The Xbox One stumbled out of the gate when it launched back in 2013. But in the decade since, it’s become a bit easier to appreciate Microsoft’s ambitions and foresight with its third console. It combined a console, streaming device, and Blu-Ray player into the original all-in-one media player. But like Marty McFly…
Source: Kotaku – Xbox’s Biggest Flop Was A Decade Ahead Of Its Time
Engadget staffers test and review tons of gadgets every year, and we also buy a lot of things for ourselves. In 2023, some of us upgraded our at-home coffee-making setup, splurged on fancy keyboards and digital pianos and even made our homes a bit smarter with things like app-controlled litter boxes. But there are plenty of other things we’ve bought and loved this year that have yet to make it on the site. Here, our staff takes a look back at the things they’ve personally purchased this year that they want to gush about a bit more before 2023 is up.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/what-we-bought-our-favorite-gadgets-of-2023-140016145.html?src=rss
Enlarge / Colossal Order CEO Mariina Hallikainen, from the company’s “Winter Recap” video. (credit: Colossal Order/Paradox Interactive/YouTube)
It’s not often you see the CEO of a developer suggest their game is “cursed” in an official, professionally produced video, let alone a video released to celebrate that game. But Colossal Order is not a typical developer. And Cities: Skylines 2 has not had anything close to a typical release.
In a “Winter Recap” video up today for Cities: Skylines 2 (C:S2), CEO Mariina Hallikainen says that her company’s goal was to prevent the main issue they had with the original Cities: Skylines: continuing work on a game that was “not a technical masterpiece” for 10 years or more. The goal with C:S2 was to use the very latest technology and build everything new.
“We are trying to make a city-building game that will last for a decade,” Hallikainen says in the video. “People didn’t understand; we aren’t using anything from Cities: Skylines. We’re actually building everything new.” Henri Haimakainen, game designer, says Colossal Order is “like fighting against ourselves, in a way. We are our own worst competition,” in trying to deliver not only the original game, but more.
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Source: Ars Technica – An Interview with Cities: Skylines 2 developer’s CEO, Mariina Hallikainen
Following mounting pressure from regulators in the UK and EU, Adobe and Figma announced on Monday that both companies are mutually terminating their merger agreement, which would have seen Adobe acquire the Figma product design platform for $20 billion. From a report: As a result of the termination, Adobe will be required to pay Figma a reverse termination fee of $1 billion in cash. “Adobe and Figma strongly disagree with the recent regulatory findings, but we believe it is in our respective best interests to move forward independently,” said Adobe chair and CEO Shantanu Narayen in a statement. “While Adobe and Figma shared a vision to jointly redefine the future of creativity and productivity, we continue to be well positioned to capitalize on our massive market opportunity and mission to change the world through personalized digital experiences.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Adobe Abandons Billion Acquisition of Figma
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is the greatest story about Christmas ever written—even better than the one with Mary and Joseph and the manger. The 1843 tale of a miser browbeaten by self-righteous ghosts is (probably) the most filmed story of all time. Dozens of cinematic adaptations of A Christmas Carol have been released in theaters and on TV since Scrooge; or Marley’s Ghost came out in 1901. Hundreds or thousands if you count re-imaginings and very special episodes of sitcoms. But which version is the very best?
I’ve carefully considered every major theatrical and TV adaptation of A Christmas Carol and rated each in terms of holiday spirit, Dickensian whimsy, and Scrooge-osity to arrive at the definite, no-argument-possible best-to-worst list of Christmas Carols.
To rank Christmas Carols, you have to decide what A Christmas Carol is to you. My criteria for inclusion: It has to be full-length (at least around an hour long); it has to have been released widely, either in theaters, on network television, or through a larger streaming service, and it has to be fairly close to a direct adaptation—modernizations, re-imaginings, sequels, and that episode of The Six Million Dollar Man don’t count (sorry, Scrooged fans.) Using those criteria, I’ve winnowed the Scrooges down to the 16 you see below, ranked from best to worst, along with where you can stream each one.
It’s tough to pick a single adaptation of A Christmas Carol as the absolute best of all time, but the 1984’s TV movie version starring George C. Scott is unassailable. Other versions do some things better, but this one does everything right—no mistakes. It stays close to the original text; it’s perfectly produced; and it has a consistency of tone and vision that make it the most balanced of all versions of the story. A Christmas Carol might not have the best Scrooge of all time, but George C. Scott’s performance is a solid nine out of ten, and this version features the most adorable and pitiable Tiny Tim of all and the best Ghost of Christmas Present, played by Edward Woodward, who played the policeman in The Wicker Man.
Where to stream it: Starz, Roku, Tubi, Plex
Shot in the midst of The Depression, the first sound version of A Christmas Carol digs deeper into the despair and horror of the story than any other adaptation. It’s a bleak, German expressionist Christmas flick, and Seymour Hicks’ sickly, haunted portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge fits the tone perfectly. Instead of delighting in his own crapulence, Hicks plays Scrooge like Satan in The Divine Comedy—he’s not the ruler of Hell; he’s its most tormented prisoner. Scrooge’s miserliness is played as pathology. He wears dirty, torn clothing and shivers miserably while eating gruel because he can’t bring himself to burn a single scrap of coal. Even when he converts, it seems like a manic episode instead of Christmas spirit, suggesting this is really a story about an old man going mad.
Sadly, the Prime Video version is colorized, so watch it on YouTube, in black and white, as God intended.
Where to stream: Prime Video, YouTube
This big budget musical take on the yuletide classic turns Dickens up to 11. Scrooge is huge, a raucous, crowd-pleasing musical with hundreds of extras, elaborate sets, and a scenery-chewing central performance from Albert Finney to hold it all together. But Finney and company also manage to keep the emotional core of the story intact. The music is great, with memorable tunes like “I Hate People,” a song that Finney snarls instead of sings. Scrooge has the best ghosts of any version of A Christmas Carol, too—you can’t beat the cheesy awesomeness of big-money 1970s special effects.
Where to stream it: Paramount, Hoopla, Fandor, Plex
Before Hallmark devoted its corporate life to forgettable holiday-themed romantic comedies, it co-produced one of the best versions of A Christmas Carol ever made. This entire movie belongs to Patrick Stewart whose nuanced, layered portrayal of Scrooge is the best that ever been done. His “conversion” scene is so visceral and honest, it brought a tear to my eyes, even though I’ve seen the exact scene performed in at least 40 other movies, stage plays, and episodes of 1980s sitcoms. Sadly, the paucity of basic cable budgets in the 1990s results in some chintzy-looking sets and laughable special effects that mar an otherwise top-notch production.
Where to stream it: digital rental only
I’m sticking A Muppet Christmas Carol randomly here on the list because you can’t reasonably compare it to other versions of the story. The Muppet version is a thing unto itself, without peer. A Muppet Christmas Carol is absolutely delightful from start to finish, for children, grown-ups, cats, dogs, space aliens, and anything else you got. It shouldn’t even work to set Michael Caine’s serious portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge against a supporting cast of puppets, but somehow it all seems natural.
Where to stream it: Disney+
Alastair Sim takes Ebenezer Scrooge on a real journey in this movie. In the first act, he plays Scrooge like Capitalism personified, an uncaring, amoral monument to pure acquisition. He seems like a Scrooge who’d scare away ghosts, but when Marley shows up dragging his trademark chains, Sim is instantly reduced to pop-eyed fear, like the single chink in his armor is the supernatural. Scrooge then regresses to a childlike, bashful figure as ghosts lead him to different visions, finally emerging from his symbolic death as a Christmas-obsessed guy who lives to serve others. This movie might be among the best of the genre, but an unnecessary subplot about Scrooge’s business sandbags the movie through part of the second act.
Where to stream it: Plex
Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol was the first animated version of A Christmas Carol and the first animated holiday special ever shown on American TV. The main character, Mr. Magoo, was the star of a one-joke, limited-animation cartoon popular in the early 1960s about an old man who couldn’t see very well, so it’s surprising how carefully crafted and effective this version of A Christmas Carol is. The songs are strange, memorable and funny (listen to “Razzleberry Dressing” above once and you’ll never forget it), and the emotional core of the story is surprisingly powerful. Jim Backus, who voices Magoo/Scrooge, is amazing.
Where to stream it: Peacock, IndieFlix
I’m breaking my own rule about not including shortened version of the story because this animated Carol is that great. Its evocative, graceful, hand-drawn look belongs to animation legend Richard Williams and was inspired by the woodcut illustrations from the original version of A Christmas Carol. It’s a cartoon, but it’s not a kiddie cartoon, so the darkness of the ghosts isn’t glossed over. Plus, Scrooge is voiced by Alastair Sim, reprising his role from 1951’s Scrooge.
Where to stream: YouTube
There’s nothing wrong with this brightly lit, by-the-numbers take on A Christmas Carol, but it seems designed to appeal to as broad an audience as possible, so the rough edges of the story have been sanded off. The ghosts aren’t that scary. Scrooge isn’t that miserly, etc. It’s fine for a Christmas movie to be lighthearted fun, but the lowered stakes ultimately blunt the emotional resonance of the climax, leading to a mediocre Christmas Carol.
Where to stream: Max
I’m including this version of A Christmas Carol because it’s Lifehacker editor Meghan Walbert’s favorite. Sorry, Meghan, but this flimsy 1970s TV movie adaptation hasn’t aged well. Henry Winkler does a good job as Scrooge and it’s cool to see Burgess Meredith and other old-timey stars, but overall, this is a schmaltzy, plodding film that unwisely replaces a lot of Dickens’ best writing with the work of 1970s TV writers.
Where to stream it: Peacock, Tubi, Kanopy, Crackle, FreeVee, Plex, PlutoTV
I really wanted to like Disney’s A Christmas Carol. Robert Zemeckis is a great director and Jim Carrey is a force of nature, but I couldn’t get through it. There might be a lot to recommend this version of the story, but using 2009’s technology to create realistic-looking characters was such a puzzling choice. The whole movie looks like a video game cut-scene from a PS3 game, and I kept wanting to hit “A” to skip ahead to the gameplay.
Where to stream it: Disney, Fubo, TNT, IndieFlix, Plex
It doesn’t seem like the producers of this obscure 2012 straight-to-streaming feature had very much money to work with, which is too bad. If they had, they might have been able to better realize some of the intriguing ideas behind this movie. It’s a straight-up horror take on the tale, but it just isn’t scary. Sadly, you can’t carry a feature film on good intentions. Overall, a swing and a miss.
Where to stream it: Prime Video
The animation in this 1997 musical cartoon version of A Christmas Carol is dated, pedestrian, and ugly. The songs are forgettable, and Scrooge has a pet bulldog for some reason. (The one good joke is that he named his dog “Debit.”) It’s just not good, which is a shame, because the cast is overflowing with talent, including Tim Curry as Scrooge, Ed Asner, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Where to stream it: YouTube
This BBC drama goes for a philosophical, moody version of Scrooge, but it just doesn’t come together. It’s dark, grim, and so ponderously self-serious that it collapses under its own weight.
In an effort to present aspects of a Christmas Carol that haven’t been seen before (like “How Marley got his chains”), A Christmas Carol rewrites the original text from the ground up, but it comes across like Dickens’ first draft instead of an improvement. The actual A Christmas Carol‘s weighty themes are expressed subtly and artistically, surrounded by well-drawn characters and entertaining, thrilling situations. There’s little of that here as this movie takes a “hit you over the head with it” approach.
Where to stream it: Prime Video, Tubi, Plex, FreeVee
The current state of Dickens adaptation is not good. Netflix’s uninspired, sappy, CGI version of A Christmas Carol tries to tart the story up with slapstick, songs, and jokes, but it’s all cynical, lowest-common-denominator horse shit. The dialogue has been dumbed down and joked up. Scrooge has a silly dog for comic relief. They added fart jokes. Think about this: The minds behind Scrooge: A Christmas Carol read Dickens and concluded, “This story would be better with a wacky dog and fart jokes.”
Where to stream it: Netflix
A Christmas Carol is such a solid story, even a grade-school production of it can be fun to watch. But a cynical production of it is extra terrible, given the message of the story. This terrible ego project is a bottom-of-the-barrel Christmas Carol because it feels like a money grab. Kelsey Grammar sucks as Scrooge, mugging his way through a lightweight performance. Jason Alexander sucks as Marley. Jennifer Love Hewitt is, well, actually pretty good as Scrooge’s Christmas-past romantic interest. Hewitt is a rare bright spot in this dreary movie, however. Everything else is mid to terrible. It’s shot and lit like a TV show; the sets are bland and the songs forgettable. Overall it has the cynical feeling of assembly line, “let’s get this shit over with” TV production.
Source: LifeHacker – Every Version of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ Ranked (and Where to Stream Them)
Spotify is so popular as a music streaming service that you might forget it has an offline feature, too. Spotify Premium users can download and keep music available offline, and as long as your device is online once every 30 days, the music will continue to download onto your device. Offline playback is, of course, perfect when there’s no cellular network or wifi available, like on parts of a commute or during flights.
Now, downloading music on Spotify isn’t like buying music from iTunes. The songs will only be available inside the Spotify app and you can’t export them to another device. Still, Spotify will let you download up to 10,000 songs on your device, which should be enough for most. (Remember when the iPod’s selling point was putting 1,000 songs in your pocket?)
If you’re paying for Spotify Premium, you can download music for no additional charge. Spotify Premium costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year, and there’s a $4.99 per month student plan as well. To make the deal sweeter, you can sign up for a Spotify Duo plan for $12.99 per month for two users, or you can get the Family plan for $15.99 which can support up to six users.
It’s important to note that while you can download any album, playlist, or podcast you want, Spotify doesn’t let you download a single song directly. However, you can add a song to a playlist to download it that way. In fact, you can add a song to your Library, and it will be added to your Liked Songs playlist. Simply download this playlist, and you suddenly have access to your entire library offline.
On your iPhone, open the Spotify app, and find the song that you want to download. Tap the three-dotted Menu button next to the song and either choose the Add to Liked Songs or Add to Playlist option. Then, go to Your Library, and find the Liked Songs playlist, or any other playlist that you want to download.
Here, tap the Download button icon, and you’ll find it next to the green checkmark that tells you that the playlist is in your library.
The steps for Android are slightly different. After opening the playlist that you want to download, tap the Menu button from the top, and choose the Download option. Spotify will show you the download progress at the top. Once the download is complete, the song and the playlist both will have green download icons next to them.
You can now play downloaded songs just as you do when streaming music from Spotify. You can find all the downloaded songs by going to the Downloaded tab from Your Library. If you want to remove a download to regain some storage space, open a playlist, tap the Menu button, and choose the Remove download from this device option.
Source: LifeHacker – How to Download Your Spotify Library for Offline Listening
Adobe is abandoning its planned $20 billion acquisition of Figma after the companies determined that there was no clear path to obtaining approval from UK and European Union regulators. The two sides have signed an agreement that fully resolves all aspects of the Adobe-Figma merger termination. Adobe will pay the collaborative design platform a previously agreed $1 billion termination fee after failing to overcome regulatory hurdles.
In November, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the European Commission both cited concerns over the proposed acquisition’s impact on competition. The CMA said in its provisional findings that that the merger would “eliminate competition between two main competitors.” The watchdog said it was considering either blocking the deal or requiring Adobe to sell Figma’s core product, Figma Design, along with Adobe XD.
Earlier on Monday, Adobe claimed that it wouldn’t offer the CMA any potential remedies. “It is clear that no realistic remedy would satisfy the concerns the CMA is maintaining,” an Adobe spokesperson told Bloomberg. “We believe that the best path forward is to continue our ongoing engagement with the CMA on the merits.”
Last month, the EC sent Adobe a Statement of Objections, in which it warned the company that its planned purchase of Figma “may reduce competition in the global markets for the supply of interactive product design software and of other creative design software,” such as vector editing tools (i.e. Illustrator and its ilk) and Photoshop-style raster editing tools. The EC planned to make a final decision on the merger by February 5. Adobe had indicated it was willing to offer possible remedies to appease European regulators, but it appears that’s no longer the case.
“Adobe and Figma strongly disagree with the recent regulatory findings, but we believe it is in our respective best interests to move forward independently,” Shantanu Narayen, Adobe chair and CEO, said in a statement. “While Adobe and Figma shared a vision to jointly redefine the future of creativity and productivity, we continue to be well positioned to capitalize on our massive market opportunity and mission to change the world through personalized digital experiences.”
Adobe also anticipated a potential lawsuit from the US Department of Justice in an attempt to block the deal Stateside. The company and Figma reportedly met with DOJ officials last week to try and secure approval for their merger.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/adobe-walks-away-from-its-20-billion-figma-acquisition-amid-regulatory-scrutiny-132203336.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Adobe terminates its billion Figma acquisition amid regulatory scrutiny
Enlarge / The path of the Sun over Germany. (credit: Frank Niessen/IAU OAE)
Welcome to the Daily Telescope. There is a little too much darkness in this world and not enough light, a little too much pseudoscience and not enough science. We’ll let other publications offer you a daily horoscope. At Ars Technica, we’re going to take a different route, finding inspiration from very real images of a universe that is filled with stars and wonder.
Good morning. It’s December 18, and today’s photo is an homage to the forthcoming winter solstice—which will visit the Northern Hemisphere on Thursday evening.
This image was a second-place finisher in a recent competition by the International Astronomical Union’s Office of Education. This year’s contest welcomed astrophotography enthusiasts at all skill levels, including images taken with smartphones.
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Source: Ars Technica – Daily Telescope: Tracking the Sun’s path every day across the sky
One in eight children has a child anxiety disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health, and it can take a lot of patience from parents to help their kids find some calm. The good news for moms and dads is there are plenty of quality products that can help reduce anxious feelings and offer comfort. Here’s a list of my favorite items to help decrease stress and ease busy young minds.
This compression sheet is an excellent alternative to weighted blankets if they don’t work well for your child. Its stretchy, breathable fabric lightly snuggles your child, allowing them to stay calm throughout the night. While some of the reviews state it can be challenging to get this sheet on their bed, most parents agree that’s a small price to pay so their child can get a good night’s sleep.
Too many noises can increase anxiety in children. Purchasers of these headphones rave that they’re perfect for reducing sound in loud environments, and wearers could still carry on conversations with parents when they are up close. They also sport soft ear cushions and are fully adjustable for your child’s comfort.
When anxiety hits, the fingernails are usually the first to go. These dog-tag-shaped silicone pendants offer a sanitary alternative to your child’s digits, giving kids the stimulation they crave while looking cool enough to avoid teasing from others. They can also be easily cleaned with hot water or in your dishwasher.
Stuffies bring a smile to any child’s face, but studies show that they also help kids experience big emotions and feel support. These Warm Pals help those children who suffer from anxiety with their weighted grain-filled stuffing and its calming lavender smell. They can also be warmed or cooled down if your child is sensitive to temperature.
Besides being very cool to have in your house, the motion of this indoor swing can soothe an anxious child. This easy-to-install product, which can hold up to 220 pounds, offers kids a calming experience with a durable fabric that will nestle your youngster.
I don’t know what I would have done if my sons hadn’t had a white noise machine to put them to sleep. Even now, their room is so relaxing, keeping out the roaring engines of the traffic outside our home. This model sports 25 sounds, has a timer, and functions as a night light to give kids extra comfort.
According to Verywell Family, anxious kids should have plenty of art supplies handy because drawing, coloring, and painting can help them cope with big feelings and emotions. This 185-piece art kit has everything an artist needs, from oil pastels, watercolors, markers, and paper. It also includes a double-sided easel, allowing young Monets to take this kit anywhere and view the inspiration for their next masterpiece.
What child hasn’t wanted to stomp out their fears? That’s the object of this award-winning role-playing game for those over 4 years old. When players stomp the monster they created with the modeling clay included with the game, they have to talk about the other monsters in the world, such as the dark, disease, and other things that scare them, giving anxious kids a sense of control over what they worry about the most.
My sons have a version of this magnet in their classrooms because it helps them build self-awareness, and the more conscious a child is of their emotions, the more they can process and manage how they respond to those feelings. By silently announcing if they are happy, anxious, or sad, families can be open to discussing why they feel the way they do.
Any kind of exercise is excellent for reducing stress and anxiety, and yoga in particular can be a mood booster that helps kids feel better about their bodies. There are many ways for kids to access yoga classes, whether it’s YouTube videos aimed toward young ones or joining you for a session. However, these illustrated cards can go with them anywhere, so if they want to practice their sunflower pose in the park or child’s pose in the living room, they’re easily accessible when they need to destress.
Compression Bed Sheet: $24.99
Noise Reduction Earmuffs: $13.69
Chewigems: $24.74
Indoor Sensory Swing: $89.99
Sound Machine: $23.99
Trifold Easel Art Set: $22.99
Monster Stomp game: $19.95
Emotions Magnet: $9.99
Yoga Cards Kit: $9.99
Source: LifeHacker – These Are My Favorite Products to Help Anxious Kids
Last week, I posed this challenge: You and nine of your coworkers are sitting in a conference room when somebody wonders aloud about the group’s average salary. Everyone is curious, but nobody feels comfortable sharing their own pay with the group. How can you all learn your average salary without anybody learning any…
Source: Gizmodo – Gizmodo Monday Puzzle: Suss Out Your Team’s Average Salary
It might be ending 2023 with a new name, but X (formerly Twitter) is also capping off a year of criticism and legal action with even more condemnation. The European Commission has announced it’s opening formal infringement proceedings into X’s operation and potential violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for internal market ironically shared the news on X, detailing the platform’s suspected breach of obligations to be transparent and to counter illegal content. X’s potentially “deceptive design” is also being investigated.
In its press release, the European Commission states that it will look to X’s Community Notes feature to determine whether it’s effective enough in “mitigating risks” to “civic discourse and electoral processes.” It’ll also address “suspected shortcomings” in X’s decision to limit access to its data firehose, which could negatively affect researchers and other public bodies. The company’s advertising platform is in the Commission’s crosshairs, too, as is the “suspected deceptive design” of features like paid checkmarks.
In February 2023, all online services operating in the EU had to declare their size to determine if they were a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP). A VLOP is any platform with over 45 million users across the EU. Any company designated as a VLOP had four months to comply with the DSA. These measures include establishing a specific point of contact, transparency in advertising and content moderation and clear, user-friendly terms and conditions. It also requires identifying and mitigating risks such as illegal content, gender-based violence and protecting minors. Other logistical stipulations include permitting vetted researchers to access data that informs about systemic risks in the EU, sharing data with the Commission and having an independent audit annually.
The Commission’s actions follow a risk assessment report X submitted in September, a transparency report the platform published in November and ongoing concerns about how X is handling — or mishandling, for that matter — content about the Israel-Hamas War. Breton sent a letter to Elon Musk about the platform’s responsibility to moderate posts in line with the DSA. The European Union opened an investigation into X’s handling shortly after.
Today we open formal infringement proceedings against @X :
⚠️ Suspected breach of obligations to counter #IllegalContent and #Disinformation
⚠️ Suspected breach of #Transparency obligations
⚠️ Suspected #DeceptiveDesign of user interface#DSA pic.twitter.com/NxKIif603k
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) December 18, 2023
In a statement, Breton explained that the newly announced proceedings show “the time of big online platforms behaving like they are ‘too big to care’ has come to an end.” He continued: “We now have clear rules, ex ante obligations, strong oversight, speedy enforcement, and deterrent sanctions and we will make full use of our toolbox to protect our citizens and democracies.” This instance marks the first time the Commission has opened formal proceedings to enforce these EU regulations.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-opens-an-official-probe-into-x-over-illegal-content-and-disinformation-124139507.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – EU takes action against X over illegal content and disinformation
It’s a geek tradition that started online back in 2000. Programming language “advent calendars” offer daily tips about a programming language (if not a Christmas-themed programming puzzle) — one a day through December 25th.
And 2023 finds a wide variety of fun sites to choose from:
li>For example, there’s 24 coding challenges at the Advent of JavaScript site (where “each challenge includes all the HTML and CSS you need to get started, allowing you to focus on the JavaScript.”) And there’s another 24 coding challenges on a related site… Advent of CSS. The cyber security training platform “TryHackMe.com” even coded up a site they call “Advent of Cyber,” daring puzzle-solvers to “kickstart your cyber security career by engaging in a new, beginner-friendly exercise every day leading up to Christmas!” The programming puzzles at Advent of Code are continuing through the 25th (though so far less than 30,000 people have solved both parts of Saturday’s challenge.) Every year since 2000 there’s also been a new edition of the Perl Advent Calendar, and this month Year 23 started off with goodies from Perl’s massive module repository, CPAN. (Specifically its elf-themed story references the Music::MelodicDevice::Ornamentation module) — along with the MIDI::Util library and TiMidity++, a software synthesizer that can play MIDI files without a hardware synthesizer.) Meanwhile, since 2009 there’s also been an advent calendar for Raku (the programming language formerly known as Perl 6), promising an article a day. (Day One’s entry was titled “Rocking Raku Meets Stodgy Debian…”) James Bennett, from the Django project’s core team, is even attempting a Python/Django Advent calendar. There’s also a JVM advent calendar for the Java Virtual Machine, plus another advent calendar promising daily posts about C#. The HTMHell site â” which bills itself as “a collection of bad practices in HTML, copied from real websites” — is celebrating the season with the “HTMHell Advent Calendar,” promising daily articles on security, accessibility, UX, and performance.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – 2023’s Online ‘Advent Calendars’ Challenge Programmers With Tips and Puzzles
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Benj Edwards)
“Here, There, and Everywhere” isn’t just a Beatles song. It’s also a phrase that recalls the spread of generative AI into the tech industry during 2023. Whether you think AI is just a fad or the dawn of a new tech revolution, it’s been impossible to deny that AI news has dominated the tech space for the past year.
We’ve seen a large cast of AI-related characters emerge that includes tech CEOs, machine learning researchers, and AI ethicists—as well as charlatans and doomsayers. From public feedback on the subject of AI, we’ve heard that it’s been difficult for non-technical people to know who to believe, what AI products (if any) to use, and whether we should fear for our lives or our jobs.
Meanwhile, in keeping with a much-lamented trend of 2022, machine learning research has not slowed down over the past year. On X, former Biden administration tech advisor Suresh Venkatasubramanian wrote, “How do people manage to keep track of ML papers? This is not a request for support in my current state of bewilderment—I’m genuinely asking what strategies seem to work to read (or “read”) what appear to be 100s of papers per day.”
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Source: Ars Technica – A song of hype and fire: The 10 biggest AI stories of 2023
There’s something new and powerful for ChatGPT users to play around with: Custom GPTs. These bespoke bots are essentially more focused, more specific versions of the main ChatGPT model, enabling you to build something for a particular purpose without using any coding or advanced knowledge of artificial intelligence.
Source: Gizmodo – How To Build Your Own Custom ChatGPT Bot
A bipartisan group of US senators and representatives have urged the Department of Justice to investigate whether Apple violated antitrust laws by attempting to block Beeper Mini’s access to iMessage. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT), along with Representatives Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Ken Buck (R-CO), have asked an assistant attorney general to look into “potentially anticompetitive conduct” by Apple.
There have been a number of efforts in recent months to provide Android users with access to iMessage via workarounds. Earlier this month, Beeper said it was able to reverse engineer the iMessage protocol and support it on Android devices. Within a couple of days, Beeper Mini’s iMessage integration was acting up and Apple (without elaborating too much) soon confirmed it had blocked an iMessage exploit.
It didn’t take long for Beeper to find yet another way to get iMessage working on Android, though this time it required an Apple ID. Last week, the company said it suspected Apple was “deliberately blocking iMessages from being delivered” to around five percent of Beeper Mini users and that it was working on a solution.
The back and forth between Beeper and Apple caught the attention of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). “Green bubble texts are less secure. So why would Apple block a new app allowing Android users to chat with iPhone users on iMessage? Big Tech executives are protecting profits by squashing competitors,” Warren wrote on X. “Chatting between different platforms should be easy and secure.”
Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to a question about improving iOS-Android communication compatibility by telling a journalist to “buy your mom an iPhone.”
Senator @amyklobuchar + @SenMikeLee + @RepJerryNadler @RepKenBuck sent this to DOJ regarding ongoing fight betwn Beeper Mini vs Apple “to investigate whether this potentially anticompetitive conduct by Apple violated antitrust laws.” I’ll have the full story on @CBSMornings tmrw pic.twitter.com/pj6ef432TK
— Jo Ling Kent (@jolingkent) December 18, 2023
“Interoperability and interconnection have long been key drivers of competition and consumer choice in communications services,” lawmakers noted in their letter to the DOJ. “But consumers will never benefit from competition if dominant firms are allowed to snuff out that competition at its incipiency.”
As such, the officials are “concerned that Apple’s recent actions to disable Beeper Mini harm competition, eliminate choices for consumers and will discourage future innovation and investment in interoperable messaging services. We also fear these types of tactics may more broadly chill future investment and innovation from those that seek to compete with existing digital gatekeepers. Thus, we refer this matter to the Antitrust Division to investigate whether this potentially anticompetitive conduct by Apple violated the antitrust laws.”
Apple has made at least one commitment to improving messaging interoperability. The company has pledged to support the RCS protocol starting in 2024, after years of Google openly pressuring Apple to do so. Adopting RCS will mean that messaging between iPhone and Android will be more secure than SMS and allow for higher-quality media sharing.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-lawmakers-call-for-doj-probe-into-apples-blocking-of-beepers-imessage-app-122554473.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – US lawmakers call for DOJ probe into Apple’s blocking of Beeper’s iMessage app
Enlarge / The Specialized Turbo Creo 2 Comp taking a break from central Illinois gravel. (credit: Eric Bangeman)
If the question is “what is the ideal number of bikes to own,” the answer is usually “n+1.” Whether you are into gravel trails, BMX, mountain biking, road biking, or cyclecross, there’s a bike for that. But after spending a couple of months riding the Specialized Turbo Creo 2 Comp, the answer could actually be n.
The $6,500 Turbo Creo 2 Comp is a gravel e-bike that Specialized calls “category defying.” It looks the result of an illicit tryst between a gravel bike and a mountain bike. With the motor, the is a double-duty road-plus-gravel machine—at least that’s what Specialized claims. And it turns out Specialized is on to something.
The proportions on the Creo are spot-on. You can see the charging port for the integrated battery near the bottom of the seat tube (credit: Eric Bangeman)
The Turbo Creo 2 Comp is certainly eye-catching. Not only is the “Harvest Gold” colorway easy on the eyes, but the thickness of the downtube and tires also grab the viewer’s attention. The massive downtube is necessary because that’s where the 320 Wh integrated battery lives. The chunky, mountain-bike-appropriate 700 x 47 tires, however, are a statement of intent by the Creo 2 Comp, screaming, “Ride me anywhere you want—I’m up for it.”
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Source: Ars Technica – Love at first ride: The Specialized Turbo Creo 2 Comp gravel e-bike
Apple says it’s testing a new App Store feature called contingent pricing to lure customers into cheaper subscriptions based on their other purchases. This contingent pricing model will let developers offer discounts to customers who already have subscriptions to other services, be it those developers’ own apps or connected partner apps.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple says these bundled discounts will be highly visible to customers both on the App Store and “in off-platform marketing channels” — so elsewhere too. It’s starting with a select group of participants before rolling out to more developers “in the coming months.”
It’s been a year of increased scrutiny into Apple’s App Store and how it handles in-app purchases. Just this fall, Apple asked the Supreme Court to reverse the previous ruling that required it to allow developers to use outside payment systems, circumventing Apple’s 30 percent transaction fee. This is a way, of sorts, to get back in developers’ good graces.
— Mat Smith
These tomatoes were lost on the International Space Station for almost a year
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A One Piece anime remake is in the works from Netflix
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According to Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke in an interview with IGN, Game of the Year, Baldur’s Gate 3, won’t come to Microsoft’s Game Pass. Vincke also noted this was always the plan, and the title had never been considered for Microsoft’s subscription gaming platform. Vincke says Baldur’s Gate 3 is a “big game” available for a “fair price.” He also touted the title’s lack of microtransactions and its complete story, saying “you get what you pay for.”
Meta Quest users can now write reports, edit spreadsheets and create presentations — if they even want to do any of those tasks on a VR headset. Support for the basic Microsoft Office suite has arrived on the original Oculus Quest, the Meta Quest 2, the Quest Pro and the Quest 3. Users can now download Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint from the Meta Quest store for free. That said, typing on the Quest’s onscreen keyboard is not particularly easy, so you might want to bring your Bluetooth keyboard along for virtual office hours.
This week, Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt joins Cherlynn and Devindra to talk about the death of E3 and what it means for the gaming industry. They also explore some of the highlights (and low points) of last week’s Game Awards, which couldn’t quite balance celebrating video games and functioning as a marketing tool. We’re particularly excited for Light No Fire, the next ambitious game from the folks behind No Man’s Sky. (Oh, you should check out Jessica’s video on the subject.)
Chinese manufacturer Nio is about to start selling an EV with a “semi-solid state” 150kWh battery (140kWh usable). That’s the biggest battery of any passenger EV so far. Nio CEO William Li drove a prototype version of the ET7 1,044km (650 miles) in 14 hours, a distance surpassing many gas-powered vehicles. The ET7’s 150kWh battery will only be available on a lease separate from the car, much as we’ve seen with some cars sold in Europe. We’re unlikely to see this specific battery pack in the US, however. With the Biden administration’s latest rules, some US cars, like Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range, that use specific Chinese battery components will no longer receive the full $7,500 tax credit.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-tests-app-store-discounts-121517653.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – The Morning After: Apple tests App Store discounts
All the pieces have been aligned that the mainline Linux 6.8 kernel should be able to boot on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC without any out-of-tree patches being necessary…
Source: Phoronix – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Will Be Able To Boot On The Mainline Linux 6.8 Kernel
While Intel Meteor Lake processors only launched last week, Intel Linux engineers have already been busy for some time enabling next-generation Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake processors…
Source: Phoronix – Intel Lunar Lake Thunderbolt Support Being Prepped For Linux
A new driver set to be merged in the upcoming Linux 6.8 cycle is “gigabyte_waterforce” as a new kernel driver for supporting Gigabyte AORUS Waterforce AIO coolers…
Source: Phoronix – Gigabyte Waterforce AIO Cooler Driver Set To Premiere In Linux 6.8
