Technology

If you’re currently shopping for a PlayStation 5 console and have been recently striking out with restocks at Walmart, Costco, and other retailers, you have another chance right now at Best Buy. The electronics retailer just opened up a fresh batch of PlayStation 5 consoles for $499.99. Best Buy is only selling the disc-based version, however, not the Digital Edition. Be sure to log in and queue up on Best Buy’s site, with your billing and shipping info saved. Click the “Add to Cart” button on the right to jump into the waiting line, and stay calm. You don’t need to refresh the automated system, though, you may be prompted to verify your account when it’s your turn. After that, you should be able to see if there are any PS5 consoles available in your area (it’s currently only available for...

Founded by racer Alejandro de Tomaso, De Tomaso Automobili is expanding its creative endeavors to introduce a new initiative that embraces digital artists who will design the future. Under ‘THE PARADIGM THREAD,’ De Tomaso is inviting the next generation of digital artists to contribute to its distinguished design legacy. As the automotive world continues to change, De Tomaso has made the bold decision to pursue projects in the digital spectrum for the latest chapter of its history. One of the goals of De Tomaso’s ‘THE PARADIGM THREAD’ initiative is to collaborate with emerging artists to design its future ‘Digital Artworks,’ ‘Time Machines’ and other digital projects. The forward-thinking initiative also creates opportunities by cultivating new talent and providing a platform for younger a...

As part of its “Future Art Community” initiative, digital brand Angry Miao is set to release the AM HATSU, a futuristic take on the traditional keyboard. As the world’s first wireless split keyboard, the design was inspired by the science fiction drama, Westworld. The organically-shaped invention first attracted attention six months ago during its initial launch and has maintained its popularity since. With the unique design that pulls from Westworld’s opening animation, Angry Miao introduces the next generation of technology.  Boasting a three-dimensional curved aluminum surface, crafted through a 5-axis CNC process, the AM HATSU not only looks streamlined, but also features a smooth texture and durability. While the craftsmanship of the keyboard is eye-catching, the invention’s attr...

A new trailer for The Batman gives us a glimpse at Catwoman’s “thing” for stray cats and the Riddler’s affinity for FaceTime. What’s promised as an even grittier take on Batman stars Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, and Paul Dano as the Riddler. The two-and-a-half-minute teaser, appropriately titled “The Bat and the Cat,” highlights the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, who don’t always appear to get along. In one scene, Batman is commenting on the — apparently concerning — number of cats Catwoman has in her home, and in the next, the duo is sparring in a low-lit office. The pair comes together by the end of the trailer, with both battling the same bad guys. Batman answers the Riddler’s video call.Image by Warner Bros. Pictures Not to mention that the tr...

An unauthorized NFT drop celebrating infosec pioneers has collapsed into a mess of conflicting takedowns and piracy. Released on Christmas Day by a group called “ItsBlockchain,” the “Cipher Punks” NFT package included portraits of 46 distinct figures, with ten copies of each token. Taken at their opening price, the full value of the drop was roughly $4,000. But almost immediately, the infosec community began to raise objections — including some from the portrait subjects themselves. The portrait images misspelled several names — including EFF speech activist Jillian York and OpenPGP creator Jon Callas — and based at least one drawing on a copyright-protected photograph. More controversially, the list included some figures who have been ostracized for harmful personal behavior, including Ja...

As initially reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, all of New York City’s Apple Stores have joined the list of locations closing their doors to most customers amid a spike in the number of COVID-19 infections. Services at Apple Upper West SideImage: Apple.com Last week, Apple closed seven stores in North America in a single day as positive tests among employees rose, and MacRumors points out that even before this announcement, the Apple website listed more than 20 locations that were closed today due to the effects of the pandemic. For people in New York City, the stores are still accessible if you have an appointment to pick up an online order. All other services, like its Genius Bar tech support or shopping by appointment, are currently listed as unavailable. There’s no word on how long t...

People who test positive for COVID-19 only need to isolate for five days as long as their symptoms have stopped, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. The change to isolation guidelines from 10 days to five is based on data showing people with COVID-19 are most likely to be contagious to others during the few days before and after they start showing symptoms, the agency said in a statement. After leaving isolation, people should wear a mask around others for five additional days, the CDC said. The CDC also said Monday that people who haven’t received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but received their second dose of an mRNA vaccine six months ago, or who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine two months ago, should quarantine for five days if they’re exposed to ...

Getting a new gaming PC is a bit like opening Pandora’s Box when it comes to deciding what to play. With frequent releases on Steam, a never-ending flow of free games on the Epic Games Store, a plethora of indie arthouse games on itch.io, and countless other launchers and storefronts to install and choose from, it can feel like the Netflix effect of paralysis by choice. So if you got yourself a new PC for the holiday, or even earlier, this list of excellent games released this year is a primer on what to consider. Some may be no-brainers because they are the biggest releases of the last few months, but others should not be overlooked. Many titles featured here can be downloaded and played via a PC Game Pass subscription, the PC version of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, while subscribers to Xb...

Zoom has acquired the Zoom-based broadcast tools created by the startup Liminal, along with two of the company’s co-founders, the videoconferencing platform announced in a post on its blog. Liminal’s add-ons, ZoomOSC and ZoomISO, are built for creating professional virtual events, which Zoom will likely natively integrate into its software as part of the acquisition. The acquisition will help “bridge” the gap between “emerging” and “traditional” forms of event control tools As noted on Liminal’s site, ZoomOSC is designed to enhance professional meetings and events using the Open Sound Control (OSC) protocol, enabling you to integrate Zoom with third-party software, hardware controllers, and media servers. Meanwhile, ZoomISO allows you to export each participants’ video feed as a sepa...

Last week, the California attorney general and 12 state officials filed a lawsuit against Walmart, saying it allegedly illegally disposed of electronic and hazardous waste, compromising local landfills. California Attorney General Rob Bonta alleges in a statement the company violated state environmental laws with their practices, and the waste included materials like lithium and alkaline batteries, insect killer sprays, aerosol cans, LED lightbulbs, and more. State investigators conducted 58 inspections across 13 counties from 2015 to 2021 and said they found classified hazardous and medical waste in each store’s trash compactors, as well as customer information that should have been rendered indecipherable. The California DOJ estimates that Walmart’s unlawfully disposed waste totals 159,6...

Motorola is working on a new version of its Razr foldable smartphones, according to a Weibo post spotted by Android Authority. The post is from Chen Jin, the general manager of the Lenovo Mobile Business Group in China (Lenovo is currently in charge of Motorola’s smartphone business), and describes how the company has been quietly working on a new addition to its lineup of foldable phones. It doesn’t have big shoes to fill — Motorola’s first two modern foldables were mediocre phones with hefty price tags. We ran Jin’s post through a few translation sites, and while some parts didn’t make the jump to English, there are consistent details that show up in all the translations. The post mentions that the phone will have a better processor, better interface, and a tweaked appearance. At this ea...

Porsche Design fuses functionality with style with the launch of its new PDT60 wireless earphones. Wrapped in aluminum, the earphones offer a sleek and minimal aesthetic for elevated music listening. The device features optional active noise cancelling that filters out ambient and background noise, electronic noise cancelling, five hours of playtime, a built-in IR sensor and water resistance to IPX5. Additionally, the lightweight earphones come with flexible ear tips to ensure maximum fit and comfort. The PDT60 earphones come in an aluminum and leather charging case that contains an additional 15 hours of playtime. Priced at $299 USD, the PDT60 earphones are available now on Porsche Design’s website. In related news, LG is set to unveil two new curved display concepts at CES 2022. Read Ful...