Technology

California is close to enacting a first-of-its-kind law that would block Amazon and other companies from punishing warehouse workers who fail to meet certain performance metrics for taking rest or meal breaks. If enacted, the bill, AB 701, would allow warehouse workers to challenge performance goals that many say discourage them from taking bathroom breaks or other rest breaks throughout the work day. The bill was written in response to high rates of reported injuries at Amazon warehouses where performance quotas are algorithmically enforced. The California Senate approved the measure on Wednesday, sending it back to the Assembly where minor changes can be made before it finally lands on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Newsom has not signaled whether he would sign the bill. “The bill is the firs...

Spotify is rolling out a new feature called “Enhance,” which will automatically spiff up your playlists with recommended songs that (theoretically) fit in with your music’s existing style and theme. The feature works through a new Enhance button that now appears at the top of playlists. Tap it to toggle it on, which causes Spotify’s algorithm to automatically add recommended songs that it thinks will fit into your playlist. Enhance-recommended songs will be marked with a bright green sparkles icon to indicate that they weren’t part of your original list and can be added permanently by tapping the plus button that appears next to the song. Spotify’s algorithm is here to spice up your playlists with new songs Songs added through Enhance won’t replace or mess with your existing playlist songs...

YouTube is cutting the number of subscribers you need to be able to make Community posts in half, the company announced Thursday. Starting October 12th, instead of requiring 1,000 subscribers, you’ll need more than 500 subscribers. In a tweet, YouTube said that will open up the feature to “millions” more channels. Community posts are Facebook-like news or status updates from creators that can be found on a dedicated Community tab on their profile. Sometimes, you might also see them in the Home or Subscriptions tab. The feature was designed to replace the Discussion tab, which will be officially removed from all channels on October 12th, YouTube said Thursday. For creators with fewer than 500 subscribers who want to use the Community posts feature, YouTube says it is “working to bring Commu...

The biggest industrial plant yet to suck tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide out of the air came online yesterday in southwest Iceland. Direct air capture plants like this one have been hyped up lately by world leaders and giant corporations — notably Microsoft — that are looking to erase their legacy of greenhouse gas pollution. This particular operation is ideally located to test the emerging technology. The new plant, built by Swiss company Climeworks, is powered by renewable energy from a geothermal power plant nearby. Climeworks also plans to lock the captured CO2 away in basalt rock formations just three kilometers from the geothermal plant. It’s a storage plan that likely bypasses the need for controversial new carbon dioxide pipelines. “It’s going to be, I think, an interesting t...

Known for his unstoppable and innovative creativity, Hiroshi Fujiwara shows no signs of slowing down on his famous track of collaborations. With an impressive roster that includes Moncler, Maserati and Travis Scott, he is now adding the Japanese household brand Hokkyoku to his seemingly endless list of partners, continuing to tap into every corner of culture to bring Fujiwara’s boundless creativity to life. This time around, the legendary designer takes on technology brand MSI with the Creator Z16 HIROSHI FUJIWARA Limited Edition notebook. The unprecedented laptop collaboration also marks the first time this particular model is reimagined by an outside source. As its name suggests, Creator Z16 is tailored to meet creators’ needs. It also explains MSI’s choice of collaborator, bringing on a...

FTX sold its own NFT, a handwritten graphic that spelled “Test” at $270,000 USD. Dubbed “Testing Testing 123 #1,” the first NFT art produced by the crypto exchange platform’s CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is a test of NFT listing on the FTX US. The minimal piece is “extra rare” as mentioned by the platform’s tweet as it is a one and only piece. The crypto exchange platform has announced earlier in the week to enable users to mint custom NFTs, which are based on the Ethereum and Solana blockchains. Since a spamming of pictures of a fish has flooded the submissions, the executive took to Twitter to announce a one-time charge of $500 USD to submit NFTs, later switched to $10 USD due to the strong reaction from the community. Alright, attempt #3: Now, it costs a flat $10 per NFT to mint them, no up-fr...

Marvel Unlimited — the company’s all-you-can-read subscription comics service — is getting overhauled today with a new logo, an updated app, a more streamlined design, improved search, and more. And as part of the relaunch, Marvel is also announcing an addition to the service: “Infinity Comics,” a new line of exclusive comics that have been specifically designed for the vertical form factor of a modern smartphone, with scrolling panels that fill the entire width of a phone or tablet screen. Marvel is investing big on Infinity Comics, too. It’ll launch with 27 comics available today, with plans for over 100 by the end of the year. Infinity Comics will be exclusive to Marvel Unlimited subscribers, but they’ll be fully in-universe (meaning that anyone who wants to keep up on the full adventur...

The long-awaited trailer for the fourth Matrix installment is finally here alongside the film’s official title: The Matrix: Resurrections. The trailer for Resurrections was first previewed at a CinemaCon presentation from Warner Bros. Pictures on Tuesday, August 24th, in Las Vegas before being released to the public today. The trailer features clips of Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), and Neil Patrick Harris playing the role of Neo’s therapist. “Am I crazy?” Neo asks, as his pre-awoken Thomas Anderson persona. “We don’t use that word in here,” Harris’ character replies. “It’s time to fly” The trailer also depicts what is widely suspected to be a young Morpheus (played by franchise newcomer Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) telling Neo that “it’s time to fly” while handing him a red pil...

Apple’s AirTag accessories are, ironically, often more expensive than the Ultra Wideband-ready Bluetooth tracker itself. Today, however, you can pick up a leather AirTag loop in either brown or red at Amazon for $29, the lowest price Amazon has sold the accessory for since its release in the spring. That’s a great thing given the nature of AirTags, which controversially lack a lanyard hole that would make accessorizing so much easier and likely cheaper, too. The Apple AirTags Leather Loop is made from tanned leather and normally retails for $39. The stylish case allows you to clip your AirTags to backpacks, keys, and other accessories, while securely holding your AirTag in place. There are other third-party options available that are more affordable — Nomad sells similar-looking leather lo...

The League of Legends World Championship, the concluding tournament that brings together the best teams from across the world, will take place in Reykjavík, Iceland at the Laugardalshöll indoor sporting arena. Riot Games revealed the news today, following the August announcement that the event would be moved from China to Europe. The event kicks off on October 5th and will conclude on November 6th. No fans will be in attendance. Reykjavík was also this year’s location for League’s other big international tournament, the Mid-Season Invitational, which took place in May. “Riot successfully hosted the Mid-Season Invitational this past May in Hall B at the Laugardalshöll without a live audience, which resulted in zero COVID-19 cases among players, staff, and partners,” the company noted in tod...

Apple‘s big event for the iPhone 13 hasn’t even taken place yet and rumors for the iPhone 14 are already surfacing. Revealed by Apple leaker Jon Prosser, a render of the leak he was previewed was made in order to protect his source, and from the leak, we can see a very iPhone 4 inspired update. While the phone will supposedly be slightly thicker, the camera bump and raised lenses will be incorporated into the glass back for a completely flush look. The phone will also have a squared-off design with round volume buttons, a titanium chassis, and new speakers. One of the more demanded upgrades has also been satisfied with the removal of the notch where only a punch-hole camera is now present. This will still be offered with a Lightning port. While there’s still quite some time until the 14’s ...

Jeff Bezos‘ Amazon and Blue Origin have once again hit back at Elon Musk and SpaceX by now claiming that the latter consistently breaks rules regarding its missions and testing. In a new statement to the FCC as part of the two companies’ ongoing legal battle, Amazon said that SpaceX treats rules as if they were just for other people: “Whether it is launching satellites with unlicensed antennas, launching rockets without approval, building an unapproved launch tower, or re-opening a factory in violation of a shelter-in-place order, the conduct of SpaceX and other Musk-led companies makes their view plain: rules are for other people, and those who insist upon or even simply request compliance are deserving of derision and ad hominem attacks.” Citing multiple occasions in which SpaceX and Mus...