Life With AI Causing Human Brain ‘Fry’

fjo3 shares a report from France 24: Too many lines of code to analyze, armies of AI assistants to wrangle, and lengthy prompts to draft are among the laments by hard-core AI adopters. Consultants at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have dubbed the phenomenon “AI brain fry,” a state of mental exhaustion stemming “from the excessive use or supervision of artificial intelligence tools, pushed beyond our cognitive limits.”

The rise of AI agents that tend to computer tasks on demand has put users in the position of managing smart, fast digital workers rather than having to grind through jobs themselves. “It’s a brand-new kind of cognitive load,” said Ben Wigler, co-founder of the start-up LoveMind AI. “You have to really babysit these models.” […] “There is a unique kind of reward hacking that can go on when you have productivity at the scale that encourages even later hours,” Wigler said.

[Adam Mackintosh, a programmer for a Canadian company] recalled spending 15 consecutive hours fine-tuning around 25,000 lines of code in an application. “At the end, I felt like I couldn’t code anymore,” he recalled. “I could tell my dopamine was shot because I was irritable and didn’t want to answer basic questions about my day.”

BCG recommends in a recently published study that company leaders establish clear limits regarding employee use and supervision of AI. However, “That self-care piece is not really an America workplace value,” Wigler said. “So, I am very skeptical as to whether or not its going to be healthy or even high quality in the long term.” Notably, the report says everyone interviewed for the article “expressed overall positive views of AI despite the downsides.” In fact, a recent BCG study actually found a decline in burnout rates when AI took over repetitive work tasks.


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The Best Books, Movies, Video Games, and Podcasts to Check Out After Watching ‘Heated Rivalry’

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It was the water bottle scene, wasn’t it? The moment you realized that Heated Rivalry was something special. Whether you were aware of Rachel Reid’s romance novels before the Canadian adaptation made its way to HBO last year or not, that electric moment of combined recognition, longing, and lust was when so many viewers realized the relationship between Shane Hollander (Hudson WIlliams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) was going to leave a mark.

If you’ve burned through the first season’s six episodes (and all the streamalike shows we’ve recommended) and you find you need still more sporty dude romance in your life, it’s time to widen your net to other forms of media. There are plenty of books, movies, games, and podcasts that can keep you in the game until Shane and Ilya’s story continues in season two.

The best books to read after watching ‘Heated Rivalry’

One aspect of Heated Rivalry that set it apart was how it conveys intimacy so effectively—the bond between Ilya and Shane is beautiful to watch as it develops from a hookup to a life-changing event. Nothing beats a good book for an intimate experience, so here are some reads that Rivalry fans will adore.

Game Changer, by Rachel Reid

It’s an obvious choice, but a necessary one. There are seven books in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, with one more due out next year. If you want to re-experience the rivalry, romance, and charming characters of show, start reading the series, staring with Game Changer; the first book in the series explores Scott and Kip’s relationship, from that first smoothie to that amazing moment on the ice where Scott comes out in the most dramatic and wonderful way possible. Then experience Shane and Ilya’s story on the page with Heated Rivalry, and get a preview of season two of the show in the direct sequel The Long Game.

Him, by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

If your favorite part of Heated Rivalry is the slow burn of Ilya and Shane’s relationship as they go from denying their emotions to helplessly sinking into each other, Him is just the ticket. It’s the story of Jamie and Ryan, best friends who have a drunken sexual encounter at hockey camp as teens that seemingly ends their friendship. When they face each other while playing college, they have a chance to set their records straight and maybe accept what they really mean to each other.

Two Left Feet, by Kallie Emblidge

If you want more Heated Rivalry with a dash of Ted Lasso, check out Two Left Feet. Oliver is a star player in the Premier League, until an injury cuts his season short. Leo is called up to take his place, and Oliver is charged with ensuring Leo fits in—but he worries that Leo is angling to take his roster spot permanently. But as they work together, something more complicated than a professional rivalry is kindled.

Red, White and Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston

This book offers perhaps the closest vibe to Heated Rivalry as it explores the relationship between Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the U.S. President, and England’s Prince Henry. The young men initially hate each other, but when that tension turns into an embarrassing public relations fiasco, they’re forced to fake a truce and smile for the cameras. The ruse starts to turn into something real, however, as they’re forced to spend time together—but their public roles require that everything be kept secret.

Gravity, by Tal Bauer

If you want a deep dive back into the politics and dangers of being closeted in the macho world of professional hockey, Gravity is a good match. Bryce lives and breathes hockey, and his hard work has made him captain of the Montréal Étoiles, headed for the Stanley Cup. But when he meets mediocre player Hunter Lacey, he starts to lose the focus that made him a superstar. And then he starts to make decisions that put his image and his entire career at risk. But it just might be worth it.

The best movies like ‘Heated Rivalry’

Heated Rivalry isn’t just a thoughtful romance, it’s a visual treat. From those washboard abs to the kinetic hockey scenes, it’s just a lot of fun to watch. If you want to wallow in the visuals a little longer, here are some feature-length stories that will hit in similar ways.

All of Us Strangers (2023)

This part ghost story, part romance is a haunting exploration of missed chances and grief. When reclusive, depressed writer Adam (Andrew Scott) meets Harry (Paul Mescal) at his apartment building, he flees Harry’s flirtations. But as he begins having visions of his dead parents, whom he lost as a young boy, he begins to see Harry and slowly learn how to let go of his grief—until a final, gut-wrenching twist you won’t soon forget. Rent All of Us Strangers on Prime Video.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

If it was the deep storm of emotions that made Heated Rivalry sing for you, this movie is a must-watch. In the 18th century, Marianne is hired to travel to an isolated island to pose as a hired companion to a young noblewoman named Héloïse. Marianne’s true mission is to secretly paint a portrait of Héloïse to mark her engagement; Héloïse is unhappy about the wedding and refuses to pose. As the two women grow closer, they enjoy a few days of intense passion that hurtles toward a lyrical, doomed ending. Stream Portrait of a Lady on Fire on Hulu or HBO Max, or rent it from Prime Video.

Challengers (2024)

It’s got sports, steamy bisexual energy, and some really, really attractive people, so Challengers is a perfect substitute for Heated Rivalry. Swapping hockey for tennis, the film follows the careers and extremely horny throuple-ish relationship between tennis pros Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor), Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), and Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) as they deal with varying levels of professional success, injuries, and personal drama. While it’s not explicitly queer (Patrick and Art are rivals for Zendaya’s affections), the subtext is so close to the surface that fans of Heated Rivalry will love it. Stream Challengers on Hulu or rent it from Prime Video.

National Anthem (2023)

As far as we’ve come, there are still plenty of places and subcultures in this country where being out and queer isn’t exactly safe or easy. National Anthem is the story of Dylan (Charlie Plumber), a young man who takes a job as a ranch hand in New Mexico and encounters a happy queer community living their best lives. Entranced by Sky (Eve Lindley), a trans woman, he slowly learns to accept who he is and how he wants to live his life. Stream National Anthem on Hulu or rent it from Prime Video.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

In many ways, Ennis and Jack had to crawl so Shane and Ilya could skate. The classic “queer cowboy” film starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal isn’t just an iconic moment in queer film, it’s a truly remarkable work of art powered by two incredible performances. The story of two men who meet while doing seasonal ranch work in Wyoming in the 1960s and conduct an on-again, off-again love affair they must kep secret is still as emotionally powerful today as it was two decades ago. Rent Brokeback Mountain on Prime Video.

The best video games like ‘Heated Rivalry’

If you prefer to be part of your narratives, don’t worry: There are options for gamers who love Heated Rivalry, too.

Shoresy: Legends of the North

Heated Rivalry was created for Canadian television by Jacob Tierney, who you might recognize from his other series Letterkenny and Shoresy. The latter is a story about a hockey player who joins a struggling hockey team in dead last, and was adapted into the surprisingly enjoyable game Shoresy: Legends of the North. It’s a hockey game designed for folks who don’t spend their whole lives thinking hockey, and incorporates both a game-focused multiplayer and a more story-focused mode, with RPG elements where the tonal similarities to Heated Rivalry really show.

Platforms: Steam

Thirsty Suitors

This game is a vibe, and that vibe (a queer, South Asian Scott Pilgrim) lines up nicely with Heated Rivalry, despite a lack of hockey. You play as Jala, who returns home from an awful breakup only to be plunged into a series of knock-down, drag-out fights with her exes. Depending on your choices during the battles, you can realize several different outcomes for Jala and her former flames, which is where the Rivalry-like heart comes into play.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox, Steam

NHL 26

If part of the reason you love Heated Rivalry is that you love hockey, why not play the latest version of the game that Ilya and Shane play against each other? NHL 26 is the classic pro-level hockey video game that’s been around for more than 25 years now, so if you want more hockey competition to keep you busy until the next season of the show, this is your chance.

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Steam

The best podcasts like ‘Heated Rivalry’

There’s nothing like finding people just as obsessed with a show as you are, or finding a narrative that gives you the same feels. Here are some great podcasts for Heated Rivalry fans.

Long Game: a Heated Rivalry Podcast

Long Game: a Heated Rivalry Podcast

Credit: Podcast logo

If you want to revisit each episode alongside a ton of analysis and excited discussion about the show’s themes, the characters’ arcs, and everything that makes itspecial, Long Game: a Heated Rivalry Podcast is one you should put some time into.

Puck It! A Penetrating Analysis of Heated Rivalry

Puck It! A Penetrating Analysis of Heated Rivalry

Credit: Podcast logo

Puck It! A Penetrating Analysis of Heated Rivalry is another deep-dive podcast into the show if you don’t have enough people willing to have endless late-night discussions about it.

Big Gay Fiction Podcast

Big Gay Fiction Podcast

Credit: Podcast logo

If Heated Rivalry has opened your eyes to the world of queer romance and you’re actively seeking out more, the Big Gay Fiction Podcast is your guide to a world of books, films, and other media that celebrate queer love and the complexity of modern relationships.

Gay Pride and Prejudice

Gay Pride and Prejudice

Credit: Podcast logo

You might not immediately think of Jane Austen in the context of Heated Rivalry, but romance is romance, and no one did “enemies to lovers” better than Austen in Pride and Prejudice. Gay Pride and Prejudice is a first-class production that retells the story through a modern, queer lens that will hit the same pleasure centers in your brain.

Roommates

Roommates podcast

Credit: Podcast logo

If you’re looking for more gentle queer romance involving boys who slowly learn how to love each other, Roommates is a great choice. During the pandemic lockdown, two sophomores are put together in a housing assignment, resulting in a relationship that starts off as intensely awkward, but then becomes simply intense.

Judge Allows BitTorrent Seeding Claims Against Meta, Despite Lawyers ‘Lame Excuses’

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TorrentFreak: In an effort to gather material for its LLM training, Meta used BitTorrent to download pirated books from Anna’s Archive and other shadow libraries. According to several authors, Meta facilitated the infringement of others by “seeding” these torrents. This week, the court granted the authors permission to add these claims to their complaint, despite openly scolding their counsel for “lame excuses” and “Meta bashing.” […] The judge acknowledged that the contributory infringement claim could and should have been added back in November 2024, when the authors amended their complaint to include the distribution claim. After all, both claims arise from the same factual allegations about Meta’s torrenting activity.

“The lawyers for the named plaintiffs have no excuse for neglecting to add a contributory infringement claim based on these allegations back in November 2024,” Judge Chhabria wrote. The lawyers of the book authors claimed that the delay was the result of newly produced evidence that had “crystallized” their understanding of Meta’s uploading activity. However, that did not impress the judge. He called it a “lame excuse” and “a bunch of doubletalk,” noting that if the missing discovery truly prevented the contributory claim from being added in November 2024, the same logic would have prevented the distribution claim from being added at that time as well. “Rather than blaming Meta for producing discovery late, the plaintiffs’ lawyers should have been candid with the Court, explaining that they missed an issue in a case of first impression..,” the order reads.

Judge Chhabria went further, noting that the authors’ law firm, Boies Schiller, showed “an ongoing pattern” of distracting from its own mistakes by attacking Meta. He pointed specifically to the dispute over when Meta disclosed its fair use defense to the distribution claim, which we covered here recently, characterizing it as a false distraction. “The lawyers for the plaintiffs seem so intent on bashing Meta that they are unable to exercise proper judgment about how to represent the interests of their clients and the proposed class members,” the order reads. Despite the criticism, Chhabria granted the motion. […] For now, the case moves forward with a fourth amended complaint, three new loan-out companies added as named plaintiffs, and a growing list of BitTorrent-related claims for Judge Chhabria to resolve.


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Microsoft Pulls Recent Windows 11 Update After Installation Meltdown

Microsoft Pulls Recent Windows 11 Update After Installation Meltdown
This week, Microsoft released a new Windows 11 preview build, dubbed KB5079391, but it’s also had to pause the rollout due to an installation error with a currently-unknown cause and fix. It’s a shame, since KB5079391 does incorporate a lot of desirable features and fixes for a variety of Windows 11 issues. These include improved Application

Meta is testing an Instagram Plus subscription service with exclusive features

Meta is testing a new subscription service for Instagram that offers users “exclusive” features like the ability to post Stories for longer than 24 hours. Screenshots promoting “Instagram Plus” have been spotted by users in the Philippines and Mexico in recent days. 

According to screenshots shared by social media consultant Matt Navarra, a subscription to Instagram Plus comes with a number of Story-focused features not otherwise available to Instagram users. This includes the ability to create multiple “audiences” for Stories posts, see info about who has rewatched your Story, search the list of people who have viewed your Story, preview Stories posts, extend Stories longer than 24 hours and create  “spotlight” Stories. It also mentions something called “super hearts” for reacting to Stories.

A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the test to Engadget, saying that Instagram Plus is currently available in “a few countries,” but didn’t say which. A dedicated help page on Meta’s website says that this feature is not available to everyone right now.”  The spokesperson confirmed the feature list shown below, and added that “preview” would allow people to see some of another user’s Story without “showing up as a viewer” and that Stories posts could be extended for an additional 24 hours. “Our hope from these tests is to understand what’s most valuable to people in a premium feature set,” the spokesperson said.

A list of features that come with Instagram Plus subscriptions.
A list of features that come with Instagram Plus subscriptions.
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It seems that early versions of the service are priced fairly cheaply, with the prices in the Philippines landing at 65 PHP (about $1.07 in USD) a month and in Mexico at $39 MXN (about $2.15 in USD) a month. Meta is also offering prospective users a free one-month trial of the service.

The idea seems to be closely modeled after Snapchat+, which also offers bonus features to the app’s power users. Launched in 2022, the service has racked up more millions of subscribers and has become a significant driver of non-advertising revenue for the company.

Now, Meta is looking to boost its subscription revenue too. The company said earlier this year it would test new types of subscriptions, including those focused on AI features. Elsewhere, Meta has also been pushing its Meta Verified subscriptions more aggressively. Over the last several weeks, I’ve repeatedly seen promotions for discounted Meta Verified plans with an initial one-month trial starting at $1 (the cheapest Meta Verified plans typically start at $14.99/month). The company has also recently tested link-sharing features in Instagram captions for subscribers and limits on link-sharing on Facebook for non-subscribers. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-testing-an-instagram-plus-subscription-service-with-exclusive-features-181215180.html?src=rss

10 Shows Like ‘Your Friends and Neighbors’ You Should Watch Next

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In Apple TV’s Your Friends and Neighbors, Jon Hamm plays Andrew “Coop” Cooper, a recently divorced New York hedge fund manager who’s even more recently, unemployed. In an effort to keep up an illusion that nothing in his life has changed, he begins breaking into the homes of his wealthy neighbors to steal and sell their stuff, inadvertently catching on to their secrets as well. (The friends and neighbors of the title include Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Mark Tallman, Hoon Lee, Lena Hall, and Aimee Carrero.)

This dark comedy isn’t exactly about how hard it is to be a once-rich suburban white guy, but neither is it a pointed lesson in the downfalls toxic masculinity. A former insider turned secret outsider, Coop is well positioned to offer up bitchy commentary without becoming a total caricature. Season two launches in April, but until then (and between episodes), catch up on these 10 other shows about all the weird shit that’s going on in your neighborhood while you’ve been holed up inside your house watching TV. Stream Your Friends and Neighbors on Apple TV.

Weeds (2005 – 2012)

A classic of the crime-in-the-suburbs genre, strains of Weeds definitely run through Your Friends and Neighbors, and many other shows that it inspired. Mary-Louise Parker stars as Nancy Botwin, recently widowed mom who’s desperate to maintain the upper-middle-class lifestyle once provided by her husband. She can’t really handle the idea of giving up the conspicuous consumption to which she’s become accustomed, so she decides to make some bank for herself. And what better way to do that, particularly in the LA ‘burbs, than by selling weed (obviously the show was made and is set before the drug was legalized for recreational use in 2016)? Like Jon Hamm’s Coop, Nancy is just not ready for her family to give up on nice things. Buy Weeds from Prime Video.


Bad Sisters (2022 – 2024)

A pitch perfect pitch-dark comedy, the Irish import Bad Sisters picked up several well-deserved Emmy nominations in its first year. Writer and co-creator Sharon Horgan leads the cast as Eva Garvey, oldest of five sisters, including Grace (Anne-Marie Duff), who’s married to John Paul, an abusive and isolating husband. When the dude winds up dead under rather suspicious circumstances, down-on-his-luck insurance investigator Tom (Brian Gleeson) starts poking his nose into things. We know the sisters definitely wanted John Paul dead, but did they actually do the deed? Tom’s family business will go under if he has to pay out on the life insurance policy, so he’s very motivated to pin the (potential) crime on at least one of the women. Stream Bad Sisters on Apple TV.


The White Lotus (2021 — )

If the characters of Your Friends and Neighbors went on vacation, it might go a little something like this. Each season of Mike White’s anthology show begins with a flash forward to the rather horrible outcomes that will be faced by at least some of the holiday makers traveling to one of the title’s White Lotus resorts (each season is a distinct storyline and location, with the occasional recurring character). The first season’s manager, Murray Bartlett’s Armond, makes clear to the staff that the ultra-wealthy guests are little more than overgrown children, and need to be coddled as such. At these very fancy resorts, at which people have paid absurd amounts of money to be pampered, competitiveness and general toxicity ensure that everyone’s going to have a miserable time, whatever the price. And yet I still kinda want to stay there? Stream The White Lotus on HBO Max.


Good Girls (2018 – 2021)

Beth, Ruby and Annie (Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman, respectively) are three moms in suburban Michigan, and they are all having serious money troubles. They’re not exactly criminal masterminds, so they concoct a scheme to rob the local grocery store to solve them—a store that just happens to be serve as a front for a money-laundering operation. They make off with $500,000, but the gang leader whose money they unknowingly stole wants it back, and the store manager who spotted one of their tattoos and is threatening blackmail. It’s definitely not a sitcom, but it’s a solid comedy-drama with a talented cast of characters who keep finding themselves in deeper and deeper over the course of four seasons. Stream Good Girls on Netflix.


Dope Thief (2025)

Ray and Manny (Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura) are childhood friends from Philly who’ve been supporting themselves by impersonating DEA agents and robbing low-level stash houses in the inner city. Manny’s looking to move on while Ray’s eccentric mother, Theresa (Kate Mulgrew, clearly having a great time) needs a lot of money fast. And so, as you’ve probably guessed, we’re about to enter “one last big score” territory, which, in this case, involves robbing a meth lab that is, it turns out, part of a large-scale operation that the legit DEA has in its sights. Stream Dope Thief on Apple TV.


Deli Boys (2025 – )

Pakistani-American journalist and producer Abdullah Saeed has long been celebrated for his investigative reporting and his Vice documentaries, many of them dealing with the impacts of cannabis laws. That experience lends a unique verisimilitude to this comedy series following two brothers—hardworking Mir (Asif Ali) and hard partying Raj (Saagar Shaikh)—after the death of their wealthy father, at which point they learn that the bulk of their family’s money comes not from the public-facing chain of delis, but from the illegal drug operation running behind the scenes. It’s fast-paced and frequently very fun, and hits the theme of maintaining a front in modern America, but this time starring people who don’t look like Jon Hamm. Stream Deli Boys on Hulu.


Big Little Lies (2017 – )

Much as with The White Lotus, part of the thrill of Big Little Lies is in watching some some very rich, very attractive, very white (mostly) ladies have a tough time in a beautiful locale (in this case, Monterey, California). Unlike Your Friends and Neighbors, money isn’t really at issue here, except in the ways that even small differences in perceived wealth can lead to big drama—but there are secrets aplenty. In season one, five women (played by Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz) become involved in a murder investigation connected to a school fundraiser that threatens to bring all of their private dirt out into the open. Stream Big Little Lies on HBO Max.


Dead to Me (2019 – 2022)

Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini make for an all-time-great TV pairing in this dark, twisty comedy about a couple of women who become united in tragedy…and lies. Applegate is Jen Harding, a realtor whose husband was killed in a hit-and-run incident; she’s not dealing very well, and takes a bit of inspiration from Cardellini’s Judy, who has maintained a cheery disposition following her fiancé Steve’s death from a heart attack—easier to do, given that Steve’s still secretly alive. And then we discover that Judy has a storage unit with a car that looks suspiciously like the one that killed Jen’s husband—and that’s all just part of the first episode. The show only gets wilder from there. Stream Dead to Me on Netflix.


The Santa Clarita Diet (2017 – 2019)

Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant star in the comedy-horror series about a husband and wife real estate team whose lives are turned upside down when she learns that she’s a zombie (a result of some bad clams, natch). She enjoys her new, less-inhibited life, and mostly only eats bad people, so it’s fine. The premise is obviously horror-movie-adjacent, but the joke is very much that everyone in the suburbs is living beyond their means, and everyone has something to hide. It’s just that in the case of the Hammonds, the big secret in question is that she’s undead, and the crimes they’re concealing involve cannibalism. Stream The Santa Clarita Diet on Netflix.

OkCupid settles FTC case on alleged misuse of its users’ personal data

Match Group and its subsidiary OkCupid has finally settled a lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission that dates back to its alleged sharing of user data back in 2014. According to the lawsuit, the FTC accused OkCupid of inappropriately sharing personal user data that includes photos and location info with a third party company, Clarifai, which offers AI-powered software for uses like facial recognition and content moderation.

According to the FTC, OkCupid’s privacy policy at the time noted that the company wouldn’t share a user’s personal information with others, except for some cases including “service providers, business partners, other entities within its family of businesses.” However, the lawsuit accused OkCupid of sharing three million photos of its users to Clarifai, which the FTC claims is a “unrelated third party” that didn’t fall under the allowed entities. On top of that, the lawsuit alleged that OkCupid didn’t inform its users of this data sharing, nor give them a chance to opt out.

“While we do not admit any wrongdoing, we have settled this matter with the FTC with no monetary penalty to resolve an issue from 2014 and move forward,” an OkCupid spokesperson told Engadget, adding that the allegations don’t reflect how OkCupid operates today. “Over the years, we have further strengthened our privacy practices and data governance to ensure we meet the expectations of our users.”

Moving forward, the settlement would “permanently prohibit” Match Group, which owns OkCupid, and Humor Rainbow, which operates OkCupid, from misrepresenting what kind of personal information it collects, the purpose for collecting the data and any consumer choices to prevent data collection. Even after the 2014 incident, OkCupid was found with security flaws that could’ve exposed user account info but, which were quickly patched in 2020.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/okcupid-settles-ftc-case-on-alleged-misuse-of-its-users-personal-data-175159228.html?src=rss

F1 in Japan: Oh no, what have they done to all the fast corners?

Following this past weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, Formula 1 goes into a five-week hiatus now that war in the Gulf has made it impossible to hold races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The unplanned break is probably welcomed up and down the paddock as teams, drivers, and officials try to get their heads around this new generation of F1 car and the radical new demands it places on them all. Those new challenges were on full display at Suzuka.

On the plus side, the race itself was quite exciting. That’s something you could not have said in 2025, a snoozefest with cars driving in procession and few opportunities to overtake. A hefty reduction in aerodynamic downforce for 2026 means that cars can follow each other more closely. But after this visit to one of motorsport’s most-loved, most challenging circuits, it’s very hard to avoid the conclusion that F1 has painted itself into a corner with its new hybrid systems. The sport itself recognizes this; on April 9, it will hold crisis talks to try to find a solution.

You don’t have the energy

The problem, as we have been warned for some time, is the new hybrid power trains, which combine a 1.6 L V6 that generates 400 kW (536 hp) with a 350 kW (469 hp) electric motor. Getting to a near 50:50 split between internal combustion and electric power was key to attracting new auto manufacturers to the sport, and Audi, Ford, Cadillac, and Honda were all enticed by the 2026 rules. The electric motor is fed by a 1.1 kWh (4 MJ) battery pack, but depending on the track, cars are allowed to deploy 8–9 MJ from the electric side, which means recovering that energy while out on track.

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Scientists Turn Plastic Waste Into Parkinson’s Drug In Stunning Medical Breakthrough

Scientists Turn Plastic Waste Into Parkinson’s Drug In Stunning Medical Breakthrough
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have successfully transformed common plastic waste into a high-value precursor for Parkinson’s disease medication. Using engineered E. coli bacteria, the team converted polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into adipic acid, which was then further synthesized into a vital drug component, proving that the

After 16 years and $8 billion, the military’s new GPS software still doesn’t work

Last year, just before the Fourth of July holiday, the US Space Force officially took ownership of a new operating system for the GPS navigation network, raising hopes that one of the military’s most troubled space programs might finally bear fruit.

The GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System, or OCX, is designed for command and control of the military’s constellation of more than 30 GPS satellites. It consists of software to handle new signals and jam-resistant capabilities of the latest generation of GPS satellites, GPS III, which started launching in 2018. The ground segment also includes two master control stations and upgrades to ground monitoring stations around the world, among other hardware elements.

RTX Corporation, formerly known as Raytheon, won a Pentagon contract in 2010 to develop and deliver the control system. The program was supposed to be complete in 2016 at a cost of $3.7 billion. Today, the official cost for the ground system for the GPS III satellites stands at $7.6 billion. RTX is developing an OCX augmentation projected to cost more than $400 million to support a new series of GPS IIIF satellites set to begin launching next year, bringing the total effort to $8 billion.

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This Eufy Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo Is $300 Off During Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

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With so many options on the market, it can be tough to differentiate between vacuum robots and mop hybrids. But if you’re on a budget, one major factor to consider is whether it has a roller mop. A roller mop cleans hard floors better by preventing dirty water from spreading and is more effective at removing heavy-duty messes, similar to wiping up a mess with a wet towel. The new Eufy Omni C28 is the “most budget-friendly roller mop robot vacuum,” according to Mashable, and right now it’s 38% off for the Amazon Big Spring Sale, bringing it to a record-low price of $499.99 (originally $799.99).

Along with being surprisingly affordable for its extra-long roller design, the C28 is a compact choice for apartments and smaller homes with a dock that takes up less space than other auto-washing and drying hybrid cleaners. The one drawback is the 15,000 Pa suction power, which, on the surface, appears underwhelming compared to higher-powered options costing four figures. Despite this, professional and consumer reviews consistently state that the C28 leaves floors sparkling and dust-free, especially when the wet, pressurized roller mop does double duty.

It also performs well in smart mapping, with setup taking just a couple of minutes. While the 10.7-inch roller mop (which self-cleans with clean water nine times a second) is the main standout feature, the robot vacuum’s 4.5-inch height may not be slim enough to fit under some dishwashers and low-clearance furniture or cabinets. And despite 15,000 Pa suction, it can be a little noisy, particularly during the auto-empty process. It can cross thresholds up to 20 mm, and the roller mop lifts up to 10.8 mm when carpeting is detected.

The five-in-one base station keeps the C28 hands-free for up to 75 days, handling mop cleaning, dust removal, water tank refilling, wastewater collection, and hot-air drying, which runs a bit faster than competitors thanks to a four-air duct system. If you want a genuinely hands-free setup with an effective self-cleaning roller mop, the mid-range Eufy Omni C28 robot vacuum and mop is a solid option, offering great value for near-high-end features at less than half the price, especially during the Amazon Big Spring Sale, when it’s at its lowest price ever.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now

Deals are selected by our commerce team

50 years of Apple pushing tech forward, for better or worse

Over the last 50 years, Apple reimagined personal computers, catalyzed the era of the smartphone, enlarged an iPhone and called it the iPad and garnered a strong position in wearable tech through its Watch series and its AirPods. It also popularized software and services like its App Store, FaceTime, iCloud, iMessages and many more. For a lot of us, the first time we pinched-to-zoom on a photo was likely on an iPhone.

However, Apple gives and it takes away. Things have had to change, be removed and consumers have to move on to whatever’s new. For better or worse, the weight of Apple’s influence has led to entire product categories following suit. Or, more typically, there’s resistance, complaining and then… following suit. With the benefit of hindsight, most of these cases are examples of Apple seeing where technology was going and getting ahead of a transition that would have been inevitable. Often, these transitions have caused short-term pain for some, but time has proven Apple (mostly) correct about dropping older tech.

As Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch once said: murder your darlings. Here are some of the darlings we’ve lost over the years.

The death of the disk drive (1998)

This is a two-parter. The iMac G3 marked Steve Jobs’ return. The colorful all-in-one Mac was a new start in many ways. In 1998, Apple ditched the standard ports and myriad cable types of personal computers, going all in on USB and a little-known thing called the internet. (In fact, that’s what the ‘i’ in iMac stands for.)

In doing so, it also ditched the 3.5-inch floppy disk drive — although it did have a read-only optical disk drive. Even with sluggish internet and USB transfer speeds at the time, the convenience was plain to see and it led to a decade of thumb drives of ever-increasing storage limits. High-capacity alternatives to the floppy disk, like the Zip disk and even Minidisc, attempted to bridge the gap, but never gained the widespread traction and adoption of the original disk drive. But flash drives and, later, internet-based file storage quickly made them obsolete anyway. Apple was just a little early with its dismissal.

Portable music players (2007)

Despite Apple’s iPod being the de facto music player at the time, it was supplanted by the company’s own biggest hit: the iPhone. At its peak, the iPod made Apple the zeitgeisty tech company it is today. It dominated the MP3 player market, and by 2006, iPods were responsible for 40 percent of the company’s revenue. And that was before the era of Apple including a free U2 album with every iTunes account.

When the iPhone launched in June 2007, it was swiftly followed by the iPod Touch in September. This was the iPhone without the phone part — indicating how the company saw the future of music listening. You didn’t need an iPod if you already had an iPhone in your pocket. It’s the best example of Apple cannibalizing a product that defined a decade with something far more impressive and, eventually, more successful.

It was a slow death. Ignoring the countless MP3-playing rivals, (RIP Zune), Apple dropped the classic iPod in 2014. It soon did the same to the tiny iPod nano and iPod shuffle in 2017. Finally, the company discontinued the iPod Touch in May 2022.

The physical smartphone keyboard (2007 plus change)

A BlackBerry on a rock.
Unsplash / Thai Nguyen

When the iPhone’s capacitive screen and touch keyboard landed, there was a learning curve. Moving from physical keys (whether it was a 9-key alphanumeric version or the BlackBerry’s QWERTY experience) to a touch screen, especially on the tiny 3.5-inch panel of the first iPhone, wasn’t easy.

But it was the future. Physical keyboards took up physical space on devices — especially as those screens grew and grew. The adoption of touch keyboards sped up, thanks to third-party keyboard apps on Android, like Swype, SwiftKey and many others, introducing different input methods, smarter predictive text, typing algorithms and even touch heatmaps. Software keyboards were intrinsically more versatile, supporting multiple languages, infinite key arrangements and eventually emoji galleries. A colon-ellipsis smiley soon didn’t hit the same.

The death of the disk drive, part 2 (2008)

The MacBook Air, introduced by Steve Jobs in 2008, was famously pulled from a manila envelope to demonstrate its ultraportable design. To achieve that slimness, it had to ditch the internal optical drive entirely, making it the first MacBook without one. That move kickstarted an era of ultraportable laptops.

It was a major break from what laptop users were used to, and Apple tried to offer people some options. Apple introduced “Remote Disc,” a feature which allowed the Air to wirelessly use the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC, and offered an external USB SuperDrive as an optional accessory. (I’ve used mine exactly once since I bought it in 2013.)

While it was considered underpowered compared to Windows competitors, the original MacBook Air set a new design standard for the industry. It positioned Apple’s Macs for a future of App Store software installations, faster internet connectivity, and the rise of streaming media, cloud storage, and the rest. Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBooks eventually followed suit, ditching optical drives in 2012.

Adobe Flash (2010)

Thoughts on Flash
Apple

In the early days of the iPhone, Apple famously refused to support Adobe Flash. This was in the early 2000s, too, when much of the web was built with Flash for animations and video support. The iPhone and iPad notably lacked support, creating a fractured browsing experience for years.

In April 2010, just as the first iPad arrived, Steve Jobs published his “Thoughts on Flash” open letter, criticizing its poor security and a lack of touch-friendliness. Many Flash games and interfaces interacted with the mouse cursor’s precise position, something that was invisible on the touchscreen iPhone.

It was also a calculated move. By denying Adobe access to the rapidly growing iOS user base, Apple forced developers to choose between sticking with the aging Flash or embracing open standards like HTML5. Also, by making Flash-based games and tools incompatible, it nudged those developers (and iPhone users) toward the App Store for those very games and tools (and more). There, Apple could curate and monetize those creations.

It was a slow death: Adobe finally discontinued Flash in 2020.

The headphone jack (2016)

Leszek Kobusinski / Alamy

In a move described by Apple marketing executive Phil Schiller as “courage,” nixing the headphone socket ended up becoming the biggest headline to come from the iPhone 7 launch in 2016. Every flagship iPhone since has lacked the jack, with the most recent iPhone to include it being the original iPhone SE.

To make the change more palatable, Apple bundled a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter (expect more dongle chat later) with the iPhone 7, 8 and X. In-box headphones also swapped from the typical jack to Lightning. Naturally, this meant you couldn’t charge the phone while you listened to music, unless you already had a pair of wireless headphones.

Of course, this move was ultimately instrumental in making true wireless earbuds ubiquitous. While Apple wasn’t remotely the first company to introduce wireless earbuds (and then headphones), the removal of the headphone jack undoubtedly sped up adoption. Pour one out for the Bragi Dash, the Jabras, the Jaybirds of this world.

Conveniently, alongside the aforementioned iPhone 7, Apple announced the AirPods. Features like one-tap setup and automatic pairing brought the convenience people expected of Apple and put it into a tiny white case.

Despite early resistance and “bragging” from rivals who clung onto the headphone jack, at this point, the socket is mostly confined to cheaper smartphones or phones aimed at audiophiles (hi, Sony) or mobile gamers (ASUS ROG).

Eventually, the iPad Pro also lost its headphone jack, and the rest of the company’s tablets followed. The only non-Mac device to keep the jack? The iPod Touch, which had one until its discontinuation in 2022.

Bespoke ports (2016)

MacBook Pro dongles
Engadget

2016 was the year of donglegate. Apple’s MacBook Pro redesign that year was another drastic shift in the laptop’s history. Chasing ever-thinner profiles and less port fuss, Apple stripped away nearly every legacy connector that professionals relied on. This was particularly jarring after the previous-generation MacBook Pro (2015) was often cited as the peak of utility, with a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, two USB-A ports, not to mention a full-size HDMI port and an SD card slot.

Those were replaced with four (or on the cheapest 13-inch MBP only two!) Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports and a headphone jack. For power users (like some Engadget editors), it demanded dongles (possibly multiple ones) in order to connect your USB-A thumb drive, wired internet, SD cards, external screens and well, at that point, pretty much everything. Many were particularly furious with the loss of the MagSafe charging connector. Of course, this also meant that one of those USB-C ports would be used primarily to charge the MBP. This sped up the availability of USB-C peripherals and accessories — perhaps because everyone was sick of carrying around so many dongles and hubs — but we still have USB-A devices. HDMI is everywhere. I still have SD Cards.

Eventually, Apple course-corrected itself. The 2021 MacBook Pro redesign reintroduced the SD card reader and HDMI port, and even MagSafe returned, freeing up a USB-C port.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/50-years-of-apple-pushing-tech-forward-for-better-or-worse-170025862.html?src=rss

Microsoft Copilot Is Now Injecting Ads Into Pull Requests On GitHub

Microsoft Copilot is reportedly injecting promotional “tips” into GitHub pull requests, with Neowin claiming more than 1.5 million PRs have been affected by messages advertising integrations like Raycast, Slack, Teams, and various IDEs. From the report: According to Melbourne-based software developer Zach Manson, a team member used the AI to fix a simple typo in a pull request. Copilot did the job, but it also took the liberty of editing the PR’s description to include this message: “Quickly spin up Copilot coding agent tasks from anywhere on your macOS or Windows machine with Raycast.” A quick search of that phrase on GitHub shows that the same promotional text appears in over 11,000 pull requests across thousands of repositories. Even merge requests on GitLab aren’t safe from the injection.

So what’s happening? Well, Raycast has a Copilot extension that can do things like create pull requests from a natural language command. The ad directly names Raycast, so you might think that Raycast is injecting the promo into the PRs to market its own app. But it is more likely that Microsoft is the one doing the injecting. If you look at the raw markdown of the affected pull requests, there is a hidden HTML comment, “START COPILOT CODING AGENT TIPS” placed right just before the ad tip. This suggests Microsoft is using the comment to insert a “tip” that points back to its own developer ecosystem or partner integrations.


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

AMD Folds Anti-Lag 2 Into FSR With New Latency Reduction Label

AMD Folds Anti-Lag 2 Into FSR With New Latency Reduction Label
What does “FSR” stand for, PC gamers? If you said FidelityFX Super Resolution, well, you’re mistaken. It turns out FSR doesn’t stand for anything; instead, it’s simply a brand for AMD’s graphics technologies. AMD told us this back around the launch of FSR Redstone, at which point FSR 4 was being rebranded to “FSR Upscaling”, and then we had

Uber to acquire Berlin-based chauffeur hailing app to ramp up its luxury travel efforts

Uber has acquired Blacklane, a Berlin-based startup that offers chauffeur services and bookings through its app, with plans to expand further into the luxury travel industry. Blacklane, founded in 2011, acts as a liaison between independent local chauffeur services and travelers looking for a more premium ride. According to Uber, the deal is subject to regulatory approvals but is expected to close by the end of 2026.

“This partnership marks a significant milestone in Blacklane’s next chapter and is a powerful step-change in introducing our service to new markets globally,” Jens Wohltorf, founder and CEO of Blacklane said in a press release. Uber didn’t disclose the acquisition details and it’s not clear if Uber Elite and Blacklane will compete against each other.

Currently, Blacklane is available in at least 500 cities across more than 60 countries. Besides on-demand chauffeur hailing, the startup offers long-distance rides from city to city, airport pickup with flight tracking, and by-the-hour bookings. Uber’s acquisition of Blacklane comes several weeks after it launched Uber Elite as an invite-only service for its “luxury ride experience.” Besides Uber Elite and Blacklane, another luxury hailing service has recently entered the US market. Earlier this month, Wheely announced its US debut with New York City as its first location, with five others to be announced in the coming years. Blacklane also currently operates in New York City, along with several dozen other cities in the US.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-to-acquire-berlin-based-chauffeur-hailing-app-to-ramp-up-its-luxury-travel-efforts-163855603.html?src=rss

These Are the Best Apple Deals During Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Apple products are notoriously expensive. Whether you’re an Apple fan or an Apple hater, we can all agree: These things aren’t cheap. That’s why shopping holidays, like Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, can be a great time to save on typically pricey devices. While this Spring Sale doesn’t have deals on most of Apple’s latest iPhones or Apple Watches, there are some great discounts on previous-gen devices—as well as one sale on a brand-new iPad.

iPad A16 deal

Apple sells a lot of different iPads, some with fancy features and inflated price tags. But most of us really just need Apple’s basic slab of glass, which Apple plainly calls “iPad.” To be more specific, many call this the iPad A16, as that’s the chipset this tablet comes with. It’s no M-series SoC, of course, but the A16 has no trouble running iPadOS 26, and I imagine it won’t have issues running the latest updates for years to come.

This particular iPad only has 128GB of storage, which isn’t much for a tablet in 2026. That said, if you can practice some storage management, and keep your iPad use to streaming and cloud storage for the most part, you can snag a cellular iPad for just $359.10. You can pay for a network plan if you want to, giving you the opportunity to use your iPad anywhere you can get cell service.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 deal

The Apple Watch Ultra line is designed for extreme use cases, like intense hiking, diving, or swimming. But its features can also be good for casual athletes, or anyone who wants the biggest watch display Apple makes. While Apple’s Ultra 3 is $799, you can save a lot of money by buying the previous generation model—especially with this Amazon sale.

Right now, Amazon is selling the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for just $399.49. That’s a great deal. While you don’t get the Ultra 3’s S10 chip or 5G connectivity, the Ultra 2 comes with most of the same fitness features, including a depth gauge to 40m and a siren. It also comes with cellular capabilities baked in—you’d have to spend an extra $100 to get the cellular version of the Apple Watch Series 11.

Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS + Cellular) deal

The Apple Watch Series 10, like the Ultra 2, is the last-gen Apple Watch model. And like the Ultra 2, it’s perfectly usable today. In fact, it might be a better value than the Series 11, as it offers a similar suite of features for a discounted price.

The real advantage with this model right now, however, is you can score Apple’s “premium” Titanium material at a huge discount. Usually, the Titanium Apple Watch starts at $799 for the 46mm option. But during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, you can pick one up for $499. My Apple Watch Series 6 is still going strong, but if it were showing even the slightest sign of failure, I’d be retiring it in favor of this watch in a heartbeat.

iPhone 13 (Renewed Premium) deal

If you need a new iPhone, you don’t have to go through Apple, or even your carrier. Instead, you can opt for an unlocked, refurbished iPhone, for a fraction of the cost of a brand new unit. In this case, the iPhone 13 might just be a great value: Amazon has Big Spring Deals on the 256GB variant, and prices vary by color. Right now, the cheapest option is the red version, a color Apple doesn’t offer anymore on new iPhones, for $296.05.

This isn’t a brand new iPhone with all the latest bells and whistles, of course, but it’s a solid device—even in 2026. It has Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, the company’s standard 6.1-inch OLED display, two 12MP camera (one wide, one ultra-wide), and full compatibility with the latest version of iOS. Amazon says its Renewed Premium products do not have scratches on the display, nor any cosmetic damage you can see from 12 inches way, and battery life that is great than 90% of the capacity of the product when it was new.

iPhone 14 (Renewed Premium) deal

Amazon also has a Big Spring Deal on the iPhone 14, if you’re willing to pay slightly more for a slightly newer iPhone. That said, the iPhone 14 also uses Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, though it has one extra GPU core than the iPhone 13. (You might notice a slight advantage in graphics-intensive apps and games.) The iPhone 14’s camera is a bit better, but doesn’t break any ground, and it supports Bluetooth 5.3 while the iPhone 13 supports Bluetooth 5. In fact, the only other major difference here is the iPhone 14’s lack of physical SIM slot. If you need SIM card support, stick with the iPhone 13.

AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (Renewed Premium) deal

Apple’s AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation also get a decent discount during the Big Spring Sale—if you’re okay buying a pair of Renewed Premium earbuds. Right now, the earbuds are 21% off, meaning you can get a pair of noise cancelling AirPods for just $118.15. That comes with modern AirPods features, like Transparency Mode, Adaptive Audio (which adjusts the volume based on your environment), and Conversation Awareness (which automatically lowers the volume when it detects you’re speaking).

The only hitch here is that these AirPods are not “brand new.” Again, these are Renewed Premium, which Amazon asserts have high standards for a refurbished product. That’s all well and good for iPhones, but AirPods are another story, since no one wants someone’s previously worn earbuds. My hope is that in this case, these are “open box” items, in which someone returned unused AirPods after breaking the seal on the packaging. But as it’s impossible to know for sure, it’s the risk you take to buy AirPods at a 21% discount.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now

Deals are selected by our commerce team

These Are the Best Fitness Deals Under $100 During Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is nearing its end, but there’s still time to take advantage of solid deals for all your fitness needs—here are all the best fitness deals under $100 that are still available.

Deals on strength training equipment

It seems like the heavier you want to lift, the more expensive it’s going to get. In the meantime, there are great deals on starter dumbbells, storage solutions, and more:

If you’re willing to go slightly above your $100 budget, I recommend opting for these Lifepro adjustable dumbbells, currently on sale for $150.09, down from $189.99.

Deals on fitness trackers

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is on sale for $69.95, down from $99.95. If you want a simple, minimalist fitness tracker, this is a great way to grab one on the cheap. The Inspire 3 is, in many ways, a pared-down Charge 6, and I simply have to mention that the Fitbit Charge 6 is currently $119.95, down from $159.95. If you’re stuck deciding between these two budget options, I recommend reading my colleague Beth Skwarecki’s review of the Charge 6 here.

For a reliable chest strap, the Polar H10—widely regarded as the best heart rate monitor out there—is on sale for $76.99, down from $104.99. 

Deals on muscle recovery and stretching equipment

If you’re looking for a travel-sized massage gun, the Bob and Brad Q2 Ultra Mini Massage Gun is on sale for $78.82, down from $99.99. For me, the real selling point of this massage gun—which I reviewed in-depth here—is how great the heat therapy feels. Plus, its compact size makes it perfect for travel or bringing to the gym—something I never considered with my full-sized TheraGun Therabody.

Some more deals in this realm:

Deals on headphones and earbuds

The original Shokz OpenRun are available for $89.94, down from a list price of $129.95. They might not have as powerful bass or as long a battery life compared to my favorites, the OpenRun Pro 2 (also on sale right now, for $139.95), but they’re still a top choice of open-ear bone conduction headphones.

If you’re eyeing Sony noise-cancelling headphones that won’t put you out hundreds of dollars, the Sony WH-CH720N are available for $94 (originally $179.99) on Amazon right now. For more great deals on home gym equipment (even though, fair warning, many of them exceed this post’s $100 benchmark), check out my round-up here.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now

Deals are selected by our commerce team

Sony Shuts Down Nearly Its Entire Memory Card Business Due To SSD Shortage

For the “foreseeable future,” Sony says it has stopped accepting new orders for most of its CFexpress and SD memory card lines due to the an ongoing memory supply shortage. “Due to the global shortage of semiconductors (memory) and other factors, it is anticipated that supply will not be able to meet demand for CFexpress memory cards and SD memory cards for the foreseeable future,” the company said in a notice. “Therefore, we have decided to temporarily suspend the acceptance of orders from our authorized dealers and from customers at the Sony Store from March 27, 2026 onwards. PetaPixel reports: The suspension includes all of Sony’s memory card lines, including CFexpress Type A, CFexpress Type B, and SD cards. The 240GB, 480GB, 960GB, and 1920GB capacity Type A cards have been suspended, as have the 480GB and 240GB Type B cards. The full gamut of Sony’s high-end SD cards has also been suspended, including the 256GB, 128GB, and 64GB TOUGH-branded cards and the lower-end 512GB, 256GB, 128GB, and 256GB plainly-branded Sony cards, which cap out at V60 speeds. Even Sony’s lower-end, V30 128GB and 64GB SD cards have been suspended, showcasing that the SSD shortage affects all types of solid state, not just the high-end ones.

It appears that only the 960GB CFexpress Type B card and the lowest-end SF-UZ series SD cards remain in production. However, those UHS-I SD cards are discontinued in the United States outside of a scant few retailers and resellers. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our customers,” Sony concludes.


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Microsoft’s research assistant can now use multiple AI models simultaneously

Microsoft’s Copilot is getting even better at research thanks to a new feature that combines the power of both OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. In a blog post announcing Copilot Cowork‘s availability, Microsoft debuted the Critique feature that will be used in Microsoft 356 Copilot’s Researcher tool. Unlike the standard Copilot, Researcher is designed to tackle more complex tasks with multiple steps.

Now, Researcher is getting even better at that with the Critique feature that uses GPT responses, which are then refined by Claude. In a blog post, Microsoft said that, “this architecture creates a powerful feedback loop that delivers higher-quality results across factual accuracy, analytical breadth, and presentation,” adding that Researcher’s process is similar to what you see in “academic and professional research settings.” Microsoft claims the upgrade scores somewhat higher (compared to the most recent Perplexity Deep Research models) on the Deep Research Accuracy, Completeness, and Objectivity benchmark. On its own, Anthropic has a Research feature that can use multiple Claude agents to provide a comprehensive response to more complex requests.

If you prefer doing research with a little more autonomy, Microsoft also added the Model Council feature that’s available as an alternative option for Researcher. With Model Council, you’ll get side-by-side responses from both Anthropic and OpenAI, with a report that shows where the models agree and disagree. Both features are currently available in Microsoft 365 Copilot’s Frontier program, which acts as a early access space for the company’s AI innovations.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsofts-research-assistant-can-now-use-multiple-ai-models-simultaneously-154558628.html?src=rss