Places and Things

Intel and Samsung’s new demo shows how blisteringly fast a PCIe 5.0 SSD setup will be PCIe 5.0 SSDs have already started to get announced ahead of CES 2022, with Samsung and Adata teasing early hardware that supports the new standard. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/30/22860374/intel-samsung-ces-2022-demo-pcie-5-0-ssd-setup-speed-test

Solar recycling is broken, but there’s a plan to fix it Solar energy is key to solving climate change, but for the technology itself to be sustainable it needs to be recyclable. Unfortunately, when a solar panel dies today, it’s likely to meet one of two fates: a shredder or a landfill. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/29/22857157/solar-recycling-new-better-method

CES 2022 will introduce HDMI 2.1a, another confusing new spec The HDMI standards are a mess. HDMI 2.1, in particular, is a uniquely frustrating mess, with haphazard support among TV manufacturers, cable makers, and devices that make setting up, say 120Hz gaming on a PS5 or Xbox Series X a uniquely harrowing experience. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/29/22856103/hdmi-2-1a-spec-standard-mess-cables-source-based-tone-mapping-ces-2022

FCC win clears the way for a massive Wi-Fi 6E upgrade A ruling (pdf) on Tuesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has backed up an April 2020 decision by the FCC to open up 1,200MHz of spectrum in the 6GHz band for unlicensed use. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/28/22857852/6ghz-wifi-win-fcc-wi-fi-6e-7-att-spectrum

The Morning After: Hyundai may be giving up on the combustion engine Welcome back to The Morning After. Hope you had a great weekend and are ready for 2021 to be over and done with. (I know I am.) Today, we’ve drawn together the latest tech news from the last few days and several end-of-year pieces on the biggest stories of the year. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-hyundai-may-have-given-up-on-the-combustion-engine-123440502.html

10 weird, but essential, additions to any survival kit This story was originally featured on Field & Stream. If you fire up your favorite search engine and hunt for a list of survival kit components, you’ll find that most of them repeat the same things over and over. Continue Reading . . . https://www.popsci.com/story/diy/unusual-survival-kit-items/

Another T-Mobile cyberattack reportedly exposed customer info and SIMs T-Mobile has suffered another cyberattack after being rocked by a massive data breach in August. This time around, attackers accessed “a small number of” customers’ accounts, according to documents posted by The T-Mo Report. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/28/22857619/t-mobile-cyberattack-data-breach-december-2021-cpni-sim-swap

Samsung resumes Android 12 rollout, updates some foldables, and more S21s Samsung is starting to roll out its Android 12-based One UI 4 update again after the company paused its original release due to reports of bugs and soft bricks from users, according to XDA Developers. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/28/22857057/samsung-android-12-galaxy-s21-z-flip-fold-one-ui-4

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is about to transform into its final form NASA’s incredibly powerful James Webb Space Telescope has been in space for three days now, but perhaps the riskiest part of its journey to deep space is just getting underway. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/28/22816310/nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-jwst-deployment-sequence

HBO Max offers first look at Westworld season 4, Barry, and the 2022 release slate The Dec. 22 premiere of The Matrix Resurrections on HBO Max concludes a risky year in which all of WarnerMedia’s major theatrical releases simultaneously hit the streaming platform. The results of the experiment are a great unknown; few of Warner Bros. Pictures’ movies took off at the U.S. Continue Reading . . . https://www.polygon.com/22849990/hbo-max-2022-releases-westworld-season-4-house-of-dragon-barry

NASA has finally launched the James Webb Space Telescope At long last, NASA has launched the James Webb Space Telescope. On Christmas morning, the telescope launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket after 14 years of development and a number of delays. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-launch-123452649.html

Samsung teases a PCI 5.0 SSD that can hit 13,000 MB/s read speeds Samsung has teased a PCIe 5.0 SSD showing that storage products should keep doubling in speed every few years, even while Moore's Law is decelerating. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/samsung-teases-pci-50-ssd-that-can-hit-13000-m-bs-read-speeds-070308575.html

Intel will put unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave Intel has reportedly notified employees that anyone who remains unvaccinated will need to get the COVID-19 vaccine or submit an exemption by January 4th. Otherwise, they face being put on unpaid leave, according to The Associated Press and The Oregonian. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/21/22849074/intel-unvaccinated-employees-unpaid-leave

TSA checkpoints will start supporting Apple Wallet IDs in February When Apple introduced its updated Apple Wallet in June, the company said it was working to ensure you could use it to get through airport security — and now, we have our first word from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on exactly when that will happen. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/21/22848300/apple-wallet-tsa-id-check-airport-security-support-mid

Watch the first trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin on Netflix There’s more to The Witcher universe than just Geralt, and Netflix gave the first glimpse at that with an early look at Blood Origin. The trailer was initially revealed as a post-credits scene in The Witcher season 2, which debuted on December 17th. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/22691469/witcher-blood-origin-netflix-live-action-trailer

Survey reveals submerged ancient ruins What are cookies? Cookies are small text files that are stored in the web browser that allows HERITAGEDAILY or a third party to recognise you. Continue Reading . . . https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/12/survey-reveals-submerged-ancient-ruins/142306

State of the Sanderson 2021 Welcome to my yearly wrap-up. In this essay, I’ll talk about projects recently released, ones upcoming, and ones in limbo. It’s usually a very long post, so feel free to jump to the section that interests you most using the following handy set of links. Continue Reading . . . https://www.brandonsanderson.com/state-of-the-sanderson-2021/

Comcast won't enforce Northeast data caps until 2023 at the earliest Comcast subscribers in the US Northeast just got another reprieve from data caps, and this one might stick. According to Light Reading and The Verge, a Comcast spokesperson said the cable giant now had "no plans" to enforce internet data caps in the region throughout 2022. State Rep. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/comcast-data-caps-northeast-indefinite-delay-000739663.html

Sony's latest smartphone camera sensor gathers twice as much light Sony has unveiled a new type of stacked CMOS sensor that uses "two-layer transistor pixels" to double the light gathering capability. Typical image sensors have the light-sensitive photodiodes and pixel transistors that control and amplify the signal on the same layer. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/sony-cmos-smartphone-sensor-2-layer-twice-as-much-light-112503027.html

Astronomers have a new theory that defies a fundamental necessity of life When searching for life on another planet, we often look to Earth-like worlds that have what it takes to sustain living organisms. But some scientists are now arguing that may not always be the best place to look. Continue Reading . . . https://www.inverse.com/science/life-in-space-land-planets-no-water

Oppo's new foldable phone may have solved the crease problem There's a new foldable phone in town: The Oppo Find N. After teasing its new foldable last week, the Chinese electronics-maker launched its latest Find N foldable phone on Wednesday, during the second day of its "Inno Day" event. The new phone, which will be sold only in China starting on Dec. Continue Reading . . . https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/oppo-find-n-new-foldable-phone-have-solved-crease-problem/

Apple delays full office reopening and promises $1,000 equipment bonuses Apple has indefinitely delayed the date which corporate employees will have to return to the office, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and NBC News’ Zoe Schiffer. CEO Tim Cook sent an email to staff on Wednesday saying the return-to-work date is “yet to be determined. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/15/22838471/apple-delays-office-reopening-date-covid-19

Apple closes three more retail stores as COVID-19 infections rise Apple has closed three of its retail stores following increased COVID-19 exposures and cases among employees, according to Bloomberg. The stores, which are located in the Brickell City Centre in Miami; Annapolis, Maryland; and downtown Ottawa, Ontario, will be closed temporarily. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/15/22838172/apple-stores-close-retail-covid-19-cases-infections

SharePlay is now available on Macs as part of the latest macOS Monterey update Apple has brought SharePlay to the Mac as part of macOS Monterey 12.1, which was released Monday. With SharePlay, you can now enjoy entertainment like movies, music, and games synchronized with your friends over FaceTime while on your Mac. (You can see a list of some supported apps here. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/13/22833132/shareplay-mac-macos-monterey-12-1-update

Apple brings SharePlay to macOS Monterey It's a big firmware day for Apple. Not only is the company rolling out updates for iPhone, iPad and HomePod, macOS Monterey‌ 12.1 is now available. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/mac-os-monterey-shareplay-apple-music-voice-plan-youtube-192127598.html

Keiko Nobumoto, Prolific Anime Writer Behind Cowboy Bebop and Macross Plus, Dies at 57 Keiko Nobumoto, the writer behind such anime as Cowboy Bebop, Macross Plus, Wolf's Rain, and Tokyo Godfathers, has passed away at the age of 57. Continue Reading . . . https://www.ign.com/articles/keiko-nobumoto-prolific-anime-writer-behind-cowboy-bebop-and-macross-dies

CNET benchmarks indicate that the Apple MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip is up to 4.8 times faster than Intel Macs in Adobe Lightroom CNET recently benchmarked the 2021 Apple MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip against a 2019 MacBook Pro with a Core i9 in Adobe Lightroom. The results were nothing short of eye-opening, with the M1 Max MacBook besting the Core i9 device by up to 5 times. Continue Reading . . . https://www.notebookcheck.net/CNET-benchmarks-indicate-that-the-Apple-MacBook-Pro-with-the-M1-Max-chip-is-up-to-4-8-times-faster-than-Intel-Macs-in-Adobe-Lightroom.584507.0.html

How to run Windows 11 on your M1 MacBook Pro. For free. In my previous article I rambled about how great (for me) the new MacBook Pro with M1 Pro was. One of the negatives was the inability to run other operating systems (Windows 11, Ubuntu, etc.) natively. Continue Reading . . . https://medium.com/@paulbalogh/how-to-run-windows-11-on-your-m1-macbook-pro-for-free-8490146a37fb

watchOS 8.3 brings gesture controls to older Apple Watch models The new watchOS 8.3 release candidate, rolled out by Apple on Wednesday, brings AssistiveTouch gesture controls to older Apple Watch models. The feature made its debut back in May, but could be used only on newer devices, like Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 7. Continue Reading . . . https://www.cultofmac.com/760790/watchos-gesture-controls-older-apple-watch-models/

6 Easy Ways to Keep Your Eyes Healthy While E-Reading Being able to carry hundreds of books with you wherever you go on your smartphone or tablet is one of the modern miracles of today’s life, but you need to be careful. Continue Reading . . . https://goodereader.com/blog/technology/6-easy-ways-to-keep-your-eyes-healthy-while-e-reading

iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 Release Time in Your Time Zone After a couple of months of beta testing, Apple is scheduled to release iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 to the public early next week. This will be the last major point release of iOS 15 from the company before the end of this year. Here’s when the iOS 15.2 update will be available in your time zone. Continue Reading . . . https://www.iphonehacks.com/2021/12/ios-15-2-ipados-15-2-release-time-zone.html

First trailer for the Halo TV series shows Master Chief in live action A Halo TV series is heading to Paramount+ after years in development hell, and today we got our first taste of the show. The first trailer for the Halo series is dramatic, seemingly taking a serious, Dune-like approach to the franchise, and showing off Master Chief in his full, dusty glory. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/halo-tv-paramount-plus-trailer-035553340.html

SpaceX launches a NASA telescope that will observe black holes A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has blasted off with NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite. First announced in 2017, the IXPE is the first satellite capable of measuring the polarization of X-rays that come from cosmic sources, such as black holes and neutron stars. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/space-x-launches-nasa-ixpe-060812924.html

Sonos plans to improve its mixed environmental track record Sonos is the latest tech company to commit to reducing its environmental impact in the long term. The smart speaker firm has unveiled an inaugural climate plan that will make its "value chain" carbon neutral by 2030, and achieve net zero emissions by 2040. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/sonos-carbon-neutral-zero-emissions-goals-164035679.html

Washington DC votes to allow digital driver's licenses and ID cards Washington DC's city council has approved the use of digital driver's licenses and IDs, joining Arizona, Georgia and other states, The Washington Post has reported. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/washington-dc-votes-to-allow-digital-drivers-licenses-and-id-cards-095500755.html

Verizon might collect your browsing data even if you previously opted out The changes Verizon has made to its Selects program also changed at least some subscribers' privacy settings. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/verizon-custom-experience-054918415.html

Sonos now supports Amazon Music’s Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos tracks If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. As it previously promised, Sonos is today rolling out support for Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos tracks from Amazon Music Unlimited. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/7/22822132/sonos-amazon-music-ultra-hd-dolby-atmos-music-now-available

Jeff Bezos’ Earth Fund commits another $443 million to climate justice and conservation On Monday, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced his Earth Fund’s latest round of grants: $443 million to be spent primarily on land conservation and restoration and efforts to reduce environmental burdens on marginalized communities. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/6/22821102/jeff-bezos-earth-fund-443-million-grants-climate-justice-conservation

Toyota will build a $1.29 billion electric vehicle battery factory in North Carolina Toyota will build a $1.29 billion battery factory in North Carolina in an effort to bring some of its electric vehicle supply chain to the US. The news comes on the heels of Toyota’s announcement that it will invest around $13. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/6/22820925/toyota-battery-factory-north-carolina-electric-vehicle-ev

NASA announces 10 new astronaut candidates who could fly to the Moon someday Today, NASA announced the selection of its newest class of astronauts: six men and four women chosen from more than 12,000 people who applied to the space agency in March of 2020. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/6/22820265/nasa-new-astronaut-candidates-artemis-generation-announcement

Designers hope hydrogen-powered plane will fly halfway around the world without refueling One of the toughest nuts to crack when it comes to developing carbon-free transportation is flying. Commercial electric planes won't be feasible until batteries become more powerful and lightweight. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/hydrogen-plane-concept-flyzero-uk-aerospace-technology-institute-163107894.html

Continue Reading . . . https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pompeiis-ruins-to-be-reconstructed-by-robot/

A humanoid robot makes eerily lifelike facial expressions Engineered Arts, a UK-based designer and manufacturer of humanoid robots, recently showed off one of its most lifelike creations in a video posted on YouTube. The robot, called Ameca, is shown making a series of incredibly human-like facial expressions. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/5/22819328/humanoid-robot-eerily-lifelike-facial-expressions

As warehouses take off, they need to kick natural gas Warehouses are increasingly dominating the commercial building landscape in the US, which could have ramifications for efforts to tackle climate change. Continue Reading . . . https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/3/22816131/warehouses-natural-gas-emissions-climate-change

‘Ghost Guns’: Firearm Kits Bought Online Fuel Epidemic of Violence To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. CHULA VISTA, Calif. Continue Reading . . . https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/14/us/ghost-guns-homemade-firearms.html

Why COVID Deaths Have Surpassed AIDS Deaths in the U.S. In late October, the United States passed a grim milestone: more people in the United States had died of COVID-19 in less than two years than the approximately 700,000 who have died in the U.S. in the four decades of the AIDS pandemic. By World AIDS Day, this gap has grown. Continue Reading . . . https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-covid-deaths-have-surpassed-aids-deaths-in-the-u-s/