Enlarge (credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Apple is shocking the world today by adopting the RCS messaging standard for iMessage. When iMessage users are talking to people off the service, iMessage will soon be able to fall back to the RCS carrier messaging standard instead of SMS, which comes with the advantages of read receipts, higher-quality media sending, and typing indicators. Your chats with your green bubble friends will be slightly less awful.

Apple sent several media outlets a statement:

Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard as currently published by the GSM Association. We believe RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS. This will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.

iMessage is currently besieged on all sides by various parties. Google has been waging a “get the message” campaign against Apple for the past year or two, imploring the company to adopt RCS. Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked on stage if the company would make messaging with Android better, and he responded, “I don’t hear our users asking that we put a lot of energy in on that at this point” and told the audience member to “just buy your mom an iPhone” if he wanted easier communication with his mother. Regulators in the European Union have yet to decide the fate of iMessage, but if it meets the qualifications for being a big tech “Gatekeeper,” the iMessage protocol will be forced to open up in the EU. The Wall Street Journal ran an article last year subtitled “Teens Dread the Green Text Bubble,” detailing the bullying that Android users were subject to due to SMS fallback dragging down the capabilities of iMessage group chats (87 percent of US teenagers have iPhones).

Enlarge / Users in the extended European Economic Area will soon be able to avoid most of the things that feel so exhausting about Windows 11. (credit: Andrew Cunningham)

Using Windows these days means putting up with many, many pitches to use and purchase other Microsoft products. Some are subtle, like the built-in Edge browser suggesting you use its “recommended settings” after each major update. Some are not so subtle, like testing a “quiz” that made some users explain why they’re trying to quit the OneDrive app.

Those living in the European Economic Area (EEA)—which includes the EU and adds Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—will soon get the volume turned down on their Windows 11 systems. To meet the demands of the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act—slated to be enforced in March 2024—Microsoft must make its apps easier to uninstall, its default settings easier to change, and its attempts at steering people toward its services easier to avoid.

Microsoft writes in a blog post that many of these changes will be available in a preview update of Windows 11 (version 23H2) this month. Windows 10 will get similar changes “at a later date.” A couple of changes affect all Windows 10 and 11 users:

Enlarge / The Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland is mostly a barren waste of lava fields. (credit: Vincent van Zeijst/CC BY 3.0)

Intensifying seismic activity these past few weeks along Iceland’s southwestern Reykjanes Peninsula—marked by tens of thousands of earthquakes, as many as 1,400 within one 24-hour period—has experts warning of a likely volcanic eruption at any time. While such activity is typically monitored by seismometers, seismologists at Northwestern University are also listening to the data collected by the region’s Global Seismographic Network station using an app they developed a few years ago called Earthtunes.

With the app, those earthquakes can sound like slamming doors or hail pelting a window or roof. “The activity is formidable, exciting, and scary,” said Suzan van der Lee, a Northwestern seismologist who co-developed Earthtunes. “Iceland did the right thing by evacuating residents in nearby Grindavik and the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant.”

Sonification of scientific data is an area of growing interest in many different fields. For instance, several years ago, a project called LHCSound built a library of the “sounds” of a top quark jet and the Higgs boson, among others. The project hoped to develop sonification as a technique for analyzing the data from particle collisions so that physicists could “detect” subatomic particles by ear. Other scientists have mapped the molecular structure of proteins in spider silk threads onto musical theory to produce the “sound” of silk in hopes of establishing a radical new way to create designer proteins. And there’s a free app for Android called the Amino Acid Synthesizer that enables users to create their own protein “compositions” from the sounds of amino acids.

Enlarge / A telephone in a prison. (credit: Getty Images | Image Source)

Prison phone company Global Tel*Link leaked the personal information of nearly 650,000 users and failed to notify most of the users that their personal data was exposed, the Federal Trade Commission said today. The company agreed to a settlement that requires it to change its security practices and offer free credit monitoring and identity protection to affected users, but the settlement doesn’t include a fine.

“Global Tel*Link and two of its subsidiaries failed to implement adequate security safeguards to protect personal information they collect from users of its services, which enabled bad actors to gain access to unencrypted personal information stored in the cloud and used for testing,” the FTC said.

Global Tel*Link has long been controversial because of the prices it charges for inmate-calling services. The company rebranded itself as ViaPath Technologies last year. The subsidiaries targeted in the FTC complaint are Telmate and TouchPay Holdings.

Enlarge (credit: Google / Ron Amadeo)

Magazine content sales were shut down in 2020, though, and soon, Google’s magazine content will no longer be hosted online. The company announced on a support page that purchased content will be shut down starting December 18. You can see if you have purchased (or freebie) magazines at this link.

Let’s see if we can put on our “Google archeology” hats and figure out where this all came from. Google started selling magazines in 2012 with “Google Play Magazines.” You could buy individual magazine issues for around $8 or subscribe yearly for $11. These were all hosted by Google, with access available through the app and web. One year later, in 2013, Play Magazines was merged with another Google news app, Google Currents, to create Google Play Newsstand. Newsstand featured paid magazines and free website content. Google spent 2013–2016 rolling out purchasing support across more and more countries.

Enlarge (credit: NurPhoto / Contributor | NurPhoto)

Two of the world’s biggest tech companies have appealed the European Union’s designation of their services as “gatekeepers” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA)—a strict EU antitrust law aimed at “preventing gatekeepers from imposing unfair conditions on businesses and end users” and “ensuring the openness of important digital services.”

On Wednesday, Meta became the first to appeal gatekeeper status of its Messenger and Marketplace services, Reuters reported. According to Meta, its Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp services qualify as gatekeepers, but not other designated services that the social giant considers simply functionalities of Facebook—its Messenger and Marketplace services. Further, Meta argued that its Marketplace enables consumer-to-consumer services—which it said is different from businesses promoting outside services—and therefore, Meta contends that service falls outside the DMA’s scope.

That same day, ByteDance quickly followed suit, appealing TikTok’s gatekeeper status. According to a TikTok blog post, TikTok shouldn’t be designated as a gatekeeper because it’s a newcomer that “does not hold an ‘entrenched’ position.”

Enlarge (credit: Microsoft)

In the last two years, Windows 11 has ushered in significant updates for most of Windows’ built-in apps, and things like the system tray, Start menu, Settings app, and taskbar have continuously evolved with each new update. But few of these changes have been made available for Windows 10, which is still, by every publicly available metric, the most-used version of Windows on the planet. (Notable exceptions include the redesigned Outlook app and continued development of Microsoft Edge.)

Today, the company is making a major exception: The new AI-powered Windows Copilot feature from Windows 11 is being backported to Windows 10 and will be available in the Windows Insider Release Preview channel for Windows 10. This version of Copilot, which will be branded as a preview at first, will be available for the Home and Pro versions of Windows 10. But it won’t be available for the “managed” versions of Windows 10 just yet—Enterprise and Education editions, as well as Pro PCs that are joined to a domain or are otherwise managed by an IT department.

“We are hearing great feedback on Copilot in Windows (in preview) and we want to extend that value to more people,” writes Microsoft in a separate blog post. “For this reason, we are revisiting our approach to Windows 10 and will be making additional investments to make sure everyone can get the maximum value from their Windows PC including Copilot in Windows (in preview).”

Enlarge / If you have a bunch of Windows systems, Microsoft now has an app for that. It’s called “Windows App.” Microsoft just has a certain way with naming things. (credit: Microsoft)

It feels strange to say it, but it’s true: There is an app called, simply, “Windows.” It’s available for early testing on Mac, iOS and iPad, the web, Windows, and eventually Android, and it’s made by Microsoft. The fact that it exists, with such a strong and simple name, says something larger than the rather plain and starting-stage app it is now.

“Windows App,” as named by Microsoft in a rare bit of minimalism, is essentially a convenient remote desktop connection to a Windows OS on a physical system, an Azure virtual desktop, a Dev Box, or elsewhere. There are some other tricks you can pull off, too, like using your local device’s webcam, speakers, and printer connections with your remote Windows system. But you can easily read a “Windows app” for multiple platforms, including web browsers generally, as being the next step in Microsoft’s slow march toward making a virtual Windows OS something that seems convenient for everybody, whether on a business or personal account.

At the moment, you need a work or school account with Microsoft to use most of the features beyond a traditional remote desktop connection. To use a remote desktop connection, the Windows instance you’re connecting to must be running a Pro edition, as Home lacks the ability to host a remote desktop connection. There are, of course, many ways to connect to a remote PC from nearly any device, including RealVNC and others.

Enlarge / Mare Imbrium and its vicinity. (credit: Katie’s Observing Log)

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.

This strip of the Moon showcases the vast Mare Imbrium lava plain—it’s the large semi-circle that dominates much of the photo. Astronomers and planetary scientists believe this feature formed when a proto-planet struck the Moon about 3.9 billion years ago.

Enlarge / The Trek FX+ 2 e-bike (credit: Eric Bangeman)

When it came time to buy our son his “adult” bike, the Trek FX 2 was an easy choice. Not only is the candy-red color eyepopping, but the hybrid offers hydraulic disc brakes and an aggressive riding position for $749. So when Trek offered us the chance to review the FX+ 2, we jumped at the chance to take it for a ride or three.

It’s not often that we get to review an electrified version of a bike we are familiar with, so we’ll start with the differences between the FX+ 2 and the FX 2. Let’s get the biggest one out of the way: the price. The Trek FX+ 2 retails for $2,499, over three times the price of its unelectrified sibling (also significantly higher than some hybrid e-bikes, many of which are made by new companies most of us have never heard of). Some of the price difference comes from the motor and battery—the motor itself sells for $450—but you’re also getting an integrated bike computer with cadence and speed sensors along with a power meter. All you need to access the integrated gear is the Trek Connect app.

The motor lives in the rear hub. (credit: Eric Bangeman)

Component-wise, the FX+ 2 is very similar to the FX 2. They use the same Shimano shifter and cassette, the same aluminum wheels, and the same Alpha Gold aluminum frame. The differences between the two mostly come down to modifications needed for the electric bits and the tires. The FX+ 2 comes with 700×40 mm tires instead of 35s and has a max tire size of 50 mm, whereas the FX 2 is capped at 38 mm. Lastly, the FX+ 2 has a rear rack, fenders, and integrated headlight and taillight.

Enlarge / A composite of three DALL-E 3 AI art generations: an oil painting of Hercules fighting a shark, a photo of the queen of the universe, and a marketing photo of “Marshmallow Menace” cereal. (credit: DALL-E 3 / Benj Edwards)

In October, OpenAI launched its newest AI image generator—DALL-E 3—into wide release for ChatGPT subscribers. DALL-E can pull off media generation tasks that would have seemed absurd just two years ago—and although it can inspire delight with its unexpectedly detailed creations, it also brings trepidation for some. Science fiction forecast tech like this long ago, but seeing machines upend the creative order feels different when it’s actually happening before our eyes.

“It’s impossible to dismiss the power of AI when it comes to image generation,” says Aurich Lawson, Ars Technica’s creative director. “With the rapid increase in visual acuity and ability to get a usable result, there’s no question it’s beyond being a gimmick or toy and is a legit tool.”

With the advent of AI image synthesis, it’s looking increasingly like the future of media creation for many will come through the aid of creative machines that can replicate any artistic style, format, or medium. Media reality is becoming completely fluid and malleable. But how is AI image synthesis getting more capable so rapidly—and what might that mean for artists ahead?

Enlarge (credit: Victor De Schwanberg/Science Photo Library via Getty Images)

The lapse stems from immature coding practices in which developers embed cryptographic keys, security tokens, passwords, and other forms of credentials directly into the source code they write. The credentials make it easy for the underlying program to access databases or cloud services necessary for it to work as intended. I published one such PSA in 2013 after discovering simple searches that turned up dozens of accounts that appeared to expose credentials securing computer-to-server SSH accounts. One of the credentials appeared to grant access to an account on Chromium.org, the repository that stores the source code for Google’s open source browser.

In 2015, Uber learned the hard way just how damaging the practice can be. One or more developers for the ride service had embedded a unique security key into code and then shared that code on a public GitHub page. Hackers then copied the key and used it to access an internal Uber database and, from there, steal sensitive data belonging to 50,000 Uber drivers.

Enlarge / United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Certification-1 first stage sits atop Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida for qualification testing. (credit: ULA)

In the coming days, Bruno said the Centaur upper stage would be integrated with the Vulcan first stage. Then, the combined vehicle will be rolled to the launch site for a fueling test known as a wet dress rehearsal in December. However, the rocket’s main engines, BE-4s provided by Blue Origin, will not be fired. That’s because the first stage already completed this hot fire test successfully in June.

Enlarge / Most won’t have the space, budget, or need for this monitor, but it sure makes this kid look happy. (credit: Samsung)

• LG 55-inch Class C3 Series OLED evo 4K TV for $1,297 (was $1,397) at Amazon
• Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 43-inch Mini 4K AMD FreeSync Premium Pro Gaming Monitor for $500 (was $1,000) at Best Buy
• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, Lightning) Wireless Earbuds for $189 (was $249) at Amazon
• Insignia 140 W 4-Port USB and USB-C Desktop Charger Kit for $54 (was $120) at Best Buy
• Apple 2023 MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip, 256GB SSD Storage for $1,049 (was $1,299) at Amazon
• JBL Boombox 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $350 (was $500) at Best Buy
• Netgear Orbi 650 Series AX3000 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (3-pack) for $307 (was $380) at Best Buy
• Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Wireless Laser Mouse for $40 (was $60) at Best Buy

Home and office tech essentials

• Logitech M325s Wireless Optical Ambidextrous Mouse for $10 (was $20) at Best Buy
• Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Wireless Laser Mouse for $40 (was $60) at Best Buy
• Dell KM7120W Full-size Wireless Scissor Clicky Switch Keyboard and Mouse Combo for $75 (was $90) at Best Buy
• Insignia 140W 4-Port USB and USB-C Desktop Charger Kit for $54 (was $120) at Best Buy
• Netgear EAX15 AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Wall Plug Range Extender for $100 (was $130) at Best Buy
• Netgear Orbi 850 Series AX6000 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (3-pack) for $714 (was $900) at Best Buy
• Netgear Orbi 650 Series AX3000 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (3-pack) for $307 (was $380) at Best Buy
• TP-Link Deco AX3000 WiFi 6 Mesh System 3-pack for $180 (was $230) at Amazon
• TP-Link AX3000 WiFi 6 Router 802.11ax Wireless, Gigabit, Dual Band Internet $108 (was $130) at Amazon
• TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7) Dual Band Gigabit for $53 (was $80) at Amazon
• TP-Link Deco AX7800 Tri-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System (Deco X95) 2-pack for $350 (was $450) at Amazon
• TP-Link AC1900 WiFi Extender (RE550) for $70 (was $80) at Amazon
• Amazon eero Pro 6E AXE5400 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System (3-pack) for $400 (was $550) at Best Buy
• Amazon eero Pro 6 AX4200 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (3-pack) for $240 (was $400) at Best Buy
• Amazon eero mesh WiFi system router replacement for whole-home coverage (3-pack) for $127 (was $170) at Amazon
• Amazon eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi router, 2022 release for $180 (was $250) at Amazon
• Amazon eero Pro mesh WiFi router for $70 (was $160) at Amazon
• Amazon eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi system 2-pack for $155 (was $240) at Amazon
• Amazon eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi System 2-pack for $280 (was $400) at Amazon
• Amazon eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi router for $90 (was $140) at Amazon
• Amazon eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi system 3-pack, 2022 release for $195 (was $300) at Amazon
• Amazon eero high-speed wifi 6 router and booster for $70 (was $90) at Amazon
• Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen, 2021 release) for $70 (was $130) at Amazon

Monitors and displays

• Samsung S61B Series 27-inch QHD (2560×1440) Computer Monitor, 75Hz for $150 (was $250) at Amazon
• Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 43-inch Mini 4K AMD FreeSync Premium Pro Gaming Monitor for $500 (was $1,000) at Best Buy
• Samsung 32-inch Viewfinity QHD 2K Computer Monitor, Fully Adjustable Stand for $300 (was $385) at Amazon
• Samsung 32-inch S70A Series 4K UHD (3840×2160) Computer Monitor for $300 (was $350) at Amazon
• Samsung 55-inch Odyssey Ark 4K UHD for $1,900 (was $2,700) at Samsung
• Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 DQHD for $1,200 (was $1,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G32A FHD for $220 (was $330) at Samsung
• Samsung Odyssey Ark 55-inch LED Curved 4K UHD Gaming Monitor for $1,800 (was $2,700) at Best Buy
• HP Omen 34-inch VA LED Curved QHD 165Hz FreeSync Gaming Monitor for $330 (was $480) at Best Buy
• LG 24-inch IPS 3-Side Borderless FHD AMD 100Hz FreeSync Monitor for $80 (was $170) at Best Buy
• LG 34-inch 34WN80C-B UltraWide WQHD IPS for $400 (was $550) at LG
• LG 27-inch UltraFine 4K OLED pro for $1,800 (was $1,900) at LG
• LG 22-inch Class Full HD IPS for $80 (was $120) at LG
• LG 24-inch IPS 3-Side Borderless FHD AMD 100Hz FreeSync Monitor for $80 (was $170) at Best Buy
• Acer EZ321Q wi 31.5″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Monitor for $160 (was $200) at Amazon
• Acer Nitro 27-inch IPS LED FHD FreeSync Gaming Monitor for $160 (was $300) at Best Buy
• Acer 23.8-inch Full HD 1920×1080 IPS Zero Frame Home Office Computer Monitor for $100 (was $150) at Amazon
• Alienware AW2524H Gaming Monitor 24.5-inch 480Hz 1ms IPS Anti-Glare Display for $600 (was $800) at Amazon
• Dell Curved Gaming Monitor 27 Inch Curved with 165Hz Refresh Rate, QHD for $200 (was $300) at Amazon
• Dell Gaming Monitor 32 Inch, 165 Hz, Quad-HD Widescreen LED LCD, IPS Display for $300 (was $450) at Amazon
• Dell S3221QS 32 Inch Curved 4K UHD, VA Ultra-Thin Bezel Monitor, AMD FreeSync for $320 (was $400) at Amazon
• Dell S2722QC 27-inch 4K USB-C Monitor UHD (3840×2160) Display, 60Hz Refresh Rate for $280 (was $370) at Amazon
• Dell 32-inch 4K Monitor, UHD (3840×2160), 60Hz, Dual HDMI 2.0 for $250 (was $365) at Amazon
• Dell S2421HS Full HD 1920×1080, 24-Inch 1080p LED for $140 (was $180) at Amazon

Apple gear

• Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip, 256GB SSD Storage for $1,049 (was $1,299) at Amazon
• Apple MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop, M2 chip, 16GB Memory, 1TB SSD for $1,699 (was $1,899) at Best Buy
• Apple MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop, M2 chip,16GB Memory, 512GB SSD for $1,499 (was $1,699) at Best Buy
• Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch Laptop, Apple M2 chip, 8GB Memory, 512GB SSD for $1,299 (was $1,499) at Best Buy
• Apple 2020 MacBook Air Laptop M1 chip, 13-inch for $849 (was $999) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, Lightning) Wireless Earbuds for $189 (was $249) at Amazon
• Apple iPad Air (5th Generation) with M1 chip, 64GB, Wi-Fi 6 + 5G Cellular for $650 (was $749) at Amazon
• Apple iPad Air (5th Generation) with M1 chip, 64GB, Wi-Fi at Amazon for $549 (was $599) at Amazon
• Apple iPad (9th Generation) with A13 Bionic chip,  64GB for $249 (was $329) at Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 45mm) Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case for $379 (was $429) at Amazon
• Apple AirTag 4-pack for $87 (was $99) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones for $480 (was $549) at Amazon

Robo vacuums

• eufy Clean X8 Pro Robot Vacuum Self-Empty Station, Twin-Turbine 2× 4,000 Pa Powerful Suction for $550 (was $650) at Amazon
• Lefant M210 Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Tangle-Free 2200Pa Suction for $110 (was $210) with coupon at Amazon
• SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ with Self-Empty Base for $400 (was $500) with coupon at Amazon
• Coredy Robot Vacuum, R650 Ultra Robotic Vacuum with 2200 Pa Strong Suction for $115 (was $230) with coupon at Amazon
• Samsung Jet Bot AI+ Robot Vacuum Cleaner w/Object Recognition, Intelligent Cleaning for $690 (was $1,300) at Amazon
• Samsung Jet Bot+ Robot Vacuum with Clean Station for $600 (was $800) at Best Buy
• Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum with Matrix Clean Navigation, Home Mapping For $398 (was $600) at Amazon
• Shark  ION Robot Vacuum, Wi-Fi Connected for $150 (was $250) at Best Buy
• roborock Q7 Max+ Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum and Mop with Auto-Empty Dock for $500 (was $870) at Best Buy
• roborock Q5+ Robot Vacuum with Self-Empty Dock for $525 (was $700) with coupon at Amazon
• iRobot Roomba i4+ EVO Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum for $350 (was $600) at Amazon
• iRobot Roomba i7+ (7550) Wi-Fi Connected Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum for $500 (was $900) at Best Buy
• TP-Link Tapo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo with Self Empty Base for $250 (was $400) at Amazon
• Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop for $840 (was $1,100) at Amazon
• Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, 2 in 1 Mopping Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Schedule for $179 (was $730) at Amazon

Headphones

• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, Lightning) Wireless Earbuds for $189 (was $249) at Amazon
• 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise Cancelling Headphones for $80 (was $100) at Amazon
• Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Over-Ear Headphones for $328 (was $400) at Amazon
• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Noise Canceling Earbuds for $199 (was $279) at Amazon
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Noise Canceling Earbuds for $190 (was $230) at Best Buy
• Shure AONIC 40 Premium Wireless Headphones for $100 (was $200) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser Momentum 3 True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Headphones for $200 (was $280) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Adaptive Noise-Canceling Over-The-Ear Headphones for $300 (was $350) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser HD 660S2 Wired Audiophile Bass-boosted Over-the-Ear Headphones for $500 (was $600) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser HD 458BT Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones for $100 (was $200) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser Sport True Wireless Earbuds for $100 (was $150) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds for $130 (was $180) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser  IE 200 In-Ear Wired Headphones for $120 (was $150) at Best Buy
• Sennheiser HD 560S Wired Open Aire Over-the-Ear Audiophile Headphones for $180 (was $230) at Best Buy
• Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless Noise Canceling In-Ear Headphones for $115 (was $180) at Best Buy
• Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless Noise Canceling In-Ear Headphones for $130 (was $200) at Best Buy
• Marshall Major IV Bluetooth Headphone with wireless charging for $109 (was $150) at Best Buy
• Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones for $480 (was $549) at Amazon
• Beats Studio Buds Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds for $100 (was $150) at Amazon | Best Buy
• Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones for $300 (was $350) at Best Buy
• Beats Fit Pro True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Earbuds for $180 (was $200) at Best Buy
• Beats Solo 3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones for $130 (was $200) at Best Buy
• Poly – formerly Plantronics – Voyager 4320 for $158 (was $170) at Best Buy
• Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds for $20 (was $40) at Amazon
• Soundcore by Anker A20i True Wireless Earbuds for $24 (was $40) at Amazon
• Soundcore by Anker Life P3i Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds for $50 (was $60) at Amazon

Soundbars and home audio

• Samsung – A series 2.1.ch Dolby & DTS Soundbar for $120 (was $280) at Best Buy
• Samsung HW-B650 Powered 3.1-channel sound bar and wireless subwoofer system for $208 (was $398) at Crutchfield
• Samsung – Q-series 3.1.2 ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar w/Q-Symphony Q600C for $330 (was $600) at Best Buy
• Samsung S-series 3.0 ch. Soundbar S50B for $150 (was $250) at Samsung
• Samsung Sound Tower Party Audio ST40B for $230 (was $500) at Samsung
• Samsung Q-series 3.1.2 ch. Wireless Dolby Atmos Soundbar Q700C for $400 (was $700) at Samsung
• Samsung Q series 5.1.2ch Wireless Dolby Atmos Soundbar Q750C Symphony for $480 (was $800) at Best Buy
• Samsung Q-series 5.1.2 ch. Wireless Dolby Atmos Soundbar Q800C for $690 (was $1,000) at Samsung
• Samsung Q-series 7.1.2 ch. Wireless Dolby Atmos Soundbar Q900C for $990 (was $1,400) at Samsung
• Samsung Q-series 9.1.2 ch. Wireless Dolby Atmos Soundbar Q910C for $990 (was $1,400) at Samsung
• Samsung Q-series 11.1.4 ch. Wireless Dolby Atmos Soundbar Q990C for $1,400 (was $1,900) at Best Buy
• Samsung HW-S50B/ZA 3.0ch All-in-One Soundbar for $148 (was $248) at Amazon
• Klipsch Cinema 600 Sound Bar 3.1 Home Theater System for $380 (was $549) at Amazon
• KEF Q Series 5.25-inch 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) for $350 (was $600) at Best Buy
• LG 5.1.2 Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer for $300 (was $449) at Best Buy
• LG 3.1 Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer and DTS Virtual:X for $200 (was $350) at Best Buy
• LG 9.1.5 Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for $1,000 (was $1,400) at Best Buy
• LG 5.1.3 Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for $500 (was $800) at Best Buy
• LG 3.1.3 Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for $400 (was $600) at Best Buy
• JBL Cinema SB170 2.1 Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer for $150 (was $250) at Best Buy
• LG Eclair 3.0 Channel Soundbar with Dolby Atmos for $300 (was $450) at Best Buy
• Yamaha SR-C20 2.1-Channel Soundbar with Built-in Subwoofer for $130 (was $180) at Best Buy
• LG 4.1 ch Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer and Rear Speakers for $180 (was $400) at Best Buy
• Sony HT-A7000 Dolby Atmos soundbar for $998 (was $1,398) at Crutchfield
• Sony HT-S2000 soundbar for $348 (was $498) at Crutchfield
• Sony HT-A3000 soundbar for $498 (was $698) at Crutchfield
• Sennheiser AMBEO Dolby Atmos Soundbar | Max for $2,000 (was $2,500) at Crutchfield
• Sony HT-A5000 Dolby Atmos soundbar for $698 (was $998) at Crutchfield
• JBL Boombox3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $350 (was $500) at Best Buy

TVs

• LG 42-inch Class C3 Series OLED evo 4K TV for $897 (was $997) at Amazon
• LG 48-inch Class C3 Series OLED evo 4K TV for $1,047 (was $1,197) at Amazon
• LG 55-inch Class C3 Series OLED evo 4K TV for $1,297 (was $1,397) at Amazon
• LG 65-inch Class C3 Series OLED evo 4K TV for $1,597 (was $1,697) at Amazon
• LG QNED85 Series 65-Inch Class QNED Mini-LED Smart TV (2022) for $1,097 (was $1,800) at Amazon
• LG 65-inch Class G3 Series OLED 4K UHD TV for $2,300 (was $3,000) at Best Buy
• LG 77-inch Class G3 Series OLED 4K UHD TV for $3,500 (was $4,300) at Best Buy
• LG 83-inch Class G3 Series OLED 4K UHD TV for $5,000 (was $6,000) at Best Buy
• TCL 55-inch Q7 QLED 4K Smart TV with Google TV for $498 (was $750) at Amazon
• TCL 55-inch Q6 QLED 4K Smart TV with Google TV for $348 (was $500) at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV 65-inch Omni QLED Series 4K UHD smart TV for $590 (was $800) at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV 75-inch Omni QLED Series 4K UHD smart TV for $880 (was $1,100) at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV 43-inch 4-Series 4K UHD smart TV with Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote for $250 (was $370) at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-Series HD smart TV with Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote for $180 (was $250) at Amazon
• Hisense 65-inch Class U8 Series Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD TV for $897 (was $1,400) at Amazon
• Samsung 55-inch Class QLED 4K Q70C for $750 (was $1,000) at Samsung
• Sony 55-inch 4K Ultra HD TV X85K Series: LED Smart Google TV for $698 (was $778) at Amazon
• Sony 55-inch Class Bravia XR A95K 4K HDR OLED Google TV for $1,700 (was $2,800) at Best Buy
• Sony 55-inch 4K Ultra HD TV X90K Series: BRAVIA XR Full Array LED Smart Google TV for $798 (was $1,300) at Amazon
• Sony 65-inch Mini LED 4K Ultra HD TV X93L Series: BRAVIA XR Smart Google TV for $1,598 (was $1,798) at Amazon
• Sony 65-inch 4K Ultra HD TV X80K Series: LED Smart Google TV for $698 (was $900) at Amazon
• Sony 65-inch Class Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K smart Google TV for $1,700 (was $2,600) at Best Buy
• Sony 55-inch Class Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K smart Google TV for $1,400 (was $1,900) at Best Buy
• Sony 83-inch Class Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV for $4,500 (was $5,300) at Best Buy
• Samsung 85-inch Class The Frame QLED 4K LS03B for $3,300 (was $4,300) at Samsung
• Samsung 55-inch Class OLED S90C TV for $1,300 (was $1,900) at Samsung
• Samsung 65-inch Class OLED S90C TV for $1,600 (was $2,600) at Samsung
• Samsung 83-inch Class OLED S90C TV for $3,500 (was $5,400) at Samsung
• Samsung 65-inch Class OLED S95C TV for $2,400 (was $3,300) at Samsung
• Samsung 55-inch Class OLED S95C TV for $1,900 (was $2,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 77-inch Class OLED S95C TV for $3,600 (was $4,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 55-inch Class TU690T Crystal UHD 4K TV for $300 (was $380) at Samsung
• Samsung 65-inch Class QLED 4K QN90C TV for $1,700 (was $2,800) at Samsung
• Samsung 98-inch Class QLED 4K Q80C TV for $5,000 (was $8,000) at Samsung
• Samsung 65-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN800C TV for $2,600 (was $3,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 120-inch Class The Premiere LSP7T 4K Smart Laser Projector for $3,000 (was $3,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 120-inch Class The Premiere LSP7T 4K Smart Laser Projector for $6,000 (was $6,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 70-inch Class QLED 4K QE1C TV for $880 (was $1,800) at Samsung
• Samsung 70-inch Class QLED 4K QE1C TV for $1,500 (was $2,800) at Samsung
• Samsung 65-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900C TV for $3,300 (was $5,000) at Samsung
• Samsung 75-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900C TV for $4,500 (was $6,300) at Samsung
• Samsung 75-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900C TV for $5,500 (was $8,000) at Samsung
• Samsung 65-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN800C TV for $2,600 (was $3,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 43-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 4K QN90C TV for $1,000 (was $1,200) at Samsung
• Samsung 85-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 4K QN90C TV for $2,800 (was $4,800) at Samsung
• Samsung 55-inch Class Samsung Neo QLED 4K QN85C TV for $1,000 (was $1,500) at Samsung
• Samsung 86-inch Class Crystal UHD TU9010 (2021) TV for $1,600 (was $1,700) at Samsung

Herman Miller office and gaming chairs

• Herman Miller Aeron Chair for $1,354 (was $1,805) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Embody Chair for $1,703 (was $2,270) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Embody Gaming Chair for $1,384 (was $1,845) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Sayl Chair for $588 (was $735) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Sayl Chair, Special Gaming Edition for $816 (was $1,020) at DWR
• Herman Miller Cosm Chair, Low Back for $1,048 (was $1,310) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Cosm Chair, Mid Back for $1,256 (was $1,570) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Cosm Chair, High Back for $1,680 (was $2,100) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller x Logitech G Vantum Gaming Chair for $636 (was $795) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller x Logitech G Embody Gaming Chair for $1,384 (was $1,845) at DWR
• Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Chair, Executive for $2,040 (was $2,550) at DWR
• Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Chair, Management for $2,296 (was $2,870) at DWR
• Herman Miller Eames Soft Pad Chair, Executive Height for $3,516 (was $4,395) at DWR
• Herman Miller Setu Chair, With Arms for $668 (was $835) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Aeron Chair, Special Gaming Edition for $1,354 (was $1,805) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Aeron Stool for $1,391 (was $1,855) at Herman Miller
• Herman Miller Lino Chair for $684 (was $855) at Herman Miller

Lenovo deals

• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1365U) for $1,327 (was $3,319) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 (13-inch, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U) for $656 ($1,639) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1270P for $1,216 (was $3,379) at Lenovo
• Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1035G4) for $615 (was $1,250) at Lenovo
• Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 (Intel Core i7-13700KF, RTX 4080) for $2,061 (was $2,900) at Lenovo
• Lenovo Slim Pro 7 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-1360P) for $1,629 (was $3,629) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 6 Intel (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H) for $1,979 (was $4,389) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad P16v (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H) for $1,499 (was $3,339) at Lenovo
• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 (16-inch, Intel Core i9-13900HX and RTX 4090) for $2,360 (was $2,850) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1335U) for $1,319 (was $2,399) at Lenovo
• Lenovo LOQ (15-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX 4050) for $1,030 (was $1,400) at Lenovo
• Lenovo LOQ (16-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS and RTX 4050) for $911 (was $1,260) at Lenovo
• Lenovo LOQ (15-inch, AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS and RTX 3050) for $700 (was $950) at Lenovo
• ThinkPhone by Motorola for $450 (was $700) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 3 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 5675U) for $629 (was $2,688) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (14-inch, Intel Core i5-1250P) for $945 (was $3,049) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 4 (14-inch, Intel Coire i5-1235U) for $632 (was $1,404) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700HX and RTX A1000) for $1,749 (was $3,899) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 (16-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 7730U) for $894 (was $1,719) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX A2000) for $1,979 (was $4,389) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 5 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 5 7530U) for $610 (was $1,219) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1365U) for $1,143 (was $2,859) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1355U) for $$1,484 (was $2,699) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 (16-inch, Intel Core i5-1355U) for $725 (was $1,449) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 2 (16-inch, Intel Core i7-1360P and RTX A500) for $1,629 (was $3,629) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1360P and RTX A500) for $1,529 (was $3,389) at Lenovo
• Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U) for $1,099 (was $2,199) at Lenovo
• Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1260P) for $1,238 (was $3,439) at Lenovo

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Enlarge (credit: Michael Reaves / Stringer | Getty Images North America)

Lawmakers apparently balked after learning that Apple canceled the critically acclaimed weekly streaming talk show, The Problem with Jon Stewart, last month—reportedly over issues with the show’s planned programming related to both China and artificial intelligence.

In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives’ Select Committee on Competition with the Chinese Communist Party urged Apple to explain its decision to end production of The Problem with Jon Stewart and “accelerate its efforts to reduce its dependence on” China. These steps, lawmakers wrote, are critical to help address “broader concerns about indirect Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence over the creative expression of American artists and companies on CCP-related topics.”

While lawmakers acknowledged that Apple has “the right to determine what content is appropriate for their streaming service,” they argued that “the coercive tactics of a foreign power should not be directly or indirectly influencing these determinations.”

Enlarge / Let’s see, you landed on my “Google Ads” space, and with three houses… that will be $1,400. (credit: Ron Amadeo / Hasbro)

The biggest slip-up of the Department of Justice’s Google search monopoly trial was the reveal that Google pays Apple 36 percent of Safari search revenue to remain the default search engine. Google stated it didn’t want that number getting out because it “would unreasonably undermine Google’s competitive standing in relation to both competitors and other counterparties.” Google attorney John Schmidtlein apparently “visibly cringed” when the number was revealed by its witness (it was later confirmed by Google CEO Sundar Pichai) because Google knows it now has a mess on its hands.

Many of those “competitors and other counterparties” Google is worried about are Android manufacturers. They all get paid some amount of search revenue share, but seeing the huge amount Apple gets paid has probably ruffled some feathers.

How much more does Google pay for an Apple user than an Android one? A lot. It was recently revealed in the Epic v. Google trial (Google has a few monopoly lawsuits going on) that the highest tier of search revenue share for cooperative Android OEMs is only 12 percent, a third of what Google pays Apple. In terms of total cash amount, it’s reasonable to assume Apple gets more total money than many smaller companies but to see the direct breakdown that each Apple user is worth three times more than an Android user is a new insight.

Enlarge / A photo of the Microsoft Azure Maia 100 chip that has been altered with splashes of color by the author to look as if AI itself were bursting forth from its silicon substrate. (credit: Microsoft | Benj Edwards)

On Wednesday at the Microsoft Ignite conference, Microsoft announced two custom chips designed for accelerating in-house AI workloads through its Azure cloud computing service: Microsoft Azure Maia 100 AI Accelerator and the Microsoft Azure Cobalt 100 CPU.

Microsoft designed Maia specifically to run large language models like GPT 3.5 Turbo and GPT-4, which underpin its Azure OpenAI services and Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat). Maia has 105 billion transistors that are manufactured on a 5-nm TSMC process. Meanwhile, Cobalt is a 128-core ARM-based CPU designed to do conventional computing tasks like power Microsoft Teams. Microsoft has no plans to sell either one, preferring them for internal use only.

As we’ve previously seen, Microsoft wants to be “the Copilot company,” and it will need a lot of computing power to meet that goal. According to Reuters, Microsoft and other tech firms have struggled with the high cost of delivering AI services that can cost 10 times more than services like search engines.