Tech
Activision Blizzard CEO denies culture of harassment and blames unions for company problems
There is no war (harassment) at Ba Sing Se (Activision Blizzard). By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku. Share this story
Leap Motion’s gesture control quest continues with the Leap Motion Controller 2
Leap Motion debuted in June 2012 with an impressively polished demo, but after its attention-getting debut, the company’s path to market got quite a bit rockier. It had to woo partners on both the software and hardware side, while navigating an often unpredictable production process and at least one major delay. Despite attracting big-name partners like Best Buy, Asus, and Corel, it wasn’t enough to convince users to sign on for a new way of controlling their computers in significant numbers. However, in 2019 a merger turned the company into Ultraleap, and in 2023 it’s returning with the Leap Motion Controller 2. The Motion Controller 2 is a $139.99 device scheduled to start shipping this summer that’s 30 percent smaller than the original, despite including higher resolution cameras ...
It could get harder to use a Nest Hub for shopping lists soon
/ A key feature of Google Assistant — third-party notes integration — will apparently bite the dust in two weeks. 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″>Google Assistant will no longer integrate third-party lists and reminder apps starting June 20th.
Amazon’s Ring agrees to pay $5.8 million to settle FTC spying suit
/ The FTC claims Ring workers and hackers unlawfully spied on customers. 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: Ring Amazon’s Ring unit has agreed to pay $5.8 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that its doorbells illegally spied on users. The settlement addresses a lawsuit filed by the FTC Wednesday accusing Ring of unlawfully deceiving its customers over the privacy of their data and the videos collected by its products. According to the agency’s complaint, Ring failed to restrict employees and contractors from accessing customer videos and used them to train ...
A developer says Reddit could charge him $20 million a year to keep his app working
/ ‘I don’t see how this pricing is anything based in reality or remotely reasonable.’ 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 Apollo, the popular Reddit app for iOS, could face millions of dollars in fees as a result of Reddit’s new paid API model. According to an update posted by developer Christian Selig, Reddit could charge Apollo roughly $20 million per year if it continues operating at its current scale. Reddit announced changes to its API policy in April, which allows the platform to put limits on the number of API requests made by a third-par...
Apple might announce “several” Macs at WWDC
/ Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says we might be seeing some new Macs very soon. a]:text-gray-13″>If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.
Here’s how Instagram recommends the content you see
/ Instagram’s ranking algorithm has long been scrutinized by users. The company lays out a few of the ways it chooses what users see. 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 Instagram users have long theorized about how “the algorithm” works to rank content on the platform and why some users’ posts seem less visible than others. Now, Instagram is opening up the hood on its recommendation system to explain why you see certain posts — at least partially. In a blog post, the company breaks down its ranking system by where a user will encounter content:...
Dyson Launches World’s Most Powerful Robot Vacuum
Following the release of its headline-grabbing Dyson Zone™ Headphones, the Singapore-based tech company now expands its horizons once again with what it claims to be the world's most powerful robot vacuum by a long shot.As expected, Dyson goes all out with the new offering, claiming to at least double the suction power of its competitors with a Hyperdymium™ motor spinning up to 110,000 rpm. Four modes are available including Quiet, Quick, Boost, and Auto. In Auto, a piezo sensor monitors dust levels 15,000 times a second to detect microscopic particles and adjusts the suction level accordingly. Inside, a five-stage HEPA filtration system traps dust and seals 99.99 % of particles. Standout features include 26 sensors providing 360 vision, a wall dock for automatic recharge, du...
Twitter Is Now Only Worth One-Third of the Price Elon Musk and Investors Paid for It in 2022
According to a new report, Twitter is now worth only one-third of what Elon Musk and his 19 other co-investors paid to acquire the social media platform.Fidelity, which initially helped with the $44 billion USD Elon Musk takeover deal recently revealed in its portfolio valuations the mark down of the investment. It appears that Twitter's valuation has seen an immense downgrade from the $44 billion USD, pegging its worth at roughly around $15 billion USD. Back in March, Musk also said itself that the social media platform is worth about $20 billion USD, a level he has used as a basis for employee stock compensation program. Since the acquisition, seven thousand employees have been laid off. The company has been focusing on gaining revenue from subscriptions via a paid verification program, ...
Scientists say they can’t rely on Twitter anymore
/ Twitter was once an indispensable resource for academic research. That’s changed under Elon Musk. 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″>The twitter’s logo is pictured on screen reflected by mirrors in Mulhouse, eastern France on May 30, 2023.
TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’s new trailer is a monster party
/ The new animated turtles movie hits theaters this summer.
Leica Unveils Q3, Its Next-Gen Full-Frame Compact Camera
Leica just revealed the third generation of its well-received Q series compact cameras. Equipped with a new full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor with Triple Resolution Technology, the Leica Q3 offers a range of image formats in 60, 36, or 18 MP that caters to the user’s various needs. The camera offers an ISO range from 50 to 100,000, along with the latest update of the Maestro Series processor and L2 Technology. The fast Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens also makes a return, complete with its integrated macro mode.In terms of new features, the Q3 is upgraded with a high-resolution 3-inch touchscreen display. The screen can be tilted in various ways, providing a wide range of viewing angles, along with added flexibility for the user. Meanwhile, a new hybrid autofocus system is also implemented for speed...
