China’s presence is growing in cybersecurity technology, with companies such as Huawei and Tencent accounting for six of the top 10 global patent holdings in the sector as of August. From a report: Chinese companies have made headway in technological fields that affect economic security, according to industry insiders, as they focus on fostering their own tech amid the growing standoff between the U.S. and China. The rankings, compiled by Nikkei in cooperation with U.S. information services provider LexisNexis, are based on patents registered in 95 countries and regions, including Japan, the U.S., China and the European Union. Patent registrations were screened for the cybersecurity field using such factors as the international patent classification, with filings of the same patent in multiple countries counted as a single patent.
As of August, IBM led the rankings with 6,363 patents. Huawei Technologies came in second with 5,735 patents and Tencent Holdings placed third with 4,803. Other Chinese companies in the top 10 included financial services provider Ant Group in sixth with 3,922 patents, followed by power transmission company State Grid Corp. of China with 3,696, Alibaba Group Holding with 3,122 and sovereign wealth fund China Investment with 3,042. Patent applications filed by Chinese companies have increased since around 2018, when the U.S. began to impose full-scale export controls on Chinese high-tech companies. Compared with 10 years ago, IBM’s patent holdings increased by a factor of 1.5. In contrast, holdings for Huawei and Tencent were 2.3 times and 13 times higher, respectively.
Young people are breaking up with dating apps, according to a new poll from Axios, showing that 79% of college students don’t use any dating apps. A decline in interest from dating apps’ core demographic is wreaking havoc across the industry, as Bumble’s CEO and founder Whitney Wolfe Herd steps down a day before the…
SpaceX is preparing to launch its Starship rocket for the second time, aiming for mid-November for another flight test of its launch vehicle after the first one didn’t go so well.
It’s never too early to get a jump-start on holiday shopping. Even though Black Friday isn’t here yet, there are still plenty of great deals on tech gear and essentials, ranging from laptops and TVs to chargers and monitors. We even have a rare sale on Herman Miller office and gaming chairs that include popular models like the Aeron and Embody. Soundbars, headphones, and AirTags round out our curated Dealmaster.
Stranger Things is still charting the long and winding path to its final season, between the Hollywood strikes, and the not-so-simple prospect of bringing an end to what is arguably Netflix’s most defining original series. An unexpected melding of those two issues? A West End play depicting the origin story of big bad…
Some 27-inch iMac users have been holding out for a true large-screened iMac replacement. But Apple threw cold water on those hopes in a statement given to the Verge (and later reiterated to Ars), where it said definitively that it was not working on an Apple Silicon version of the 27-inch iMac. Users of 27-inch Intel Macs should either move to the 24-inch iMac or to the M2 Pro Mac mini or the Mac Studio if they need more performance, according to Apple.
Eternal optimists still holding out hope for a new large-screened iMac might note that Apple specifically mentioned the 27-inch iMac, which doesn’t necessarily preclude the possibility of an even-larger iMac in the 30-something-inch range. But given Apple’s usual aversion to discussing its future plans, an explicit denial does hit differently than a total lack of comment or a boilerplate “Apple doesn’t comment on future plans.”
Trading in shares of WeWork were halted Monday as rumors swirl that the office sharing company, once valued as high as $47 billion, will seek bankruptcy protection. From a report: Last week, The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets reported that WeWork was planning to file for Chapter 11 bankrutpcy protection as early as this week — citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Shares of WeWork, which cost more than $400 two years ago, could be had Monday for less than $1.
The specter of bankruptcy has hovered over WeWork for some time. In August, the New York company sounded the alarm over its ability to remain in business. But cracks had begun to emerge several years ago. WeWork is paying the price for aggressive expansion in its early years. The company went public in October 2021 after its first attempt to do so two years earlier collapsed spectacularly. The debacle led to the ouster of founder and CEO Adam Neumann, whose erratic behavior and exorbitant spending spooked early investors.
Surfshark is one of the best VPN services around and there are deals available for its various plans as part of an early Black Friday sale. You can pick up a two-year subscription to the mid-tier Surfshark One plan for $2.69 per month (86 percent off the regular price of a one-month subscription), plus you’ll get an extra four months as a bonus.
Surfshark One is probably the best option for most people. Along with a VPN that Surfshark says you can use across an unlimited number of devices without bandwidth restrictions, you’ll get access to features such as antivirus software, data breach alerts (for things like email, credit card and ID leaks) and a privacy-focused search engine.
While we found it easy to set up Surfshark’s VPN in our testing, it took us a few attempts before we were able to stream a show from Hulu. So it may not be the ideal VPN if you often stream shows, movies and games. But if you’re just looking for a VPN that will help protect you as you browse the web, Surfshark is a solid option.
Meanwhile, Surfshark’s basic plan is just $2 per month if you pay for 24 months upfront (that’s 86 percent off a month-to-month plan). The company will also toss in three extra months for free. There aren’t too many bells and whistles with this plan, but you’ll still get a VPN you can use all compatible devices, along with an ad blocker and cookie pop-up blocker.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/surfshark-vpn-plans-are-up-to-86-percent-off-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-162730848.html?src=rss
What began as a jovial conference celebrating crypto culture and flashy nonfungible tokens this weekend ended with multiple attendees in a hospital believing they were going blind.
The Biden administration is proposing a ban on TCE, a highly toxic chemical commonly used in stain removers, adhesives and degreasers, and which had been found to be contaminating drinking water on a wide scale across the US. From a report: The move comes after years of mounting scientific evidence showing TCE is “extremely toxic” at low levels of exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wrote in a statement. “The science is loud and clear on TCE. It is a dangerous toxic chemical and proposing to ban it will protect families, workers and communities,” said the EPA deputy administrator, Janet McCabe.
TCE, or trichloroethylene, is a volatile organic compound that humans are frequently exposed to in a variety of settings, though those who use products with the chemical in an occupational setting are most at risk. It’s also commonly used in carpet cleaning treatments, hoof polishes, brake cleaners, pepper spray and lubricants. Among other health issues, the chemical is thought to be a carcinogen and a liver toxin, harm male reproduction, cause neurological damage, damage kidneys and cause Parkinson’s disease.
Akihabara News (Tokyo) — It has been revealed that officials of Osaka City deleted official emails regarding the planned casino resort after they had received information disclosure requests.
The content of the emails regarded the real estate appraisal for the casino resort, which is to be located on the manmade Yumeshima island in Osaka Bay.
Rather than respond appropriately to the information disclosure request, the officials instead deleted the emails from the network server and then claimed that they did not exist. This false response was provided even to the Osaka City Council.
A subsequent investigation, however, discovered that the emails and their attachments had been saved in a separate location.
The city has taken disciplinary action–a one-month pay cut–against two managers, and delivered reprimands to two others.
At a press conference, a city spokesperson stated that “although we couldn’t confirm that there was an intentional attempt to hide them, it did damage our credibility.”
Probe meat thermometers are insanely helpful whether you’re cooking indoors or out. They help ensure you don’t serve your family and friends undercooked chicken or an overcooked steak. While most of them use wired probes attached to some type of display or hub, Meater’s probes are completely wireless. This means you don’t have to dodge a cable when flipping or moving things around the grill. They’re also easier to use when wrapping large cuts like pork shoulders or brisket.
With two models under its belt, the Traeger-owned company is debuting its latest version today: the Meater 2 Plus. While the device may look awfully similar to Meater’s previous cooking gadgets and it still uses the charger as a Bluetooth range booster, there are some significant upgrades here. The company has installed additional sensors for more precise temperature readings, while also increasing heat resistance and overall durability. It has managed to do this without drastically increasing the price, too.
The biggest change for the Meater 2 Plus is on the inside. The company has added four more internal temperature sensors for a total of five. There’s also still the ambient temperature sensor on the opposite end to keep tabs on grill temps while you’re cooking. Meater says the five internal sensors offer “the real core temperature of the meat,” which it says can help reduce any subpar results due to an error in probe placement (the app helps with that, too). All five can measure temps down to a tenth of a degree with an accuracy that’s within half a degree.
The Meater app displays the lowest temperature of the five sensors in the main view of the app and goes by that for any targets you may have set. Additionally, you can see the real-time temps of all five sensors by tapping on the one being displayed. As it did before, the company’s mobile app offers guidance on target temperatures based on the doneness level you desire. There are lots of options for different types and cuts of meat, but you can also go full manual mode if you’re doing something like reheating leftovers or know exactly what you want. Either way, the app calculates estimated finishing time based on internal and ambient temperatures. It also warns you when there’s five minutes left, when you hit the target and when the required rest time (if any) is over.
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
Meater also added a new Master Class feature to its app that will offer over 50 video courses that teach cooking techniques like two-zone BBQ, reverse searing and more. Step-by-step demos will include ingredient and tool checklists for easy shopping. There will also be detailed written instructions so you’re not constantly swiping back through videos. Meater says this is just the initial batch and it plans to release new classes on a weekly basis.
The other big physical updates are improved heat resistance and durability. First, the Meater 2 Plus can withstand open flames at temperatures up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit (500 Celsius). This allows you to keep the probe in place while you sear. What’s more, the Meater app will warn you when the device is getting too hot.
That’s over 400 degrees hotter than the max temperature rating of the Meater Plus (527 degrees Fahrenheit). Plus, much of the competition, like ThermoPro’s TempSpike, can only handle just under 600 degrees. The Meater 2 Plus also has nine degrees more when it comes to the hottest internal temperature, now topping out at 221 degrees. The Meater 2 Plus is fully waterproof, so you can use it to deep fry or sous vide, as well. And when you’re done, you can just pop it in the dishwasher. I’ve done it several times and it’s still working just fine.
The temperature and waterproof upgrades are made possible by a new full-metal, stainless steel probe design. The Meater 2 Plus is 30 percent slimmer than the Meater Plus and a new Zirconia ceramic band allows the Bluetooth signal to radiate from the device. Thanks to a “high-performance antenna” and “optimized RF design” specifically tuned for high heat, the Meater 2 Plus offers an expanded range of up to 250 feet. That’s up from 165 feet on the previous model. The company says the new version can technically achieve 2,500 feet, but that requires a direct line of sight and no RF interference.
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
Most of our backyards won’t accommodate that, and you’re going to walk into the house to grab a beer at some point. In my tests, I was able to venture from my deck all the way to the mailbox on the street without losing connection. Like other Meater products, the 2 Plus works with Meater Link for Wi-Fi and Meater Cloud, providing unlimited range, though you’ll need to connect the Meater 2 Plus to another phone, tablet or laptop for these features.
Meater also improved battery life and charging efficiency. The Meater 2 Plus can be recharged for up to two years with one AAA battery, doubling the longevity of the previous model which the company rated at 100 charges. A fully charged probe will still last over 24 hours before you’ll need to dock it, unchanged from the Meater Plus. However, the Meater 2 Plus charges to 50 percent in only 15 minutes, enough for a 12-hour low-and-slow barbeque session. And as the company points out, you’ll never have to worry about charging if you keep the probe docked when it’s not in use.
I’ve tested the Meater 2 Plus for three cooks so far and I’ve been impressed with the performance for all of them. It’s completely wild to me to be able to throw this thing in the dishwasher instead of spending several minutes scrubbing the probe like I typically have to for all of my wired accessories. Of course, the highlight is the increased precision, which gives you a more detailed look at what’s going on during your cook. It was especially handy while smoking a turkey breast, allowing me to make sure the center was safe to eat while monitoring the rest to make sure it didn’t get too far past the coveted 165-degree mark. I also had no issues with high-heat use, though most of my testing was sub-350 degrees and primarily low-and-slow smoking. Besides turkey, I also used it for Over the Top Chili, smoked meatloaf and reheating leftovers.
The Meater 2 Plus is available now on the company’s website for $119.95. That’s $10-$20 more than the Meater Plus, depending on your wood preference for the charger on that previous model.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meater-2-plus-review-a-more-precise-and-durable-wireless-meat-thermometer-160039734.html?src=rss
Tyson Foods announced that it is voluntarily recalling almost 30,000 pounds of its famous (and delicious) dinosaur-shaped nuggets this weekend after some consumers reported finding little bits of metal in their patties.
Canon plans to price its new chipmaking gear at a fraction of the cost of ASML Holding NV’s best lithography machines, seeking to make inroads in the cutting-edge equipment now playing a central role in the US-China tech rivalry. From a report: The Tokyo-based company’s new nanoimprint technology would open up a way for smaller semiconductor makers to produce advanced chips, now almost wholly the domain of the sector’s biggest firms, Chief Executive Officer Fujio Mitarai said. “The price will have one digit less than ASML’s EUVs,” said the 88-year-old, now on his third stint as Canon’s president after last stepping back from day-to-day operations in 2016. He added that a final pricing decision hasn’t been made.
Veldhoven, Netherlands-based ASML is the only supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography tools, the world’s most advanced chipmaking machines costing hundreds of millions of dollars each. The product of decades of research and investment, EUV rigs are essential for mass-producing the fastest and most energy-efficient chips, which cram millions of transistors into every square millimeter of silicon. Only a handful of cash-rich companies can afford to invest in the tools, which are now under scrutiny for their linchpin status in the tech supply chain. ASML is banned from exporting EUV systems to Chinese customers, following US pressure on its allies to restrict technology flows to Beijing.
Rebecca Sugar is open to returning to Steven Universe. J.J. Abrams’ Constantine series for DC and Max is no more. Plus, what’s to come as Fear the Walking Dead nears its end. To me, my spoilers!
On Saturday, Elon Musk announced xAI’s launch of an early beta version of “Grok,” an AI language model similar to ChatGPT that is designed to respond to user queries with a mix of information and humor. Grok reportedly integrates real-time data access from X (formerly Twitter)—and is apparently willing to tackle inquiries that might be declined by other AI systems due to content filters and conditioning.
“xAI’s Grok system is designed to have a little humor in its responses,” wrote Musk in an introductory X post, showing a screenshot where a user asks Grok, “Tell me how to make cocaine, step by step.” Grok replies with a sarcastic answer that involves getting a “chemistry degree” and a “DEA license” and gathering coca leaves.
In step 4, Grok says, “Start cooking and hope you don’t blow yourself up or get arrested.” Then it follows the sarcastic steps with “Just Kidding! Please don’t actually try to make cocaine.”
Enlarge/ A pathfinder version of the Ariane 6 rocket is seen at launch facilities in Kourou, French Guiana. (credit: European Space Agency)
European space officials will convene on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the future of space policy for the continent. The “Space Summit” gathering in Seville, Spain, will encompass several topics, including the future of launch.
“Seville will be a very decisive moment for space in Europe,” said the director general of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher, on the eve of the summit. “On launchers, and on exploration, I expect ministers to really make very bold decisions. I certainly expect a paradigm shift on the launcher sector.”
Aschbacher has previously described Europe’s rocket predicament—the venerable Ariane 5 has retired, its replacement, Ariane 6, is not ready, and the smaller Vega C rocket is also having teething problems—as an acute crisis. Now, it’s possible this crisis will lead to the breakup of a decades-long partnership in Europe, led by the nations of France, Germany, and Italy, to collaborate on the development of launch capabilities.
Elon Musk unveiled ‘Grok’ Saturday, a snarky, anti-woke AI chatbot that has access to all tweets, giving real-time knowledge about the world – if you can call everything on X ‘knowledge’. It’s built on Grok-1, the first large language model from the billionaire’s artificial intelligence company, xAI.
You may think Nebraska and China have little in common, but the two places definitely share one ancient similarity: the presence of a 30-million-year-old primate lineage which headed to North America millions of years before modern human ancestors would evolve.
Apple will not be making an Apple Silicon version of the 27-inch iMac to replace the Intel-equipped model that it discontinued in 2022. From a report: The company is instead focusing the iMac line around the 24-inch model that was first released in early 2021 and just updated with the new M3 processor this fall. Apple PR representative Starlayne Meza confirmed the company’s plans to The Verge. The company encourages those who have been holding out hope for a larger iMac to consider the Studio Display and Mac Studio or Mac Mini, which pair a 27-inch 5K screen with a separate computer, compared to the all-in-one design of the iMac. For many years, the 27-inch iMac was Apple’s flagship consumer desktop computer, and its reach spread far beyond the typical living room or home office into the studios and edit bays of many media companies.
