Category Archives: Ars Technica

23andMe says private user data is up for sale after being scraped

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The 23andMe logo displayed on a smartphone screen.

Enlarge / The 23andMe logo displayed on a smartphone screen.

Genetic profiling service 23andMe has confirmed that private user data is circulating for sale online after being scraped off its website.

Friday’s confirmation comes five days after an unknown entity took to an online crime forum to advertise the sale of private information for millions of 23andMe users. The forum posts claimed that the stolen data included origin estimation, phenotype, health information, photos, and identification data. The posts claimed that 23andMe’s CEO was aware the company had been “hacked” two months earlier and never revealed the incident.

23andMe officials on Friday confirmed that private data for some of its users is, in fact, up for sale. The cause of the leak, the officials said, is data scraping, a technique that essentially reassembles large amounts of data by systematically extracting smaller amounts of information available to individual users of a service. Attackers gained unauthorized access to the individual 23andMe accounts, all of which had been configured by the user to opt in to a DNA relative feature that allows them to find potential relatives.

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Source: Ars Technica – 23andMe says private user data is up for sale after being scraped

Jury awards $229M to victims of “Real Water” tainted with rocket fuel chemical

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Source: Ars Technica – Jury awards 9M to victims of “Real Water” tainted with rocket fuel chemical

A live-action Cyberpunk 2077 adaptation has been announced

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Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand in <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em>.

Enlarge / Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077. (credit: CD Projekt Red)

After three years, a new expansion, and $120 million of additional investment, the video game Cyberpunk 2077 is enjoying renewed attention and appreciation right now—and it turns out that will lead to a live-action adaptation, according to a press release on developer CD Projekt Red’s website.

The creative team behind the game will partner with Anonymous Content—a media company known for the TV series Mr. Robot and True Detective and the film The Revenant, among many other productions—to bring the franchise to live action. The announcement didn’t specify whether the live-action production would be a TV series or a movie, nor did it specify when it would come out or on which platforms.

It does, however, state that it will be a “brand-new story set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077,” and that it is “at an early development stage”—so early, in fact, that the team is looking for a screenwriter. The fact that it will be a new story makes it seem unlikely that we’ll see Keanu Reeves reprise his role as Johnny Silverhand.

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Source: Ars Technica – A live-action Cyberpunk 2077 adaptation has been announced

HP wireless all-in-one has 83 Wh rechargeable battery, handle for portability

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  • HP sees the Envy Move being shared among family members and moved from room to room. [credit:
    HP ]

In a tech world with powerful desktops and ultralight laptops, all-in-one PCs have become a niche category. Yet, with the right twist, they can become more interesting. HP’s Envy Move all-in-one PC, released today, has a handle and an integrated, rechargeable 83 Wh battery. Combined with a handle on its backside and a built-in pocket for its wireless keyboard, this AIO is ready to go wherever you want.

The Envy Move is only 9.04 pounds and measures 21.74×5.85×14.43 inches. In a blog post on Thursday, Jo Tan, senior vice president and division president of Personal Systems Consumer Solutions at HP Inc., said the computer was the “world’s only” all-in-one with an integrated battery.

The PC also has a built-in stand that Tan said uses two HP patents and can work on “any flat surface.” In videos shared with the press, the device’s two feet look like they align horizontally with the device’s bottom edge until they’re pressed down onto a surface. Then, the legs flip out perpendicular to the machine’s bottom edge and provide stability.

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Source: Ars Technica – HP wireless all-in-one has 83 Wh rechargeable battery, handle for portability

It cost $120M for Cyberpunk 2077 patches and DLC to fix the game’s image

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Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty

Enlarge / Visitors queue for Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty at the Xbox booth at the Gamescom video game fair in Cologne, Germany, on August 23, 2023. The DLC has been crucial in changing critical and public perception of the game, which suffered a notably shaky launch. (credit: Getty Images)

Cyberpunk 2077 cost more than $400 million to make and market, making it likely the most expensive video game (actually released) so far. The game’s Polish developer, CD Projekt Red (CDPR), kept spending big after launch, and it seems like it has paid off—because it had to.

The publicly traded developer recently opened up to investors about its finances. It’s a good time for the company to tell its story. Cyberpunk 2077 recently saw a well-regarded 2.0 patch, an Edgerunners anime that caught on, and a Phantom Liberty DLC that’s winning over fans and newcomers. A sequel has been announced, and even a live-action component is in the works.

Taking CDPR’s numbers and doing a few rough currency conversions from PLN to USD, you arrive at a number well over $120 million, depending on how you classify the work:

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Source: Ars Technica – It cost 0M for Cyberpunk 2077 patches and DLC to fix the game’s image

Visually stunning The Creator is a rare piece of original sci-fi filmmaking

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black man lying in road on back pointing a gun

Enlarge / John David Washington stars as a US sergeant on an undercover mission who befriends an AI “child” in The Creator. (credit: 20th Century Studios)

It’s rare to get an original piece of science fiction filmmaking not based on existing IP in this era of adaptations and superhero mega-franchises. So The Creator is a welcome offering in the genre, combining elements of District 9, Ex Machina, Blade Runner, and Apocalypse Now, among others, to produce a visually stunning and timely tale of a war between humans and AI. It’s directed by Gareth Edwards, best known for 2014’s Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in 2016.

(Some mild spoilers below but no major reveals.)

The inspiration for The Creator came post-Rogue One, when Edwards took a road trip through the Midwest. He spotted a strange building with a Japanese logo in the middle of one of the endless fields, and his mind instantly jumped to robots. What would a robot built inside that factory think when it encountered the field and broader outside world for the first time? “It felt like the beginning of a movie,” Edwards recalled, and locked himself away in a hotel in Thailand to write the screenplay. He also joined a fellow director on a tour across Vietnam. “I started envisioning massive futuristic structures rising out of paddy fields… and I got really excited about the idea of something Blade Runner-esque being set in Vietnam,” he said. The end result was The Creator.

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Source: Ars Technica – Visually stunning The Creator is a rare piece of original sci-fi filmmaking

The Heybike Tyson e-bike is janky, fun, and sometimes dangerous

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picture of Heybike Tyson

Enlarge / If green isn’t your thing, the Tyson comes in black and blue. (credit: Eric Bangeman)

This time, I’ll lead with the conclusion. The Heybike Tyson is loaded with all of the e-bike features I could ever want, is a blast to ride, and can become unsafe to operate at a moment’s notice. The unit I reviewed had more than one build-quality issue that cannot be overlooked, which is a shame, because this is also one of the most fun electric bikes I’ve ever ridden. If you just wanted to know if the Heybike Tyson is worth buying, you’ve got your answer and can close this tab. If you want the details, read on.

Priced at $1,699, the Class 3 Tyson is Heybike’s folding e-bike. Built with a magnesium frame and painted bright green, the Tyson’s scooter-like handlebars, mountain-bike-like suspension, and fat knobby tires result in a ride that looks equal parts goofy, charming, and rugged. Capable of carrying up to 400 lbs (163 kg) of rider and cargo, the Tyson sports a dual hydraulic suspension to smooth out the rough spots on the pavement. It has the same Shimano seven-speed groupset and hydraulic disc brakes you’ll see on most e-bikes.

The Heybike Tyson is indeed foldable, and the battery is removable. Getting it back in takes a little bit of effort due to the position of the power cables.

The Heybike Tyson is indeed foldable, and the battery is removable. Getting it back in takes a little bit of effort due to the position of the power cables. (credit: Eric Bangeman/Ars Technica)

The Tyson looks more like an electric moped than anything else. It has a headlight, taillight, turn signals, and even a horn that does a passable imitation of the Roadrunner right before he’s about to clown the coyote. It’s powered by a 750 W motor and a 48V 15 Ah battery that can charge fully in four to five hours. Unfortunately, you’ll never quite know how much battery life you actually have once you start riding—more on that, later.

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Source: Ars Technica – The Heybike Tyson e-bike is janky, fun, and sometimes dangerous

Zombie star’s strange behavior ascribed to what it’s eating

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Pulsars are spinning neutron stars, the relics of massive stars gone supernova.

Enlarge / Pulsars are spinning neutron stars, the relics of massive stars gone supernova. (credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center)

Some stars never really die. Pulsars are the undead magnetized cores of massive stars that have met their end in a supernova. They rotate furiously, spewing jets of electromagnetic radiation from their magnetic poles, which makes them appear to flash regularly when observed from Earth.

As if these zombies weren’t already bizarre enough, the behavior of one of them, pulsar PSR J1023+0038, has remained a mystery until now. PSR J1023 does have the usual compact jet of radiation at its poles. But it’s in a close binary system with another star, and, as it orbits this star, it has been observed blazing intensely before quickly dimming again. An international team of astronomers has finally made a breakthrough in understanding what causes the pulsar to switch from intensely bright “high mode” to dimmer “low mode” as it strips material from its companion star. Where that material goes has finally explained why it acts so erratically.

Extreme highs…

PSR J1023 is no ordinary pulsar, but a millisecond pulsar, meaning that it rotates hundreds of times per second. Even before its 2002 discovery, it was thought that millisecond pulsars get their speed from being in binary systems. Their speed comes from stripping material off their companion stars and drawing it in, which keeps feeding the neutron star more energy.

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Source: Ars Technica – Zombie star’s strange behavior ascribed to what it’s eating

It’s time to toss the dice as The Wheel of Time’s second season concludes

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Screenshot of Mat Cauthon shouting his signature phrase

Enlarge / “Dovie’andi se tovya sagain!” Yes, Mat, it finally is. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Andrew Cunningham and Lee Hutchinson have spent decades of their lives with Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson’s Wheel of Time books, and they previously brought that knowledge to bear as they recapped each first season episode of Amazon’s new WoT TV series. Now they’re doing it again for season two—along with insights, jokes, and the occasional wild theory. These recaps won’t cover every element of every episode, but they will contain major spoilers for the show and the book series. We’re going to do our best to not spoil major future events from the books, but there’s always the danger that something might slip out. If you want to stay completely unspoiled and haven’t read the books, these recaps aren’t for you.

New episodes of The Wheel of Time season two will be posted for Amazon Prime subscribers every Friday. This write-up covers episode eight, the season finale, which was released on October 6.

Andrew: The Wheel of Time turns and delivers us another overpacked season finale that needs to wrap up a dozen character arcs while also setting us up for next season.

I found this year’s finale more followable and satisfying than last year’s, though I suspect it may be a breaking point for people who are earnestly upset about how different the show is from the works that are being adapted. Most of the episode is actually focused on Ishamael, our main Forsaken—we get a short Age of Legends prologue where he tries to convince former friend and original Dragon Lews Therin Telamon to help him break the Wheel and end the continuous cycle of birth and death and rebirth. He’s still after that goal thousands of years later, and this episode explains a bit more about what he’s been doing all season and why.

Lee: Many of the Aes Sedai with Lews Therin—and Lews Therin himself—have those little three-finger ring things that Ishamael and Lanfear have been wearing. I was thinking maybe they were some artifact tied to the True Power, but clearly not if Lews Therin has one. I suppose they’re either some kind of focus, or perhaps a kind of angreal issued to all Aes Sedai, like a police officer being issued a service weapon. Or maybe they’re just the Age of Legends version of Aes Sedai rings. (Though if so, I wouldn’t think Ishy or Lanfear would still be wearing them, given how eager the Forsaken all seemed to be to cast off any associations with the Aes Sedai.)

We’re shown this scene for a few reasons, but I think one of them is to emphasize that the Forsaken were all sealed away in individual prisons, which take the form of giant disks of unbreakable Cuendillar. This is definitely a different tack than the books, but it definitely simplifies things. I did find it a little weird that Ishamael had all six of the remaining seals propped up in his room, like he was hanging out with them or something—but I guess “weird” doesn’t really apply when we’re talking about the behavior of millennia-dead superhuman wizard people.

Ishy shows off his Forsaken feng shui skills to Lanfear.

Ishy shows off his Forsaken feng shui skills to Lanfear. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Andrew: Yeah, for book readers who haven’t been back in a while, there was never any kind of 1:1 seal-to-Forsaken relationship. The seals were just different locks on a single door, and the Forsaken gradually freed themselves and started running around because they were sealed up near the door but not behind it. The way the show handles it makes it more narratively manageable: to just have a pair of Forsaken running around in the first couple seasons and then unleashing the free-for-all once we know a little more about these people and what they’re capable of.

Having eight Forsaken instead of 13 (plus various reincarnated clones, territory the show may or may not decide to cover) is part of the show’s modus operandi for making Jordan’s world more manageable. How many scary villains do we really need running around at once, especially when quite a few of them are basically just Generic Bad Guys? Why does Rand need a pair of unhealable holes in his gut, when one hole that has properties of both will do?

Based on how Mat’s arc this season wraps up, it also seems pretty likely that we end up skipping or condensing at least some of the Rhuidean-Aiel-testing-ground stuff from book four. All of these tweaks have major narrative implications, but so many of these things pay off so far down the line in the book version of the story that it’s simply not possible to guess how the show might handle them. The show doesn’t seem to feel like it “needs” to hit any given plot point from the books—sometimes, as in one scene this episode, it seems to relish subverting book readers’ expectations. And while I’m having fun with the show’s increasingly unique riff on this story, I can see why people hoping for “an adaptation of The Wheel of Time” might be frustrated with it.

Lee: Indeed—I think in order to stick with the show after this season, one has to simply accept that things will be different. We’re not going to stop talking about how different, but accepting that this is an adaptation and that those differences do not in and of themselves automatically mean the show sucks is just kind of a mental block that stragglers are going to have to get over.

Right, so, this episode brings us to kind of the fruition of Lanfear’s plan, to the detriment of poor Ishamael. Ishy has—had!—a formal plan to bind the Dragon and his ta’veren friends. It involved moving them around on the chessboard of Randland, manipulating them into falling into the shadow, and then getting Rand to choose darkness to save them. (This also puts some more context around Mat’s tea-driven vision quest last episode.)

Lanfear gives no effs. Lanfear’s like a honey badger, and Lews Therin Telamon is the honey. She cares about Ishamael’s plan only inasmuch as it gives her the opportunity to force Rand to proclaim himself, embrace his destiny, recall his past lives, fall back in love with her, and live evilly ever after. Anything else can burn.

You’d mentioned previously that the Forsaken often work at cross-purposes, and hoo boy, were they ever here. Classic Lanfear.

Lanfear, rocking a David Bowie pantsuit from the Age of Legends.

Lanfear, rocking a David Bowie pantsuit from the Age of Legends. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Andrew: Classic Lanfear! And also, classic Ishamael, because he realizes he’s being played and breaks the other six seals before his confrontation with Rand. The only one we meet is Moghedien (Laia Costa), whose nickname (“the spider”) originally came from her penchant for spinning figurative webs of deceit. Perhaps predictably, the show makes these webs literal; Moghedien is definitely the Forsaken with the most Hot Topic Nightmare Before Christmas merch in her bedroom.

Anyway.

From Moghedien, one gets the sense that the other Forsaken don’t like Lanfear much, because they (completely understandably and justifiably!) think she’s just a bit too close to the goody-goody Dragon to be trustworthy. The show has gotten a lot of mileage out of Lanfear-as-frenemy this season, and it seems like we can expect that to continue for at least a while longer.

Early in the episode, Lanfear puts the “enemy” in “frenemy” by separating Moiraine and Lan from Rand in the Ways, dumping them out on a beach some distance from Falme so that they can’t get directly involved in most of the fighting. This also gives the two of them the space to Talk It Out, re-forming the Warder bond Moiraine broke at the beginning of the season (still fuzzy on the mechanics of that) and rededicating themselves to the support of the Dragon Reborn. What’s everyone else doing?

Lee: I wish Moiraine and Lan had used their words a little earlier, but honestly, having two characters do drastic dumb things when they could in fact have talked things out is a running theme in the books. Verisimilitude!

Everyone else is running around in Falme, and the Whitecloaks show up and kick off the giant battle. Geofram Bornhald (Stuart Graham) isn’t necessarily a bad fellow—as he points out, the Children of the Light are in Falme to save people from the Seanchan invaders, and they proceed along that track with alacrity. But Bornhald is the classic Paladin archetype—he and his Children are incapable of bending the rules. See evil, must kill. And “evil” is whatever they say it is.

Aviendha, Bain, and Chiad roll up with Perrin and Hopper in tow, so they get added into the mix of battle. After that, we variously get a bunch of happy (if rushed) reunions between our prime characters, some of whom haven’t seen each other in months. The episode is an absolute symphony of reunions, all over the place.

One of those reunions is Mat and village peddler/ultra-darkfriend Padan Fain—and, hey, there’s the Shadar Logoth dagger! I don’t think Mat is aware that Fain is a darkfriend at first, but him showing up and producing the dagger probably goes a long way to getting that message across.

And then, Mat makes a…well, it’s not exactly an ashandarei, but it is kind of a, like, knifey-stick. And it cuts through things like a lightsaber! Does he keep it? Does he trade it in? … is it time to talk about Mat? There’s so much Mat to talk about.

This freaking guy.

This freaking guy. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Andrew: The thing that bothers me the most about the Mat storyline is that “a knife tied to the end of a stick” is not going to stay tied to the stick securely enough to withstand being waved around and shoved through multiple heavily armored torsos. I don’t care how magical your knife is.

In terms of the Mat storyline, the character currently seems to be somewhere toward the middle of book four as far as his development goes. He has found and blown the Horn of Valere, which (as in the books) summons a bunch of dead heroes to fight alongside the blower. But for Mat, it also seems to give him the memory of his past lives that Ishamael’s weird tea promised last episode. So he kind of has his Signature Weapon, and he has picked up most of his character’s Signature Traits. It’s just Not The Way It Is In The Books.

You seem to have more Mat feelings you want to dig into, how are you feeling about all of this?

Lee: Yeah, Mat has gotten a significant early upgrade on his power level, if that is indeed what is going on—including a jump up to actual Hero of the Horn status, which is not from the books.

Though before I go on about Mat, I want to gush just a moment about seeing Guy Roberts back as Uno, who apparently kicked so much ass in life that upon death he was instantly upgraded to Hero of the Horn. Given that Guy Roberts is a self-professed fan who first read the series in the ‘90s, it gave me a lot of joy to see him get to inhabit the role of Uno with such obvious scene-stealing relish, and to know that he’s living the actor’s dream of bringing to life a character that he loves.

Artur Hawkwing (Adrian Bouchet) delivers some lines to Mat that he originally delivered to Rand in the book, which—well, I suppose it’s all part of the new path the showrunners have put Mat on. The destination is getting a little clearer, but I’m still wondering if he’s going to keep his knifey-stick, or if it’s going to get upgraded at one point—after all, fully separating him from the dagger and its influence is a major deal in the first few books, and keeping it will have consequences.

We have our first on-screen utterance of Mat’s “it’s time to toss the dice” in the Old Tongue, and it’s great. Show-Mat deserves it. After two seasons of grim purposelessness, he’s finally given something good—and it’s so good.

The Sounding of the Horn leaves book readers with more questions about Mat than answers—but my guess is these are questions that will be tackled in the front half of the next season. For non-readers, leading the charge of the Heroes of the Horn is a wonderful bow to tie around his two-season journey through crap. Hell, if I have a complaint about Mat’s sounding of the Horn, it’s that budget and cost of production necessarily limits what should be a Helms Deep-scale routing of the bad guys by a horde of legendary warriors whose deeds have elevated them to immortal demigod status.

Whew, okay. Any more Mat feelings from you?

Uno plays the ultimate reverse card.

Uno plays the ultimate reverse card. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Andrew: No, I’m just glad to have more characters back in the same place again. Though I’m sure the show will be enough like the books that this reunion doesn’t last long.

Egwene’s capture and torment by the Seanchan is transformational for her in the books as in the show—it massively increases her strength and aptitude with the One Power, and it gives her a deep hatred of the Seanchan and everything about them. That hatred occasionally gets a little dark, as it does when Egwene collars, briefly torments, and then kills her sul’dam, making good on her promise from last week. And despite continuing to resist her sul’dam earlier in the battle while still being used as a damane, she quite willingly takes a shot at her former Whitecloak captor Eamon Valda when she spots him from the ramparts.

The White Tower women have all followed their book arcs to this point a bit more closely than our Two Rivers boys, but I expect this dark (vengeful, even!) streak in Egwene could distinguish her a bit from book-Egwene.

If Nynaeve gets some of the best and most substantial plotlines early in the season, she and Elayne continue to feel underutilized in these last couple episodes; Nynaeve is still having trouble channeling, and despite their work with the a’dam collars neither of them get anywhere near close enough to Egwene or any of the other captive Aes Sedai to free any of them. Not that it matters, because in the show it sure seems like the only surefire way to get the collar off is to die while you’re wearing it.

Nynaeve and Elayne spend most of the episode huddled in an alley after Elayne takes an arrow to the knee, but they get to the top of the tower in Falme in time to help Rand, whose first glimpse of Elayne is very dreamy and romantic (probably doesn’t hurt that she’s saving him from bleeding out). So it seems like that relationship is going to become an element of the third season, for sure.

"Remember, Renna, when I promised to kill you last? <em>I lied</em>."

“Remember, Renna, when I promised to kill you last? I lied.” (credit: Amazon Studios)

Lee: I thought that Nynaeve had figured out her block by this point in the show, but apparently not—she’s still flailing around with frustration but without the necessary anger to bust through it. To fix Elayne’s knee, she has to fall back on her Wisdom skills (though even I know that you’re supposed to break the arrow’s shaft off before pulling it through, so you don’t drag the fletching through your gaping puncture wound—get your head in the game, Nynaeve!).

Definitely agree with Elayne being underutilized—though as you say, healing Rand was a nice way to facilitate an introduction. The only problem is that Elayne is crap at healing. Don’t expect her patch job to hold very long or very well. Moiraine will likely have harsh words for her later.

Okay, so—I greatly enjoyed almost everything about this episode, but there were two major book events we didn’t get. The first was the blademaster fight with High Lord Turak, which in the books is used to shove Rand further along the path of getting used to channeling and embracing the One Power. However, given the Raiders of the Lost Ark fashion in which Rand sidesteps the fight, I just can’t be mad. I literally laughed out loud.

But the other thing we’re missing is much harder to overlook: the oft-teased proclamation of the Dragon in the sky above Falme. In the books, this is a giant epic flaming sword fight between Ishamael and Rand, projected like a Pink Floyd laser light show onto the clouds above Falme. In the show, Moiraine does a Final Fantasy VII-style summoning and calls up a large fiery dragon, which curls around the tower and makes some dragon noises and disappears.

I’m disappointed. It’s fine, I guess, but it’s not what I was hoping for.

Artist's impression of Rand fighting High Lord Turak.

Artist’s impression of Rand fighting High Lord Turak. (credit: Paramount Pictures)

Andrew: And the thing about how it happens in the books is you don’t really understand how or why it’s happening, as a reader, in a way that does make it seem like it has been divinely inspired. Channeling a huge dragon seems more like something anyone could have done, under the right circumstances, to set up any false Dragon. The show has been teasing a sky-vision for a while now, and I agree that I wanted more.

There is also a lot of hand-waviness going on here with respect to how strong Moiraine is, since she can’t take on Lanfear directly but can single-handedly sink an entire Seanchan fleet and have enough leftover to make a big fire dragon besides.

The show downplaying Rand’s sword skills and amping up his channeling skill is the same kind of early power-up that Mat is getting (to borrow your phrasing). You get all the way to book four or five before you see Rand doing anything that resembles enthusiastic or competent channeling, but show Rand is already casually raining fire bullets down on his enemies.

The only one of our three boys who is still kind of muddling through with respect to his new Chosen One Abilities is Perrin, who gets very mad when his wolf friend goes down in battle but still hasn’t manifested much by way of superpowers.

If season three is being set up as an adaptation of book three and/or four, we’ll hopefully see Perrin get a little more attention, since both books are Perrin-heavy.

Moiraine doing her thing. I wonder if she's got an angreal stashed somewhere.

Moiraine doing her thing. I wonder if she’s got an angreal stashed somewhere. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Lee: If there’s anything positive to be found in the oh-my-God-what-did-I-just-watch death of Hopper, it’s—well, it’s that those things are spoilers about the World of Dreams, and we’ll learn more about them as Perrin figures out a little more about what it means to be a Wolfbrother. As you correctly point out, we should be getting a whole lot of him in the next season.

Oh, and speaking of people to keep an eye on—book readers know this, but non-readers may not: shortly before Mat sounds the Horn, during the little reunion on the streets of Falme between our main characters, Perrin makes it a point to give a quick hug to the other Shienaran present—a gentleman he calls Masema (Arnas Fedaravicius). We then see Masema again near the end, staring at the Dragon atop the tower.

Remember Masema. He was introduced at the end of season one, and this will not be the last time we see him.

Alright, we’re down to the last little bits here. Season two ends with Lanfear encountering Moghedien, spinner of webs and plots. She seems… creepy.

Masema seems <em>super-impressed</em> with Rand's fulfillment of prophecy.

Masema seems super-impressed with Rand’s fulfillment of prophecy. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Andrew: Creepy vibes! We have met three of the eight: Ishamael, Lanfear, and Moghedien. Two more have been mentioned by name: the vain sex-obsessed Graendal, and Sammael (who I vaguely recall as being humorless and uptight, but they do kind of run together). In an earlier conversation with Ishamael, Lanfear mentions Moghedien, Graendal, and “the boys,” suggesting but not decisively confirming that the other five are male.

I have guesses about who’s left, but am I missing other dropped hints?

Lee: Time to play Forsaken bingo, I suppose!

Out of the original book list, there are eight remaining Forsaken that have yet to appear or be mentioned in the show. If “the boys” can be taken to mean that all the remaining unnamed Forsaken are male, we can drop the two remaining Forsaken who are female. That leaves us with six candidates for our last three spots: Aginor, Asmodean, Balthamel, Be’lal, Demandred, and Rahvin.

We can dump Aginor and Balthamel immediately, as they were killed in the book version of The Eye of the World and didn’t appear in the show. I’d also propose we can drop Demandred, given what he’s doing in the books and how it works out—I think the show is going to nix his entire plot.

And that neatly leaves us with three dudes left, and my picks for the remaining Forsaken: Rahvin, Asmodean, and Be’lal. And out of those three, my guess is that we meet Asmodean first, in a manner similar to how he shows up in the books.

What do you think?

Andrew: I am on the record as thinking Asmodean is toast because Logain is taking his main story-function as Rand’s channeling teacher, now that the show is focusing more on people learning weaves and growing more powerful. People can just kind of toss up giant shields and shoot fire bullets when they need to do it for story reasons.

Of the men who are left, Rahvin seems like the most obvious choice, since his activities also impact Elayne pretty directly.

I agree Aginor and Balthamel can be discounted. They are part of a group of three or four Nothing Forsaken who exist mostly as canon fodder. And it does seem like Demandred is pretty far away from the action the show is focusing on, though this read does assume that the show will stick with the books’ version of events, and the show has been hard to predict on that score.

I’d tend to include Be’lal among the Nothing Forsaken, too, since “ruler of [redacted city] who gets smoked by Rand at their first encounter” doesn’t leave the show much personality to work with. Maybe cannon fodder is what the show needs, though, especially if we’re still doing the Callandor storyline next year.

I do wonder if “the boys” thing isn’t a red herring; Lanfear is disparaging the Forsaken she mentions in that conversation, and maybe there’s one woman in the group she respects enough not to insult. Eight Forsaken also gives the show a chance to harp on some thematic One Power symmetry (also: casting symmetry!) by keeping four men and four women (remember, there are only two genders in the world of The Wheel of Time, and the books’ only arguably trans character was basically created by the Dark One as a joke).

Anyway, I think my list is Rahvin, Be’lal, and the sadistic Semirhage. But you’re the most sure about seeing the character I think we’re least likely to see, so clearly there’s lots of room for interpretation here.

This is Moghedien. She enjoys long walks in Tel'aran'rhiod, spiders, and manipulating people.

This is Moghedien. She enjoys long walks in Tel’aran’rhiod, spiders, and manipulating people. (credit: Amazon Studios)

Lee: There is room for all eventualities in the turning of the Wheel.

And so, dear readers, we arrive at the end of our time together—but fear not, because we’ll be back here doing this again for season three. Will Perrin come to terms with the wolves? Will Egwene be able to deal with her trauma? Will Mat avoid accidentally poking anyone with his evil toxic dagger-on-a-stick? Will Nynaeve ever figure out how the hell to channel properly? And what will the fallout be of the Dragon Reborn’s public proclamation at Falme? How will Randland react, knowing that the Dragon is foretold to save the world—but also to break it anew?

We know the book answers to these questions, but folks, we are heading into uncharted territory with our Two Rivers TV show crew and their rapidly expanding list of friends. Unexpected things no doubt await us in season three.

Any final thoughts, Andrew?

Andrew: Is this a great show? Not usually. But it continues to be better than it has any right to be, given its un-adaptable source material. See you next season!
Lee: There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the Wheel of Time—but this is an ending. Life is a dream from which we must all wake, and we wish you a pleasant dreaming until next season!

(credit: WoT Wiki)

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Source: Ars Technica – It’s time to toss the dice as The Wheel of Time’s second season concludes

Amazon’s first two Internet satellites will launch into orbit today

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Getty Images built a “socially responsible” AI tool that rewards artists

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Craig Peters, CEO of Getty Images, speaks onstage during Vox Media's 2023 Code Conference.

Enlarge / Craig Peters, CEO of Getty Images, speaks onstage during Vox Media’s 2023 Code Conference. (credit: Jerod Harris / Stringer | Getty Images North America)

Getty Images CEO Craig Peters told the Verge that he has found a solution to one of AI’s biggest copyright problems: creators suing because AI models were trained on their original works without consent or compensation. To prove it’s possible for AI makers to respect artists’ copyrights, Getty built an AI tool using only licensed data that’s designed to reward creators more and more as the tool becomes more popular over time.

“I think a world that doesn’t reward investment in intellectual property is a pretty sad world,” Peters told The Verge.

The conversation happened at Vox Media’s Code Conference 2023, with Peters explaining why Getty Images—which manages “the world’s largest privately held visual archive”—has a unique perspective on this divisive issue.

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Source: Ars Technica – Getty Images built a “socially responsible” AI tool that rewards artists

Musk refused to testify in Twitter stock probe, claimed SEC is harassing him

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Elon Musk walks out of a federal courthouse and speaks to reporters as a member of the media holds a microphone.

Enlarge / Elon Musk leaves federal court in New York on Thursday, April 4, 2019 after a hearing in a case involving the SEC. (credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg)

The US Securities and Exchange Commission sued Elon Musk yesterday, alleging that he refuses to appear for testimony in an investigation into whether he violated federal law with his purchases of Twitter stock. The SEC asked a federal court to force Musk to testify “as required by the investigative subpoena.”

“The subpoena with which Musk failed to comply relates to an ongoing nonpublic investigation by the SEC regarding whether, among other things, Musk violated various provisions of the federal securities laws in connection with (1) his 2022 purchases of Twitter stock, and (2) his 2022 statements and SEC filings relating to Twitter,” the SEC alleged in its lawsuit in US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The SEC told the court it “seeks Musk’s testimony to obtain information not already in the SEC’s possession that is relevant to its lawful investigation. The SEC has followed all appropriate administrative steps required in seeking Musk’s testimony. In the face of Musk’s blatant refusal to comply with the SEC’s subpoena, the SEC now asks the Court to intervene and compel Musk’s compliance.”

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Valve’s leaked Steam Deck “Model 1030” probably isn’t a full “Version 2.0”

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Steam Deck on a porch

Enlarge / The Steam Deck, doing some outdoor modeling. (credit: Sam Machkovech)

Portable PC gamers who have been anticipating a new Steam Deck with improved hardware got a glimmer of hope recently thanks to the regulatory approval of an upcoming “Model 1030” edition of the hardware. But all indications suggest this new model will not be a more powerful “Steam Deck 2.0” that offers better pixel-pushing processors to support the latest high-end games.

Last month, Valve sleuth Brad Lynch noticed a South Korean certification under the Valve Corporation for a “specific low-power wireless device” in a new piece of hardware identified only by a model number: 1030. With no additional details, speculation about what might be coming ran the gamut from a new standalone VR headset to a revamp of the defunct Steam Controller.

This week, though, Lynch dug up the FCC approval details (dated August 13) for that same revision, which notes explicitly that it is for “Valve Steam Deck/ Model: 1030.” The registration was made somewhat stealthily through Valve partner Quectel, which will apparently now be supplying wireless antennas for the Steam Deck hardware.

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Source: Ars Technica – Valve’s leaked Steam Deck “Model 1030” probably isn’t a full “Version 2.0”

AI firms working on “constitutions” to keep AI from spewing toxic content

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Long gone, DEC is still powering the world of computing

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Rocket Report: NASA to test new RS-25 engines; Russia’s phantom rockets

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Stoke Space's Hopper 2 takes to the skies in September in Moses Lake, Washington.

Enlarge / Stoke Space’s Hopper 2 takes to the skies in September in Moses Lake, Washington. (credit: Stoke Space)

Welcome to Edition 6.14 of the Rocket Report! The big news this week is that Stoke Space, which is seeking to build a fully reusable rocket, has secured a significant amount of funding that should help it get closer to a debut launch within a couple of years. I also like the name they’ve chosen for their rocket—Nova.

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don’t want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

Stoke Space raises $100 million, names rocket. On Thursday afternoon, the small launch company announced it had secured $100 million in new funding, bringing the total amount raised to $175 million. The new Series B investment is being led by Industrious Ventures with participation from the University of Michigan, Sparta Group, Long Journey, and others. Stoke intends to use the funding to finance the development of its first-stage rocket engine and structure, the orbital version of its reusable second stage, and new construction at the historic Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

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Source: Ars Technica – Rocket Report: NASA to test new RS-25 engines; Russia’s phantom rockets

Dealmaster: Deals from Apple and Sony ahead of Amazon’s big event

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An Amazon Echo Dot on a nightstand.

Enlarge / An Amazon Echo Dot. (credit: Amazon)

Amazon’s second mega-sale of the season is on its way, but there’s no need to wait on some of the best deals of the year. Amazon and other retailers are already slashing prices on everything from AirPods to MacBooks to robot vacuums. So, if you’re ready to start your holiday shopping, dive into these preview deals to save some serious cash ahead of the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days event on October 10–11.

Early Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sales

  • Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) for $23 (was $50) at Amazon
  • Amazon Echo Studio for $155 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th gen) for $45 (was $60) at Amazon
  • Amazon Echo Pop for $18 (was $40) at Amazon
  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle for $194 (was $258) at Amazon
  • Amazon Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle for $382 (was $520) at Amazon
  • Amazon Kindle Kids Essentials Bundle for $113 (was $153) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet for $120 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Hisense 50-inch U6HF Series Quantum Dot QLED 4K TV for $200 with Amazon Prime reservation (was $500) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire TV 5-inch Omni Series 4K TV for $150 with Amazon Prime reservation (was $376) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire TV 32-inch 2-Series 720p HD smart TV for $110 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-Series 1080p HD smart TV for $180 (was $250) at Amazon
  • TCL 65-inch Q6 QLED 4K Smart TV with Fire TV for $550 (was $700) at Amazon
  • TCL 65-inch Class S4 4K LED Smart TV with Fire TV for $400 (was $530) at Amazon
  • Dyson Outsize Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $449 (was $530) at Amazon
  • Dyson V11 Cordless Stick Vaccum, Large for $448 (was $570) at Amazon
  • Hamilton Beach The Scoop Single Serve Coffee Maker for $55 (was $70) at Amazon
  • Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation (2021 release) for $65 (was $120) at Amazon
  • Made for Amazon Kids Bluetooth Headset for $16 (was $39) at Amazon
  • Amazon Eero 6E Mesh Wi-Fi Router for $180 (was $250) at Amazon
  • Amazon Eero 6+ Mesh Wi-Fi System for $195 (was $300) at Amazon
  • Amazon Eero Pro 6E Mesh Wi-Fi system for $400 (was $550) at Amazon
  • Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 40mm LTE Smartwatch for $300 (was $330) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (previous gen) for $23 (was $50) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire TV Cube for $110 (was $140) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite for $18 (was $30) at Amazon
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote for $20 (was $40) at Amazon
  • Sony HTX8500 2.1ch Dolby Atmos/DTS:X Soundbar for $198 with Amazon Prime reservation (was $400) at Amazon
  • Philips Sparkling Water Maker Soda Maker Soda Streaming Machine for $56 (was $80) at Amazon
  • SodaStream Art Sparkling Water Maker Bundle for $110 with Amazon Prime reservation (was $200) at Amazon
  • Citizen Men’s Promaster Dive Automatic Watch for $200 with Amazon Prime reservation (was $475) at Amazon
  • Philips 3000 Series Air Fryer Essential Compact with Rapid Air Technology for $80 with Amazon Prime reservation (was $180) at Amazon

Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro cases

The Pixel 8.

The Pixel 8.

  • Google Pixel 8 Case for $26 (was $35) at Amazon
  • Humix Ultra-Clear Google Pixel 8 Case for $18 (was $30) at Amazon
  • Juntone Google Pixel 8 Case Celar with Magnet for $20 (was $30) at
  • Yenapoon Google Pixel 8 Case with 2 Screen Protectors for $14 (was $15) at Amazon
  • Antshare Pixel 8 Pro Case with Military Grade Drop Protection for $16 (was $20) at Amazon
  • Juntone Pixel 8 Pro Case Clear WIth Magnet for $22 (was $30) at Amazon

Apple AirPods, MacBooks, iPads, and more

The M1 MacBook Air.

The M1 MacBook Air. (credit: Lee Hutchinson)

  • Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch Laptop M1 for $750 (was $999) at Amazon
  • Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, Lightning) Wireless Earbuds for $199 (was $249) at Amazon
  • Apple AirPods (3rd Generation, Lightning) Wireless Earbuds for $150 (was $170) at Amazon
  • Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones for $480 (was $549) at Amazon
  • Apple iPad Air (5th Generation) for $500 (was $599) at Amazon
  • Apple iPad (9th Generation) for $270 (was $329) at Amazon
  • Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation) for $469 (was $499) at Amazon
  • Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th Generation) for $1,049 (was $1,099) at Amazon
  • Apple AirTag 4 Pack for $89 (was $99) at Amazon
  • Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS only, 41mm) for $320 (was $400) at Amazon

Headphones

Sony's WF-1000XM4 noise-canceling true wireless earphones.

Sony’s WF-1000XM4 noise-canceling true wireless earphones.

  • Bose Headphones 700 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones for $299 (was $379) at Best Buy
  • Sony WF-1000XM4 True Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds for $223 (was $280) at Amazon
  • Sennheiser Sport True Wireless Earbuds for $100 (was $150) at Best Buy
  • Sennheiser CX Plus Wireless Earbuds for $130 (was $180) at Best Buy
  • Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Wireless Earbuds for $80 (was $150) at Best Buy
  • Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones for $129 (was $200) at Amazon
  • Poly Voyager 4320 Wireless Noise Cancelling Stereo Headset with mic for $158 (was $170) at Best Buy
  • Jabra Elite 10 Dolby Atmos True Wireless In-ear Headphones for $225 (was $250) at Best Buy
  • Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless for $80 with Amazon Prime reservation (was $180) at Amazon
  • Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro True Wireless Earbuds for $190 (was $230) at Best Buy

Home, office, and personal care

  • Shark AV993 IQ Robot Vacuum with Self Cleaning Brushroll for $200 (was $300) at Amazon
  • Shark HV322 Rocke Deluxe Pro Corded Stick Vacuum for $120 (was $250) at Amazon
  • INIU Wireless Charger 15W for $16 (was $27) at Amazon
  • Hypervolt 2 Pro Heat Pack (new launch) for $358 (was $388) at Hyperice
  • Beurer Insect Bite Healer for $23 (was $30) at Best Buy
  • Beurer One-Piece Blood Pressure Monitor for $90 (was $100) at Best Buy
  • Beurer Nordic Lux XL Faux Fur Heating Pad for $45 (was $50) at Best Buy
  • Beurer Tens Back Belt for $55 (was $65) at Best Buy
  • Beurer AliveCor KardiaMobile Personal EKG Monitor for $95 (was $115) at Best Buy
  • Beurer Bluetooth Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor for $35 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor for $25 (was $35) at Best Buy
  • Beurer Abdominal Muscle EMS Belt for $46 (was $60) at Best Buy
  • Beurer Pulse Oximeter for $31 (was $40) at Best Buy
  • Theragun PRO 4th Generation for $499 (was $599) at Therabody
  • Therabody RecoveryAir JetBoots Medium for $799 (was $899) at Best Buy

AirTag, iPhone, and laptop chargers, cables, and accessories

Apple introduced AirTags alongside several different kinds of accessories to enhance their flair and attach-ability.

Apple introduced AirTags alongside several different kinds of accessories to enhance their flair and attach-ability. (credit: Apple)

  • Apple MagSafe Charger for $33 (was $39) at Amazon
  • Huoto Portable Apple Watch Charger for $20 (was $26) at Amazon
  • ESR for iPhone 15 Plus Case, Compatible with MagSafe for $19 (was $25) at Amazon
  • Spigen Ultra Hybrid Designed for iPhone 15 case for $15 (was $35) at Amazon
  • Spigen Tempered Glass Screen Protector [GlasTR EZ FIT] designed for iPhone 15 Pro for $17 (was $35) at Amazon
  • Spigen Tempered Glass Screen Protector [GlasTR EZ FIT] designed for Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49 mm) for $16 (was $25) at Amazon
  • Pebblebee Clip 4-pack for $100 (was $120) at Pebblebee
  • Pebblebee Card & Clip Multi-pack for $100 (was $120) at Pebblebee
  • Apple AirTag 4 Pack for $89 (was $99) at Amazon
  • 2 Pack Waterproof Air Tag Keychain Case for $7 (was $11) at Amazon
  • Belkin Apple AirTag Secure Holder with Key Ring for $12 (was $13) at Amazon
  • GRIIID AirTag Wallet for $30 (was $40) at Amazon
  • Card Case for AirTag Tag Card 2 Pack for $12 (was $20) at Amazon
  • Anker Nano II 30W Fast GaN II Compact Charger for $24 (was $34) at Amazon
  • 192 PCS Cable Management Kit for $14 (was $20) at Amazon
  • INIU braided USB-C to USB-C Cable, 100 W [2-Pack 6.6ft] PD 5A Fast Charging Cable for $13 (was $16) at Amazon
  • 100 PCS Reusable Cable Ties for $7 (was $14) at Amazon

Lenovo laptops

(credit: Getty Images)

  • Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 2 (14-inch AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5450U) for $499 (was $2,129) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1185G7) for $1005 (was $3,869) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 (13-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U) for $1,160 (was $2,319) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 Intel (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1270P) for $1,624 (was $3,609) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-1355U) for $1,050 (was $1,909) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T16 (16-inch, Intel Core i5-1250P) for $1,372 (was $2,829) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i7-1255U) for $1,175 (was $2,349) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i7-1265U) for $1,485 (was $2,969) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 (13-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U) for $1,130 (was $2,259) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1245U) for $1,100 (was $2,199) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1235U) for $1,005 (was $2,009) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1345U) for $1,597 (was $2,959) at Lenovo

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Google open-sourced a hat shaped like a giant keycap—and it actually types

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Is it a key-cap or a keycap cap? We here at Ars are having trouble nailing down the terminology for this cephalic peripheral. But whatever it’s called, Google Japan’s latest DIY project is for people who can’t get keyboards off their heads.

Google isn’t making this product. Instead, the Gboard CAPS project is another of Google Japan’s joke keyboard ideas, like the 5.25-foot-long, single-row Gboard Stick Version keyboard shown off last year, used to promote Google’s Gboard app. However, Google Japan seemingly prototyped the keyboard in real life. Everything you need to make this typing topper, including the firmware and hardware, is open source and available on GitHub.

So how does one type with a hat, you ask? Inside the hat is a 6-axis inertial sensor that can read the hat’s positioning. The wearer turns the hat to the left and right, and each angle represents a different character code. Then, the wearer presses the top of the hat, which has 20 mm of travel, to enter the character. The keyboard connects with a device via Bluetooth and runs on a 3.7 V, 120 mAh battery. Google Japan even ensured it charges over everyone’s favorite connector, USB-C.

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Source: Ars Technica – Google open-sourced a hat shaped like a giant keycap—and it actually types

After COVID killed off a flu strain, annual flu shots are in for a redesign

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Graphical depiction of a virus.

Enlarge / The flu virus, showing the H and N proteins on its surface. (credit: CDC)

Vaccine advisors for the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously (12 to 0) Thursday to remove, “as soon as possible,” a component of annual flu shots that targets a strain of the virus that appears to have gone extinct amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vote follows a similar recommendation from the World Health Organization last week, which stated that “every effort should be made to exclude this component as soon as possible.”

Exactly how soon that removal could happen is unclear, though, and some advisors on the FDA’s panel expressed frustration that plans for the removal appear to have been slow-walked in the last couple of years, as it only became more apparent that the strain may be gone for good.

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World’s largest space conference succeeds in making a Starship update boring

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