tech upgrades, includes a green laser diode that shoots a 'blade' of green light, which is apparently the best color for being detected by the human eye.
The green laser on the V15's cleaner head has a 1.5-degree angle, trailing 7.2mm off the ground. This specific distance helps to create "the best contrast between dust and floor" according to the company's spokesperson. It should also make vacuuming hardwood floors a little more thrilling, through the dumb, inexplicable appeal of laser beams. Continue reading.
NASA has been channeling its advanced tech into everyday products for decades. Now its tire tech has spun off into a startup called Smart, which uses the airless shape memory alloy (SMA) tire technology — originally built for lunar and Mars rovers — for an airless bicycle tire.
Composed of interconnected springs that don't require inflation, the superelastic tires, Smart claims, are built like titanium to withstand rugged terrains without going flat. The pitch is a puncture-free ride, and if it's good enough for Mars, surely it's good enough for that Sunday jaunt. Continue reading.
Boosting supply and providing jobs will be great — if it can execute on the new strategy.
What's so important about Intel's fab news? Aaron Souppouris explains why the chipmaker's new "pathway to parity" and plans to make chips for others could rebalance things in the computing industry. He also outlines why previous failed efforts provide reasons to be skeptical it will all work out as promised. Continue reading.
It doesn't matter if you own one of LG's new CX TVs, Sony's Master Series or even an older or used OLED. Your screen will still look far better than the vast majority of LCD sets, with unmatched black levels and eye-popping contrast. But even if you've got one of the best screens around, there are always a few upgrades you can still make. Read on for advice from Devindra Hardawar about what you can add to get the most out of your high-end 4K TV. Continue reading.
Yesterday's hearing with the CEOs of Google, Facebook and Twitter was as messy as you might have predicted — and we'll get into that below. But I want to start today with voice assistants. Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant and the rest know a lot. But they barely remember anything, which curtails exactly how much they can truly assist with your life beyond music controls, timers and reminding you exactly what shows you've seen Joel Kinnaman in. (Answer: Altered Carbon). A new feature spotted for Google Assistant on Android called Memory could transform it into the assistant we need, however.
According to an early APK, you will be able to store items in Memory using a verbal command or use a home screen shortcut. You can file away books, contacts, events, music, notes, photos, places, playlists, recipes, reminders and more. It will also save contextual information, like screenshots, URLs and your location, when you store something away.
Voice assistants are everywhere, but major upgrades that could change how you use them (or even if you use them) are not a regular occurrence. Google's idea is a clever one.
A marathon hearing Wednesday with Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey and Sundar Pichai was supposed to be about the platforms' handling of misinformation and extremism. The issue has taken on a new significance during the coronavirus pandemic and in the wake of the January 6th riot at the US Capitol. Through five hours of questioning, Democrats and Republicans both expressed they're ready to impose new rules on internet platforms, but they have very different ideas about what that might look like. Continue reading.
It doesn't matter if you own one of LG's new CX TVs, Sony's Master Series or even an older or used OLED. Your screen will still look far better than the vast majority of LCD sets, with unmatched black levels and eye-popping contrast. But even if you've got one of the best screens around, there are always a few upgrades you can still make. Read on for advice from Devindra Hardawar about what you can add to get the most out of your high-end 4K TV. Continue reading.
Sigma's cameras have a die-hard following, and the design is often off-piste compared to increasingly homogenous cameras from the big players like Nikon, Canon and Sony. Its new full-frame camera is a great example. Despite its tiny frame, the Sigma fp L packs a 61-megapixel sensor, making it one of the highest-resolution full-frame cameras out there. Sigma promises a raft of improvements to its autofocus systems. The camera arrives in mid-April for $2,499. Continue reading.
The UK has finally unveiled its Alan Turing bank note, and the durable polymer £50 bill completes the Bank of England's "most secure" set of notes to date. It includes anti-counterfeiting features appropriate for the legendary WWII codebreaker, including a metallic hologram. There are lots of easter eggs and nods to Turing's life built into the note's design: The mathematical formula you see comes from Turing's influential 1936 paper "On Computable Numbers," a foundational work for computer science. There's also an image of the Automatic Computing Engine Pilot Machine (the trial model for a very early computer) and schematics for the British Bombe codebreaking machine. Continue reading.
Historic British motorcycle maker Triumph has shared details of its TE-1 electric bike project, including the concept image you see here, and details on the prototype drivetrain that will one day power it. Triumph claims the TE-1's electric motor can output 107 horsepower continuously and peak at 174 horses while total range will be around 120 miles. The bike is intentionally designed to look like a traditional fossil-fuel guzzler in a bid to tempt buyers across to the world of e-motorcycles. The company plans to start testing the TE-1 prototype later this year. Continue reading.
The Android Ready SE Alliance is made of Secure Element vendors.
Since 2018, all of Google's Pixel phones have included a Titan M chip. It's what's known as a Secure Element (SE). Separate from your phone's processor, it does things like store encryption keys and validates the operating system. And now Google sees the Titan M and other Secure Elements as key to bringing digital passports and identity cards to Android phones.
The company has formed the Android Ready SE Alliance, which aims at speeding this process up. Google will work with other Secure Element companies and phone makers to create a collection of open source and ready-to-use applets for SE chips. The group has already launched its first applet with StrongBox, a tool for storing cryptographic keys. Continue reading.
Many companies would've completely redesigned their true wireless earbuds by the time they introduced a fourth model. But not Master & Dynamic. With new materials and smaller size, the company simply continues to improve its earbud series. According to News Editor Billy Steele, when you combine the updated design with more robust active noise cancellation, ambient sound modes, stellar audio and extended battery life, it's not hard to argue these are Master & Dynamic's best earbuds yet. Continue reading.
