Monthly Archives: March 2025

Microsoft President Calls For a National Talent Strategy For Electricians

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theodp writes: “As I prepared for a White House meeting last fall on the nation’s electricity needs,” begins Microsoft President Brad Smith in The Country Needs More Electricity –And More Electricians, a Fox Business op-ed. “I met with the leaders at Microsoft who are building our AI infrastructure across the country. During our discussion, I asked them to identify the single biggest challenge for data center expansion in the U.S. I expected they would mention slow permitting, delays in bringing more power online or supply chain constraints — all significant challenges. But instead, they highlighted a national shortage of people. Electricians, to be precise.”

Much as Smith has done in the past as he declared crisis-level shortages of Computer Science, cybersecurity, and AI talent, he’s calling for the nation’s politicians and educators to step up to the plate and deliver students trained to address the data center expansion plans of Microsoft and Big Tech.

“How many new electricians must the U.S. recruit and train over the next decade?” Smith asks. “Probably half a million. […] The good news is that these are good jobs. The bad news is that we don’t have a national strategy to recruit and train the people to fill these jobs. Given the Trump administration’s commitment to supporting American workers, American jobs and American innovation, we believe that recruiting and training more electricians should rise to its list of priorities. There are several ways to address this issue, and they deserve consideration. For example, we need to do more as a nation to revitalize the industrial arts and shop classes in American high schools. […] This should be a priority for local school boards, state governors and appropriate federal support. [..] We must also adopt a broad perspective on where new technology is taking us. The tech sector is most often focused on computer and data science — people who code. But the future will also be built in critical ways by a new generation of engineers, electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, iron workers, carpenters and other skilled trades. So, is ‘Learn to Wire’ the new ‘Learn to Code’?


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Intel CEO Tan’s Open Letter: Time For Talk Is Over, Foundry And Chip Execution

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Intel CEO Tan's Open Letter: Time For Talk Is Over, Foundry And Chip Execution
Intel’s newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lip-Bu Tan, isn’t wasting any time ingratiating himself with shareholders and the public at large. In an open letter to investors as part of Intel’s 2024 Annual Report, Tan offered up a blunt assessment of the company’s past performance and outlined focal points going forward, which includes

Beta test brings Candy Crush Soda Saga and Angry Birds 2 to Android Auto

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Those who are enrolled in the Android Auto testing program can now check out new features as part of the 14.1 beta, including support for a few games. As things stand, four Android games are available on compatible vehicle displays — Candy Crush Soda Saga, Angry Birds 2, Farm Heroes Saga (another match-three game) and Beach Buggy Racing. They could help you pass the time when, say, you’re waiting for your EV to charge or to pick up your kids from school.

According to 9to5Google, which tried out the feature, you need to have the games installed on your phone to play them on your car’s screen. They’ll also only be accessible while the vehicle is parked. The publication noted that, when you get ready to move the car, the game will close right away. Until you park again, you can’t tap on a game to reopen it. In addition, 9to5Google was unable to actually play Angry Birds 2 — the app got stuck on an “internet required” screen — though Beach Buggy Racing appeared to run well enough.

Also part of this beta is a fullscreen mode for apps. To back out from that, you may need to swipe down from the top of the display. This gesture reveals an Exit button.

Google announced Android game support in the latest Android Auto beta as part of its latest feature drop for Pixel devices. As The Verge points out, however, cars with Google built in already allow users to play a broader range of games while the vehicle is parked. As such, this appears to be a case of Google trying to give Android Auto more feature parity with cars that have Google built in. Still, it is not yet clear if or when Google plans to bring Android gaming and fullscreen support to the stable track of Android Auto.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/beta-test-brings-candy-crush-soda-saga-and-angry-birds-2-to-android-auto-143021332.html?src=rss

Raspberry Pi PoE+ Injector Leverages Power-Over-Ethernet for Remote Deployments

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This month, Raspberry Pi launched a device capable of powering its single-board computers over Power-over-Ethernet. The Raspberry Pi PoE+ Injector enables both power and data to be transmitted through a single Ethernet cable, simplifying network infrastructure for projects deployed in remote or difficult-to-access locations. Compatible with devices conforming to IEEE 802.3af and 802.3at standards, including […]

FBI Recovers $200K Worth Of Stolen iPhones, iPads And More In Major UPS Driver Bust

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FBI Recovers $200K Worth Of Stolen iPhones, iPads And More In Major UPS Driver Bust
A Texas UPS employee has been arrested and charged for stealing more than $200,000 of high-value merchandise during his five-year tenure with the company. The Cameron Country Attorney’s Office (CCDA) in Brownsville, TX, made the arrest at the suspect’s home, along with the help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), UPS Security,

It’s only two months until Unbound 2025 – here are 10 proven ways to tame the world’s biggest gravel race

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While the road sportive markets continues to languish, gravel events are booming and show no sign of slowing as we approach Unbound 2025, starting on 29 May.

As with road events, there are different flavours and nuances to gravel rides depending on where you are in the world, only more pronounced. Terrain is the obvious influencer – ‘gravel’ can mean almost anything that’s not tarmac – but equally important is the attitude that riders bring to these events.

In America, gravel events have their own defined characteristics. With road racing in the doldrums in the US, gravel is where people go to race their bikes, with races playing out on endless pristine gravel roads, covering colossal distances with full-blooded intent.

And there are no more prestigious races than Kansas’ Unbound Gravel. Brit Amelia Mitchell, who finished 18th on her first ride last year, reveals her tips for success…

Play the long game

Group of cyclists at Unbound Gravel 200, June 2024
Long distances at Unbound make for very early starts. Taylor Chase / Unbound

Mitchell says distance was the number one difference she felt between her first experience of American gravel at Unbound and what she knows from UK and European events.

The trend is for bigger distances in the US. Unbound’s main event in 2024 was 202.8 miles (there was even as XL 352-mile route). Distances of 100 miles+ are common throughout the American scene, and, for Mitchell, the 2024 Unbound was the longest ride she’d ever done.

“When they are so long, every aspect of your plan for the race is different,” says Mitchell. “The way you train, how you fuel, the spares you carry, you need to adapt for the distance.”

Be prepared to talk tyres

Specialized Pathfinder tyre
The Pathfinder is a perennial favourite of the gravel racing world. Sam Andrews / Our Media

Your choice of gravel tyres might be the number one subject you get roped into talking about, or overhear, at Unbound.

“I’ve never heard so much chat about tyre choice and tyre size as I did in Kansas,” says Mitchell. “It was very flinty, the course we did, which makes punctures more likely.”

American gravel routes are typically more consistent – pure gravel roads that stretch for miles – so you’d think tyre choice would be more crucial in more varied UK and European terrain.

“I think that because it is so smooth [in the US], then on the occasions it does get a bit rockier, people freak out. For me, it’d feel totally fine.”

Fuelling can make or break your ride

Group of cyclists at Unbound Gravel 200, June 2024
Training your gut is as crucial as your legs in getting round the long Unbound course. Taylor Chase / Unbound

How do you train for a flat-out 200 miles? Mitchell juggles her gravel racing ambitions around a full-time job in London and so finding the time to replicate this in training is nigh-on impossible.

Indeed, the 2024 Unbound was her longest-ever ride. The good news is that, according to Mitchell, you don’t need to ride that far in training.

“After training to a certain level, I think fuelling is the most important thing,” she insists. “90 grams of carbohydrate, at least.”

For some people, training your gut, by slowly increasing carb intake over a period of time in training, is necessary to avoid gastric distress.

Arrive in plenty of time to adjust to the Kansas time zone

Group of cyclists at Unbound Gravel 200, June 2024
Having to adjust to the time zone is a distinct disadvantage for riders from overseas. Taylor Chase / Unbound

Kansas is a long way to travel for a gravel race and the likelihood is you won’t have a huge amount of time to acclimatise to your new time zone (six hours behind the UK).

Mitchell had only two days from stepping off the plane to lining up at the start, so she resolved to stick to UK time as much as possible.

With the race starting at 6am, she’d go to bed at 8pm, get eight hours of sleep and wake up naturally at 4am, ready to get ready for the race.

Try to enjoy the scenery

Group of cyclists at Unbound Gravel 200, June 2024
The Kansas scenery isn’t quite Colorado or California. Taylor Chase / Unbound

Don’t hope for or expect a motivation fillip from riding in an exotic location at Unbound. “So dull” is how Mitchell describes the Kansas scenery.

There’s almost 11,000 ft/3,350m elevation on the 203-mile course – you won’t want for climbing when it’s all over – but on wide-open plains it can get a little same-y.

“The race apart, I wouldn’t be recommending people go there for a cycling holiday, when you could go to California or Colorado,” Mitchell says.

It does have history on its side though, as one of longest-established gravel races in America and a high placing is prestigious in the gravel world.

Be prepared for wet and muddy sections, even on dry days

Cyclists at Unbound Gravel 200, June 2024
Bad weather can turn the route into an assault course. Taylor Chase / Unbound

Weather conditions can be a pleasant mid-20s in Emporia, Kansas in late May, or substantially less than that, but whatever the conditions on the day, recent rain can churn up the course badly.

The 2023 race was infamous for the various quagmires that ate through rear derailleurs and ruined people’s rides.

Adjust your setup according to the conditions – wider tyres with more tread may be appropriate, particularly if you’re looking merely to finish, rather than place highly.

“It was a dream in 2024,” says Mitchell. “A bit of rain beforehand made everyone nervous, but in the end there was only one slightly questionable bit of the route.”

Take the advice of more experienced riders regarding your bike setup

Rene Herse tyres at Unbound
Some riders experimented with running slick tyres at Unbound 2024. Sam Andrews / Our Media

More than on the road, each gravel race and course requires careful pondering of your bike setup.

As we’ve already mentioned, Mitchell got dragged into the endless chatter about tyres (she opted for 45mm, slightly wider than her usual) and the race proved to be a learning curve for her.

She rode a tubeless setup, like many others, but with only sealant – no liners.

Tyre liners are inserts that enable you to ride on in the event of a puncture. This happened to Rosa Klöser, the winner, and she’d have been out of contention without the liner.

“I’d consider using one in future. If you have a flat in the middle of nowhere, they’ll get you to the next feed.”

Know the course inside-out

Group of cyclists at Unbound Gravel 200, June 2024
Sticking in a group as much as possible will make your day easier. Taylor Chase / Unbound

In an every-rider-for-themselves race, on-the-road tactics are somewhat limited because there are no team-mates to help each other.

This keeps Mitchell’s tactical pep talk brief: “Hold on for as long as possible!”

There are things you can do pre-race, however.

“So much of it was about positioning and knowing where the sectors were… knowing the course well enough to know when the more technical bits are coming up will help you not to lose contact with your group.”

Be equipped for all scenarios

Rapha Blaero skinsuit
Rapha’s ‘Blaerosuit’ (bladder, aero, skinsuit) made its debut at Unbound. Sam Andrews / Our Media

Unbound is a race of self-sufficiency, so you’ll need to fix your own mechanicals on the road. Just be wary of not over-carrying tools and spares.

“I went a bit overboard on what I carried,” Mitchell says. “Some of the guys had such a rough time of it in 2023 that they encouraged you to carry more this time because you obviously don’t want to be stuck out there on your own. I had a couple of spare tubes, eight tyre plugs, four canisters of CO2 – it’s just quite a lot!”

Don’t believe the hype

Cyclist at Unbound Gravel 200, June 2024
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Taylor Chase / Unbound

Try not to let the hype of taking part in a race such as Unbound get the better of you.

Such experiences don’t come along every day, so remembering to enjoy it is paramount.

“I think people worry about the problems they might have at these races. Because it’s so long, you’ve got to keep the stress levels down and pick yourself up to sort the problem.”

If it’s happened to you, it could happen to others – there’s so much that can happen in 200 miles of racing. You’ve just got to take it as it comes.

Three fantastic American gravel races to ponder

SBT GRVL

Mitchell cites Colorado as a place to take a cycling holiday and it’d be a shrewd choice to time it to coincide with another legendary event in Steamboat Springs (26-29 June). At almost 100 miles and 8,000ft elevation, it’s a serious event.

Belgian Waffle Ride

This long-running series visits various American states (and Mexico) throughout the year. The highlight might well be BWR California (25-27 April) in the coastal city of Del Mar, north of San Diego.

Rebecca’s Private Idaho

The beauty of American gravel races is they can take you deep into states that you might not otherwise think to travel to. This three-stage, four-day event in Idaho (28-31 August) ramps up the difficulty until a 100-mile final-day ride in the mountains.

Essential kit

Muc-Off Puncture Plug Repair Kit

Muc-Off Puncture Plug Repair Kit
If the puncture won’t seal, turn to Muc-Off’s Plug Repair Kit.
  • Price: £15

Sometimes a puncture in your tubeless tyre is too big to self-seal. In such circumstances, plugs are needed. This kit comes with 10 plugs – five thin and five thick, depending on the hole – and the tools to fit them.

SQUIRREL_13197862

Lezyne Control Drive CO2 inflator

Leyzne Control Drive co2 inflator
Leyzne’s Control Drive could get you out of a tricky situation. Russell Burton
  • Price: £26

Coming with both the aluminium inflator and one CO2 cartridge, this double act will speed up your puncture repair. CO2 is released through a twist dial for precise inflation.

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Zanco Tiny T1

Zanco Tiny T1 phone
This tiny phone won’t add much to your overall weight. Liam Cahill / Our Media
  • Price: £69.99

Communication when in remote places is vital, but the 227g of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is unnecessary weight to haul 200 miles. Step forward this 13g marvel from Zanco.

SQUIRREL_13197858

SoftBank May Pledge More Than $1 Trillion for AI Effort in US, Nikkei Says

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SoftBank Group plans to create industrial parks for AI across the US and is considering an investment of more than $1 trillion, Nikkei reported. From a report: Founder and Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son is expected to visit the US to discuss his ideas for such industrial parks, the newspaper said. The factories would likely use AI-equipped robots that would operate autonomously because of labor shortages in the country, according to the report.

Son teamed up with OpenAI and Oracle in January to unveil a $100 billion joint venture to fund AI infrastructure in the US, one of the first such pledges after Donald Trump became president. They said at the time they would deploy $100 billion immediately with the goal of increasing that to at least $500 billion for data centers and physical campuses.


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

‘Into Black’ is Bringing ‘Deep Rock Galactic’-style Action to PSVR 2 Soon

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Indie XR studio The Binary Mill announced its space-faring mining adventure Into Black (2024) is finally making its way to PSVR 2, bringing its Deep Rock Galactic-style action out of Quest exclusivity soon.

Initially launched on Quest back in October, the single and four-player co-op game is all about scavenging resources, upgrading tools, and repairing your ship. Along its 20+ levels, spanning multiple unique biomes, you’ll battle against all manner of foe as you gather enough parts to blast off from the dangerous alien world.

In addition to the campaign, the PSVR 2 version is also launching with the ‘Singularity’ PvPvE mode, where you face off against up to 11 other players an online competitive mode.

“Forge uneasy alliances as you navigate an ever-shrinking maze. Gather as much loot as you can, but get too greedy and you may not make it out at all,” the studio says, describing its ‘Singularity’ mode.

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Image courtesy The Binary Mill



Image courtesy The Binary Mill

Notably, Into Black is also being overhauled for PSVR 2, including remastered environments, enhanced lighting effects such as dynamic lighting and shadows, HDR and eye-tracked foveated rendering, and more advanced haptics thanks to PS Sense’s adaptive triggers and PSVR 2’s headset rumble feature.

There’s no word yet whether this will include cross-play with Quest, although we’ve reached out to the studio for more information.

We’re also still waiting on a proper trailer to show off the game’s full PSVR 2 enhancements, although the studio did throw out a few images (above) and two gifs (combined below) to showcase what PSVR 2 players can expect.

There’s no release date yet, although The Binary Mill says we can expect it “soon”. In the meantime, you can wishlist Into Black over on the PlayStation Store for PSVR 2.

 

The post ‘Into Black’ is Bringing ‘Deep Rock Galactic’-style Action to PSVR 2 Soon appeared first on Road to VR.

There’s A Partial Solar Eclipse This Weekend That You Won’t Want To Miss

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There’s A Partial Solar Eclipse This Weekend That You Won't Want To Miss
The weekend is when most Americans like to sleep in (at least who work a typical 9-5 shift Monday through Friday), but if you fancy yourself a stargazer who enjoys celestial events, you’ll want to set your Nintendo Alarmo clock (or smartphone’s alarm) to go off early tomorrow morning. That’s because there is going to be a partial solar eclipse,

Tel‘Aran’Rhiod at last—the Wheel of Time reveals the world of dreams

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Andrew Cunningham and Lee Hutchinson have spent decades of their lives with Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson’s Wheel of Time books, and they previously brought that knowledge to bear as they recapped each first season episode and second season episode of Amazon’s WoT TV series. Now we’re back in the saddle for season 3—along with insights, jokes, and the occasional wild theory.

These recaps won’t cover every element of every episode, but they will contain major spoilers for the show and the book series. We’ll do our best to not spoil major future events from the books, but there’s always the danger that something might slip out. If you want to stay completely unspoiled and haven’t read the books, these recaps aren’t for you.

New episodes of The Wheel of Time season three will be posted for Amazon Prime subscribers every Thursday. This write-up covers episode five, “Tel’Aran’Rhiod,” which was released on March 27.

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EU will go easy with Apple, Facebook punishment to avoid Trump’s wrath

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The EU is set to impose minimal fines on Apple and Facebook-owner Meta next week under its Digital Markets Act, as Brussels seeks to avoid escalating tensions with US President Donald Trump.

According to people familiar with the decisions, the iPhone maker is expected to be fined and ordered to revise its App Store rules, following an investigation into whether they prevent app developers from sending consumers to offers outside its platform.

Regulators will also close another investigation into Apple, which was focused on the company’s design of its web browser choice screen without any further sanctions.

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Google’s First-Gen Pixel Watch Is at Its Lowest Price

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The old cliché “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies perfectly to the first-generation Google Pixel Watch. Released in 2022, Google’s first smart watch looks great, is designed to work with FitBit’s infrastructure, and is one of the best deals for Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. You can pick one up for $129.99, 61% cheaper than the regular list price of $329.99, and the lowest price this model has ever sold for.

Here’s a chart so you can see how the price falls off a cliff a few days ago:

Google Pixel Watch first-gen

Credit: Stephen Johnson

If you compare features of the original Pixel Watch with the Pixel Watch 3 that came out in 2024, you can see how competitive the older watch is. Sure, the Pixel 3 has an extra sensor that measures skin temperature, fall detection, a faster processor and a bigger battery, but if you want a dependable watch to keep track of your workouts, play music, make calls, and control your household smart devices, both work great, and you could literally buy two Pixel Watch 1’s for the $289.99 sale price of the newer model and still have $30 left to buy lunch.

If you want to take a deeper look at all the smart watch and fitness tracker bargains on Amazon this week, Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki has broken them all down here.

Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including:

‘Apple Needs a Snow Sequoia’

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uninet writes: The same year Apple launched the iPhone, it unveiled a massive upgrade to Mac OS X known as Leopard, sporting “300 New Features.” Two years later, it did something almost unheard of: it released Snow Leopard, an upgrade all about how little it added and how much it took away. Apple needs to make it snow again. Current releases of MacOS Sequoia and iOS/iPadOS 18 are riddled with easily reproducible bugs in high-traffic areas, the author argues, suggesting Apple’s engineers aren’t using their own software. Messages can’t reliably copy text, email connections randomly fail, and Safari frequently jams up. Even worse are the baffling design decisions, like burying display arrangement settings and redesigning Photos with needless margins and inconsistent navigation.

Apple’s focus on the Vision Pro while AI advances raced ahead has left them scrambling to catch up, the author argues, with Apple Intelligence features now indefinitely delayed. The author insists that Apple’s products still remain better than Windows or Android alternatives — but “least bad” isn’t the premium experience Apple loyalists expect. With its enormous resources, Apple could easily have teams focus on cleaning up existing software while simultaneously developing AI features.

Further reading: ‘Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino’ .


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

This Action Camera With Accessories Is Now Under $200

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One of the best markdowns during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale this year is on the DJI Osmo Action 4 Essential Combo, now $199, down from $289—its lowest price yet, according to price trackers.

This Essential Combo keeps it simple without skimping on the must-haves—you get the camera, an extreme battery, a horizontal-vertical frame for quick swaps, and all the basics to get started, out of the box. The camera itself shoots 4K video at 120fps, with a 1/1.3-inch sensor that handles low light better than most other action cams in this range. That means clearer shots at dusk or in shady spots—basically, where cheaper cameras start to give up. The image stabilization is excellent and on par with GoPro, notes this PCMag review. You can run, bike, or strap it to your chest while snowboarding, and the footage’ll be smooth. But there’s no onboard storage, so you’ll need a microSD card. Not a dealbreaker, but something to know upfront.

That said, this isn’t the full Adventure Combo, so you don’t get the extra batteries or the charging hub. For casual users, that’s probably fine. But if you’re looking to vlog or shoot for longer sessions, the add-ons might be worth budgeting for later. It’s also waterproof to 59 feet, and the touchscreen works well even when wet. The DJI Osmo Action 4 camera pairs with your phone through DJI’s app if you want to shoot remotely or transfer clips quickly. If you’re already sitting on a GoPro setup, this won’t do much to make you switch. But for first-time buyers or casual creators, this deal is about as low-risk as it gets.

Engadget Podcast: Signalgate and the collapse of 23andMe

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This week, we learned that even government officials are addicted to their group chats — except with the Trump administration those chats include war plans and potentially classified information. In this episode, we dive into the sheer recklessness and stupidity of Signalgate. And speaking of reckless, we also discuss 23andMe’s bankruptcy and the privacy concerns around selling off customer DNA data.

Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!

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Topics

  • Signalgate: What happened, who was involved, and how to safely add someone to a Signal group chat – 0:48

  • 23andMe files for bankruptcy, customers are urged to delete their sensitive data – 21:25

  • Canon’s PowerShot V1 and R50 V cameras go all in on vlogging – 27:21

  • Apple announces WWDC dates, updates Airpods Max, and dodges fines in the EU – 32:52

  • How did Napster sell for $207 million in 2025? – 45:32

  • Around Engadget – 48:44

  • Working On – 55:22

  • Pop Culture picks – 57:56

Credits 

Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn Low
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/engadget-podcast-signalgate-and-the-collapse-of-23andme-121504641.html?src=rss