Tech
Is this image a pair of shoes or a sponge? TikTok isn’t sure
/ A new TikTok feature prompts viewers to shop for items similar to what’s shown in videos. Instead, the app is pushing completely unrelated products via TikTok Shop. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Jean Chung / Getty Images TikTok isn’t just a place to offload your celebrity opinions, give strangers a complete home tour, or share a DIY hack. Each video — at least in TikTok’s view — is also a possible advertisement. As I was scrolling through my feed this week, a video from an account I don’t follow popped up discussing actor Hunter Schafer’s Grammys afterparty outfit. Th...
Google’s use of student data could effectively ban Chromebooks from Denmark schools
/ Denmark’s privacy regulator ruled against sharing students’ information with Google, even if it wouldn’t be used for ad targeting. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Illustration: The Verge Danish privacy regulator Datatilsysnet has ruled that cities in Denmark need considerably more assurances about privacy to use Google service that may expose children’s data, reports BleepingComputer. The agency found (translated) that Google uses student data from Chromebooks and Google Workplace for Education “for its own purposes,” which isn’t allowed under European privacy law. Municipalitie...
Disney Plus will start its password-sharing crackdown this summer
/ Disney Plus will soon start prompting password-sharers to sign up for their own accounts. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Nick Barclay / The Verge Disney’s password-sharing crackdown will officially begin this summer. During an earnings call on Wednesday, Disney chief financial officer Hugh Johnston said Disney Plus accounts “suspected of improper sharing” will see an option to sign up for their own subscription. Disney will also start letting account holders add people outside their household for an “additional fee” — but it didn’t say how much that will cost. “We want to reach...
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert film is coming to Disney Plus
/ Disney gets the film ‘in its entirety for the first time’ thanks to the inclusion of five more bonus tracks that weren’t part of the theatrical or VOD releases. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Disney has won the streaming competition for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film. This afternoon the company announced that Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) will be available exclusively on the service starting March 15th. This is being billed as “the concert film in its entirety for the first time,” since this vers...
Disney invests $1.5 billion in Epic to create “persistent universe” tied to Fortnite
/ The multiyear collaboration follows a similar deal with Lego.
Akai Drops The MPC Key 37 Keyboard For Producers On A Budget
Though the Key 37 understandably lacks some of the key aspects of it's Key 61 predecessor (such as 2GB of RAM, compared to the 61's 4GB and a few microphone inputs), the keyboard does feature Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity for wireless streaming on platforms such as Ableton Link. That's gotta count for something, right?
Ford quietly created its own “skunkworks” team to develop low-cost electric vehicles
/ The division is reportedly being led by ex-Tesla engineer Alan Clarke and is working on a flexible battery platform for Ford’s third-generation EVs. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ford created a “skunkworks” lab two years ago with the mission of developing affordable electric vehicles, the company’s CEO said in an earnings call Tuesday. The team is being led by Alan Clarke, who worked at Tesla for 12 years before joining Ford as executive director of advanced EV development, according to TechCrunch. Ford, like other global automakers, is ...
The US strengthens air quality rule for soot
/ Updating the rules has been long overdue, but do they go far enough? a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>Emission rise from a smoke stack at the Essex County Resource Recovery Waste-to-Energy Facility on January 21, 2024, in Newark, New Jersey.
Elon Musk Pushes Great Replacement Theory In Series of X Posts
Phony Stark continues to prove he is a clown.
Watch 11 minutes of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth gameplay features — and the final trailer
/ Unlocking the world map. a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>FFVII Rebirth’s world map.
The refreshed Porsche Taycan will drive farther and charge faster than ever before
/ ‘The quickest production car Porsche has ever offered to date.’ a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Porsche Porsche’s inaugural electric car is getting a facelift to dramatically improve its driving range, performance, and fast-charging abilities. As rival EVs get bigger batteries and improved charging architectures, Porsche is intent on remaining top of the heap with the refreshed Taycan sport sedan. The 2025 Taycan comes in two body styles — the sports sedan and the Cross Turismo wagon — each with four powertrain options as well as rear- and all-wheel drive variants. The se...
Spotify’s transformed podcast business may actually be profitable this year
/ Investors are thrilled. The podcast industry, less so. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: The Verge This is Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more. After last week’s big deal announcements, Spotify reported its fourth quarter earnings. The company is still operating at a loss, but the margins on podcasting do seem to actually be improving. I have more on that below, plus what it cost for the company to get there. Oh, and still no HiFi. Plus, I’ve got some more Hot Pod Summit programming announcements...
