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EV truck maker Nikola has finally called it quits EV truck maker Nikola has finally called it quits The embattled EV truck maker Nikola is going kaput. The company just announced a filing for and a plan to sell off assets. These assets will be sold at an auction, pending court approval. Nikola noted it has $47 million in cash on hand to fund the bankruptcy proceedings and begin the ***** process. The company has reported between $500 million to $1 billion in assets, but liabilities totaling $1 billion to $10 billion, . “Like other companies in the electric vehicle industry, we have faced various market and macroeconomic factors that have impacted our ability to operate,” said Steve Girsky, President and CEO of Nikola. Those market and macroeconomic factors are real, as EV adoption growth rates . However, Nikola is a special case. The company has been embroiled in numerous scandals in recent years, so this news caps off a particularly dire fall from grace for the once-buzzy EV maker. Nikola was founded in 2015 with a mission to create zero-emissions heavy trucks. The company secured a lucrative partnership with GM in 2020, but things fell apart soon thereafter. It was , thanks to a report by short-selling firm Hindenburg Research. This report even included a video showing a Nikola truck rolling down a hill to simulate driving. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. Our investigation of the site and text messages from a former employee reveal that the video was an elaborate ruse— $NKLA had the truck towed to the top of a hill on a remote stretch of road and simply filmed it rolling down the hill. pic.twitter.com/n2NLDGInzR — Hindenburg Research (@HindenburgRes) September 10, 2020 This “elaborate ruse” caused the SEC to begin an investigation which led to founder Trevor Milton . Later, he was arrested and . Milton was and . The company . It goes without saying that . The company did go public in 2020 and . However, reports indicated that Nikola was on every truck it sold. All told, the company only made around 600 vehicles, due to a variety of defects. This subpar performance caused the stock to crater, stumbling from a high of over $1,000 per share to, as of this writing, $0.47 per share. I guess only one company named after the is allowed to consistently without making a dent on its valuation. Source link #truck #maker #Nikola #finally #called #quits Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Powerful quantum computers in years not decades, says Microsoft Powerful quantum computers in years not decades, says Microsoft Chris Vallance Senior Technology Reporter Microsoft Microsoft has unveiled a new chip called Majorana 1 that it says will enable the creation of quantum computers able to solve “meaningful, industrial-scale problems in years, not decades”. It is the latest development in quantum computing – tech which uses principles of particle physics to create a new type of computer able to solve problems ordinary computers cannot. Creating quantum computers powerful enough to solve important real-world problems is very challenging – and some experts believe them to be decades away. Microsoft says this timetable can now be sped up because of the “transformative” progress it has made in developing the new chip involving a “topological conductor”, based on a new material it has produced. The firm believes its topoconductor has the potential to be as revolutionary as the semiconductor was in the history of computing. But experts have told the BBC more data is needed before the significance of the new research – and its effect on quantum computing – can be fully assessed. Jensen Huang – boss of the leading chip firm, Nvidia – said in January he believed “very useful” quantum computing would come in 20 years. Chetan Nayak, a technical fellow of quantum hardware at Microsoft, said he believed the developments would shake up conventional thinking about the future of quantum computers. “Many people have said that quantum computing, that is to say useful quantum computers, are decades away,” he said. “I think that this brings us into years rather than decades.” Travis Humble, director of the Quantum Science Center of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US, said he agreed Microsoft would now be able to deliver prototypes faster – but warned there remained work to do. “The long term goals for solving industrial applications on quantum computers will require scaling up these prototypes even further,” he said. What is quantum computing? Companies around the world are racing to make a revolutionary new generation of computers. Quantum computing holds the promise of carrying out calculations that would take today’s systems millions of years and could unlock discoveries in medicine, chemistry and many other fields. There are numerous important problems that “classical” computers, of the sort we use every day in our phones, and laptops and power most modern applications, cannot solve. But these are problems quantum machines might be able to rapidly crack, promising new discoveries by creating new medicines or designing better batteries. A host of technology firms, including the silicon valley giants, are currently engaged in a multi-billion dollar race to develop a quantum computer powerful enough to solve these problems. Microsoft is approaching the problem differently to most of its rivals. Its path to building a quantum computer relied upon being able to create a “topoconductor” or topological conductor. It uses the newly developed material to create a new state of matter- a so-called “topological state” which isn’t a gas, liquid or solid and, until relatively recently, had existed only in theory. Specifically, it relies on so-called Majorana particles, which themselves were previously considered theoretical – work claiming that they had been discovered in 2018 had to be retracted. High risk, high reward? While rivals produced a steady stream of announcements – notably Google’s “Willow” at the end of 2024 – Microsoft seemed to be taking longer. Pursuing this approach was, in the company’s own words, a “high-risk, high-rewards” strategy, but one it now believes is going to pay off. “In the same way that the invention of semiconductors made today’s smartphones, computers and electronics possible, topoconductors and the new type of chip they enable offer a path to developing quantum system,” Microsoft said. The biggest challenge of quantum computers relates to their fundamental building block, called a qubit, which is incredibly fast but also extremely difficult to control and prone to errors. The more qubits a chip has the more capable it is. Microsoft says it has put eight of its new topological qubits on its new chip – considerably less than the chips created by some of its rivals. However, it claims to have a path to scaling it up to a million qubits – which would create immense computing power. Professor Paul Stevenson of Surrey University said the research published by Microsoft was a “significant step”, but he felt it had tough challenges ahead. “Until the next steps have been achieved, it is too soon to be anything more than cautiously optimistic,” he said. Chris Huenun, Professor of Quantum Programming at the University of Edinburgh, told the BBC he felt Microsoft’s plans were “credible”. “This is promising progress after more than a decade of challenges, and the next few years will see whether this exciting roadmap pans out,” he said. Source link #Powerful #quantum #computers #years #decades #Microsoft Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kevin Durant’s tearful Netflix moment is a timely reminder of basketball’s true spirit Kevin Durant’s tearful Netflix moment is a timely reminder of basketball’s true spirit Kevin Durant, in a moment of tangible appreciation, allowed himself to ponder the grandeur of basketball and the communal elements inextricably linked to its essence. “I looked in the crowd,” Durant explained. “It’s 27,000 people from all walks of life. All different countries. Coming together for basketball, man. That’s just, like, it’s incredible to see that. Know what I mean? So, like, as much as I can, like, bring us together that way, that’s what I try to do.” His voice was cracking. His eyes watered. Emotion washed over his expression. The NBA superstar, the kid from the concrete of Prince George’s County (Md.), fought off his swelling sentimentality. Durant is an avid guardian of his feelings, perennially declaring the off-limits and unknowable. But in this moment — captured in the second episode of “Court of Gold,” the Netflix series with incredible access behind the scenes of Team USA men’s basketball’s gold medal run last summer in Paris — Durant was no match for his heart bubbling over. So he gave in to the love. Of basketball. Of fandom. Of the humanity undergirding the best of sports. Especially in the Olympics. He gave way to the beauty of what he saw and how it moved him. He relented to the honor he felt for being part of the unification. “I come from a neighborhood where people don’t even talk to each other,” Durant continued. “Like, it’s so much hate in the world, too. … When people get to start laughing and joking for a game of ball, it’s cool to me, so it gets me emotional, dog. “The game has saved my life. It’s brought my family through a lot of bull—-, so I’m just, like, grateful for it.” Kevin Durant tearing up about playing on the Olympic stage is a moment to witness. Court of Gold premieres in 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/jWSAC9pA5a — Netflix (@netflix) February 17, 2025 It was a raw moment, and typical Durant in that way. As superstars go, his willingness to be vulnerable before the public stands out in an era of personalities choreographed by masters of branding. But it also was a window into Durant and a mindset that has carried Olympic basketball and the greats of the NBA. He loves basketball. Absolutely. He’s filthy rich. He’s insanely popular. He’s incredibly accomplished. But none of that creates any doubt about his affection for hoop. But it’s not just playing basketball that Durant loves. Those tears were from the awe of its harmony. He’s always been mushy about the game. Playing with friends. The universal language of competition. The chills of big moments and tense showdowns. As curmudgeonly as he can come off, it’s all born from a belief in the family of basketball fandom. He respects passion even when it upsets him. He values the voices of everyone invested in the game, even too much. KD is countercultural about his ambassadorship. He’s curated his anti-establishment vibe. But “Court of Gold” revealed an impetus that was clear with Team USA: KD loves this stuff. Loves it. “It’s just more about celebrating the basketball family and the community around this time,” Durant said Saturday during All-Star media day. “It shows how united we are as a group, as a basketball community, and how we can unite the rest of the world with what we do as well. It’s a cool time.” It’s an interesting juxtaposition with All-Star Weekend. Maybe even a worrying one. The NBA just converted one of its signature showcases into a few commercial breaks in a TV show — all because the players have prioritized other concerns over the traditional essence of the All-Star Game. They’ve shunned the demeanor of Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson because competing against the absolute best, even at a semi-pace, isn’t enough of an incentive. Then, as the NBA prepares for life after LeBron James, Steph Curry and Durant, one of the presumed torchbearers, put his hand down. “Well, I’m capable of being that guy,” Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards said. “But I don’t want to be that guy, put it like that. I want to be the guy to just show up and hoop and just kill dudes and go home.” Kevin Durant celebrates Team USA’s gold medal in Paris. “The game has saved my life,” he says in the Netflix special “Court of Gold.” “It’s brought my family through a lot of bull—-.” (Michael Reaves / Getty Images) The sentiment of responsibility to the game, and a love of pushing it to new heights, of the reward in it for everyone when the best assume their position, feels like a fading light. If playing hard in an All-Star Game or trying their hand at a dunk contest is somehow too burdensome, how heavy must carrying the league seem? Who will dare be Denzel Washington in “Glory” and pick up the flag? It’s what all the OG leaders share. It’s why the “Avengers” squad assembled to earn another gold medal. It was love, pride and responsibility that brought the Avengers to Paris. It’s why the WNBA has momentum now that people have given it a chance because it’s impossible to watch its players ball and not feel that same pure affection. It’s a remnant of generations past, something these current old heads should give their elders more credit for when they comment on today’s game. These players on top of the NBA food chain are so because they embody the spirit of playing in Chuck Taylors, taking bus rides to road games and enduring harmful social climates. For the love of the game. For the destruction of divisive barriers. As he spoke in the Netflix special, you could almost see Durant on the court in Paris’ Bercy Arena, his cup running over with gratitude as he let the vibe take over. You can see in his eyes, hear in his voice the magnitude the game can create. That’s a fundamental truth about hoop. The superstars hailing from outside our borders know about this same love. They’ve ascended in the NBA because they share this same conviction. Every culture in America, and many around the globe, has found hope and community and elevation in basketball. It made some rich. It delivered lifelong friends. It helped some get to college. It brought neighborhoods together. It elevated cities. It forged camaraderie and rivalry, the kind that lasts generations. It impacted the social landscape of nations. It inspired children. It brought one of the best basketball players of all time to tears. GO DEEPER Thompson: Stephen Curry, for one night, returned to old Oracle Arena, where the soul lives on (Top illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Tom Weller / VOIGT, Jesse D. Garrabrant, Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images) Source link #Kevin #Durants #tearful #Netflix #moment #timely #reminder #basketballs #true #spirit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Etsy stock tumbles on revenue miss, company reports drop in goods sold Etsy stock tumbles on revenue miss, company reports drop in goods sold An employee walks past a quilt displaying Etsy Inc. signage at the company’s headquarters in the Brooklyn. Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images Etsy missed on revenue and gross merchandise sales for the fourth quarter, with the company citing “significant headwinds,” including a pullback in consumer spending. The stock slid more than 10% in morning trading Wednesday. Here’s how the company did: Earnings: $1.03 per share adjusted vs. 93 cents per share expected by LSEGRevenue: $852.2 million vs. $862.8 million expected by LSEG Gross merchandise sales, or the total volume of goods sold on the platform, came in at $3.74 billion, a decline of 6.8% year over year. Wall Street had forecast fourth-quarter GMS of $3.8 billion, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet. The fourth quarter includes the holiday shopping *******. Etsy said the GMS slump was a result of “pressure on consumer discretionary product spending,” tough comparisons due to the shortened holiday shopping season and “category mix,” as well as a competitive retail and marketing environment. Etsy operates an online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers with mostly artisan and handcrafted goods. The company has been working to strengthen its image as a destination for unique gifts and products as it combats a fiercely competitive e-commerce market dominated by Amazon and, more recently, ******** online retailers Temu, Shein and TikTok Shop. Online holiday spending in November and December rose nearly 9% to $241.1 billion, topping analysts’ expectations of $240.8 billion, according to Adobe Analytics. Inflation-weary shoppers opened their wallets in search of deep discounts, but some discretionary categories like furniture, jewelry and accessories were expected to see some softness compared with toys and home decor products. Revenue in the fourth quarter increased 1.2% to $852.2 million, compared to $842.3 million a year ago. Net income for the fourth quarter came in at $129.9 million, or $1.17 per share, from $83.2 million, or 70 cents per share, a year ago. Etsy also gave a downbeat outlook for the current quarter, saying it expects GMS will fall at a rate similar to the year-over-year performance it reported in the fourth quarter. Etsy CEO Josh Silverman said on a call with investors that the company is taking a short-term hit to its GMS as it works to overhaul the site. The company has been focused less on “near-term conversion driving” in favor of improving the quality of goods and shopping experience on its site, Silverman said. “While this resulted in real opportunity cost to GMS to the tune of at least a few hundred million dollars last year, we believe it will be well worth it as we’re now building on this improved foundation for 2025 and beyond,” Silverman told investors. In recent years, Etsy has been working to counter the spread of mass-produced, generic goods from resellers on its platform to get back to its roots and keep shoppers returning to the platform. It’s also launched a gifting feature to provide personalized recommendations to shoppers, along with a loyalty program. “So while others focus on cheap and fast, we’re focusing on creativity, self-expression, and elevating artisanal items,” Silverman said. “And while others rely on mass production and complex supply chains, we are empowering our nimble and unique seller base to thrive.” The e-commerce industry is still absorbing the impact of President Donald Trump’s recent tariff announcements, which target a popular tax loophole used by some online retailers. Trump suspended, then reinstated, the de minimis exemption, which allows exporters to ship packages worth less than $800 into the U.S. duty-free. The loophole is expected to be shut again once the Commerce Department and customs officials put systems in place to process and collect tariffs on the millions of de minimis packages that flow into the U.S. daily. A significant portion of those packages originate from China. Silverman said he expects Etsy to benefit from the tariffs and de minimis restrictions, unless the Trump administration targets European countries, in which case that “could create more friction on our buyers.” “Etsy has much less dependence on products coming in from China, vastly less dependence,” Silverman said. “So I think to the extent that we see tariffs that are very focused on China … I think at least in the near term, Etsy is a net beneficiary.” Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Etsy #stock #tumbles #revenue #company #reports #drop #goods #sold Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s sons became pawns in viral betting ploy gone awry How Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s sons became pawns in viral betting ploy gone awry The graphics sprang up across social media, some in the yellow and blue of Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr, others in the flamingo pink of MLS side Inter Miami. The source of engagement was hardly new: Messi vs Ronaldo, the forever war of global football. Except, this time, it was not about Cristiano and Lionel, the duopoly that defined a generation — instead, it was their sons: Cristiano Jr and Thiago. The eye-catching post on X came on Feb. 7, from an account that presented itself as “Skye Sports Premier League (fan).” The caption read: “Ronaldo Jr and Thiago Messi just scored 10+ goals in their last match.” Followed by a flames emoji and a head-exploding emoji, the two graphics accompanying the post laid out a chain of events. Ronaldo, aged 14 and whose image was used in the graphic, had scored 10 goals in a 10-9 victory for Al Nassr’s youth team against Al Ittihad, while in the corresponding graphic, Thiago Messi, aged 12, had scored 11 goals in a 12-0 win for Inter Miami in the Under-13 MLS Cup against Atlanta United. The post threw up curiosities. The first instinct is natural intrigue: are mini Messi and child Cristiano really this good? But then, the rational side took over: was any of this actually true? Amid a search on X, Facebook or Google, the lay reader could very much be forgiven for believing the post to have been accurate. Reports followed from mainstream outlets, including the Daily Mail, OneFootball, CNN Chile and the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo. On Facebook, one of the world’s most-followed football reporters, Fabrizio Romano, posted an image of the graphic claiming Messi had scored 11 goals, with the caption “Thiago Messi cooked.” Romano has 22 million followers on Facebook alone and received 245,000 likes on his post. Other major accounts posted similarly, including **** Sports, which broadcasts the Premier League and Champions League in the *** and Ireland, sharing Messi Jr’s exploits to its 2.1 million following on X and 4.5 million on Instagram. None of these accounts posted images or clips from a game, so there did not appear to be any evidence. The reason for that? Neither achievement was real. The MLS Under-13 Cup does not exist. At that level, MLS youth age groups play in MLS Next, where games are 35 minutes per half, meaning it is also impossible for Messi to have scored in the 76th, 87th and 89th minutes of the game, as the graphic had suggested. Spokespeople for Atlanta United and Inter Miami confirmed to The Athletic the game did not take place, although Inter Miami did say Thiago Messi plays in the club’s academy. The Atlanta official joked that the graphic must have been sent to him 10 times during the previous five days. A spokesman for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia also said that the viral claim involving Ronaldo Jr, which supposedly ended 10-9, was untrue. He pointed us to the website of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, where scores for games in the under-15 league are recorded. There was a match between the under-15 sides of Al Ittihad and Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in mid-January, except it was won 4-2 by Al Ittihad. The goalscorers are not recorded on the site and The Athletic has not been able to establish whether Ronaldo scored or even played in that game. A spokesperson for Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that the viral claims on social media were false. So, what exactly is going on? Take a deep breath because these claims form just one part of a clumsy web of viral content, in which Ronaldo, Messi and their children are part of the collateral. This is a story that appears to emanate from an advertising campaign gone awry by an *********** gambling company — Stake — leaving celebrities, broadcasters, a Premier League football club, UFC, a Formula 1 team, X and even a porn actress caught in the crosshairs. The most obvious original explanation had been that these claims about Ronaldo and Messi’s children were simply the latest frontier in the most famous rivalry in football fandom. In their book, ‘Messi v Ronaldo: One Rivalry, Two GOATs,’ Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson write that “siding with Messi or Ronaldo has become not merely a statement of preference, but something closer to an article of religious faith.” They add: “In the darkest wastelands of the internet — obscure subreddits, men’s fitness forums — it is fought on a battlefield of rage-tweets, vitriolic screeds, and dubiously sourced statistics wielded like a blunt weapon.” Messi and Ronaldo at the draw for the 2019-20 Champions League group stage (Harold Cunningham – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) In this context, the achievements, real or imaginary, of their children became a tool in a petty squabble. William Dance, a researcher at Lancaster University specializing in disinformation in online spaces, tells The Athletic: “Misinformation flourishes when there’s high emotion involved. In football, it tends to be excitement, but the nature of the sport is that there are always continuous updates about players, especially mega-celebrities like Messi and Ronaldo. They become their own information ecosystem. People are more susceptible to misinformation because they suspend their disbelief around these figures. “When they also have that binary position … that leads you to a system where people entrench to the far poles. Algorithms on social media actively promote this content, irrespective of whether it’s true or not. You’ve got people who are predisposed to believe this because of the environment, and then you’ve got algorithms actively promoting it. Whether it’s celebrities, politicians or even during the pandemic, when it impacted scientific experts, you find that the misinformation targeting them often bleeds into those surrounding them as well. Children or families end up being collateral damage.” Hyperbolic claims about Ronaldo’s son had been circulating for weeks before the Messi counterclaim emerged. On Jan. 29, a since-deleted tweet posted by a Ronaldo fan account called @owngooal, again using the 14-year-old’s image, claimed he had scored all seven goals in a 7-0 win against Al Hilal. This was viewed over four million times, yet the most recent result between the two teams in the under-15 league was a 1-1 draw in October. On Feb. 4, another one landed from the same account, seen by 4.3 million people, claiming he’d scored 10 goals in a 10-9 win — again untrue. The earliest trace of a similar pro-Messi post that I could identify appears to be from Feb. 5 and emanates from the fan account @MessiFCWorld. This claims that Messi’s son scored 11 goals against Atlanta United. This was seen by more than one million people on X and was reproduced extensively on social media and legacy media outlets. Neither the Messi fan account, nor the Ronaldo one – neither of which are affiliated to the players – commented when asked by The Athletic if they were the originating sources of the misinformation. In the days that followed claims of Thiago Messi’s exploits, the Ronaldo fan account went further, claiming their own prodigy had scored 12 goals in a 12-11 win against Al Hilal, notching up another three million views. Then, on Feb. 14, the same account claimed that the apparently unstoppable child of Ronaldo had scored all 15 goals in a 15-0 win against Al Ittihad, in a post retweeted more than 400 times. As The Athletic studied the many posts springing up, it appeared there was more to this story than peculiar oneupmanship. That is because the logo of Stake.com, the *********** online casino and betting company, often seemed to be scrawled across the graphics of posts discussing the sons of Ronaldo and Messi. Neither player has a commercial relationship with Stake, but the company is the shirt sponsor of Premier League club Everton, as well as a sponsor of UFC and the title sponsor of Swiss Formula 1 team Sauber. It has been in the news over the past week after the company announced it was to give up its license in Great Britain. This followed the start of an investigation by the Gambling Commission into an advert featuring the porn actress Bonnie Blue. Blue, whose real name is Tia Billinger, shot to fame in January when she attempted to break a world record for sex with the highest number of men within a 12-hour timeframe. The investigation into Stake came when a post on X included a video recorded outside Nottingham Trent University, detailing the porn star’s “promise” to perform another feat of ******* stamina. Stake’s logo was visible on the video in the X posts, albeit not posted from an official Stake account. It was seen millions of times across the various accounts from which it was posted. There is no suggestion the actress was involved or aware of Stake’s logo being superimposed. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the ***’s advertising regulator, received complaints, including one seen by The Athletic by the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), which said the advert breached the ASA code on multiple levels, including indecency and a clause that says “marketing communications must not link gambling to seduction, ******* success or enhanced attractiveness.” This was referred to the Gambling Commission, which began an investigation. GO DEEPER Explained: Stake, Everton and how a porn star led to a Gambling Commission warning Stake did not cite the investigation when announcing its departure from Britain, instead calling its decision to leave “strategic” and claiming it wished to focus on growth markets in Italy and Brazil. So, what’s this all got to with the children of Messi and Ronaldo? Well, the watermarking of Stake’s logo in tweets is also present in the claims by @OwnGooal of Ronaldo Jr’s seven-, 10-, 12- and 15-goal hauls. These were viewed millions of times on X across multiple accounts. In one instance, a post by the fan content creator UTDTrey (1.3 million followers) shared Ronaldo Jr’s fake 10-goal haul with the caption, “Might be time to start telling Thiago Messi to come outside.” This post watermarked the Stake logo across the bottom of the graphic. Another account shared a 10-tweet thread with the Stake logo attached that claimed (often falsely) that 10 professional football players had faked their age. Another account called @TeamCRonaldo shared pictures of Ronaldo’s mother and also pictures of several of his children, all with the Stake logo across the bottom once more. Ronaldo’s spokesperson confirmed he had no relationship with Stake and that his actual team has no involvement in this account. Jack Jones is a partner at Sheridans, a law firm, where he advises clients in advertising, sport, games and digital media industries on commercial and intellectual property issues. He warns that individuals whose image has been used without permission can “consider legal action for unlawful processing of their personal data, privacy, false association and passing off.” The Athletic asked all of the accounts mentioned to clarify if they had a commercial relationship with Stake, or if either Stake or an agency claiming to represent Stake had provided any guidelines for the type of content that should be attached to the logo, but none replied. Stake, too, did not respond to the question about guidelines. This type of misinformation and controversial use of photos is significant because it appears to be the consequence of a guerrilla advertising campaign which has seen Stake promoted by football fan accounts on social media that have five, six and seven-figure followings. The Athletic has spoken to people who operate accounts that have been approached, some who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not wish to disclose business arrangements publicly. Multiple fan accounts said they had been asked to use a Stake logo in their graphics and that they were incentivized by the amount of engagement a post creates. The Athletic has been told that accounts that partner with Stake are paid via cryptocurrency, a claim to which Stake did not respond. The use of Ronaldo and Messi is likely because they are proven drivers of engagement online. As an example, Ronaldo’s YouTube channel recorded 45 million views when he took a “Couples Quiz” with his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, five months ago, and 21 million when Rodriguez assessed his outfits. As such, any material — true or otherwise — about Ronaldo, Messi and their families is likely to drive engagement, which in turn increases the returns for these content creators. The Athletic has seen evidence of an intermediary, a digital agency called Elevate Media, offering via direct message on X to broker deals with fan accounts on behalf of Stake. In direct messages posted on Twitter, Elevate offered an “upfront fee” to one account to promote a logo and in a follow-up tweet, they said, “All videos and photos must be posted with the Stake banner.” Separately, we have seen evidence of an account being offered by Elevate the chance to earn around $5 or $6 per 100,000 views for promoting an unspecified brand logo, with promise that several Twitter pages “are making between $5,000 and $10,000 from the deal.” Elevate did not respond to any questions and Stake also did not respond to questions about Elevate. Following two emails from The Athletic to Elevate, the company’s brand account @Arthur_Elevate appeared to have been disabled on Monday, saying it no longer existed. Later the same day, the account appeared to have been restored with a new username. Another fan account told The Athletic it was offered a paid partnership to use a Stake logo by a middleman agency and was asked to continue the negotiation via an anonymous account on Telegram. Others said they partnered directly with Stake, while a spokesperson for Stake told The Athletic: “The presence of the Stake logo on content does not necessarily indicate a formal relationship or sponsorship by Stake.” Stake did not clarify which accounts have formal, or informal, relationships of any kind with the company, but it would appear that the practice of watermarking Stake onto graphics has become a trend in itself within content creating circles. Stake did not respond when asked what, if any, regulatory or legal guidelines were provided to partner accounts or agencies that may be partnering with accounts on their behalf. A spokesperson said: “Stake does not condone the unauthorized or inappropriate use of its logo. When made aware of such instances, Stake reviews the matter and takes appropriate steps, which may include requesting removal of the content.” GO DEEPER 130 v 108: breaking down the astonishing international scoring of Ronaldo and Messi Stake’s advertising approach has further potential consequences, most notably because the ***’s ASA rules say that marketing communications for gambling must “not include a child or young person,” or “include a person or character whose example is likely to be followed by those aged under 18 years or who has a strong appeal to those aged under 18.” The code also states that “marketing communications should be legal, decent, honest and truthful.” The posts on X have also been visible to users in the United States. This means the posts featuring Stake may also be at risk of breaching X’s advertising regulations, as first outlined by 404 Media. X forbids the promotion of gambling content, except in specified countries where it is permitted with restrictions. For the U.S., these restrictions include that the advertiser must be “domiciled” in the U.S., yet Stake was founded in Australia and is owned and operated by Medium Rare NV in the Caribbean island of Curaçao, according to Stake.com. The website in the U.S., called Stake.us, says it is owned by Sweepsteaks Limited and provides an address in Cyprus. Stake did not respond when asked if it is breaching X regulations, while X also did not respond. The American Gaming Association’s responsible marketing code for sports wagering also states that “influencers or athletes appearing in advertising should be a minimum of 21 years old.” Stake’s logo has also been watermarked across hundreds of posts on X seen by The Athletic responding to viral moments in European football, including fan accounts taking footage or screenshots from broadcasters that own the rights to the action. The Athletic has seen graphics posted by these accounts in recent weeks using moving or still images from Premier League broadcasters, including **** Sports in the ***, NBC in the U.S., Viaplay in Scandinavia, Ziggo in the Netherlands and beIN Sport in the Middle East and North Africa region. The lawyer Jones explains that this can cause problems because rights holders are monitoring whether it is “fair use by fans engaging with their sport” or “a commercial use.” As the posts, or Stake, may be commercially benefiting by applying the betting company’s logo to the rights holder content, it may be deemed the latter. A spokesperson for beIN told The Athletic: “BeIN have no partnership whatsoever with Stake. This is a combined case of piracy and ******** advertising. We are issuing a takedown order immediately for the content that has been illegally obtained from our channels, and looking into further measures to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Jones added: “There is a common misconception that what is in the public domain is free to use. This is not always the case. Fan accounts largely post social content owned by rights holders, online clips and images, which contain intellectual property. Rights holders have partners that pay money to associate with their brand or content and are therefore incentivized to monitor and enforce. Partnering with Stake, a gambling business hugely under the microscope, puts fan accounts on the radar of rights owners as it’s not only commercial use, but also an association with a business that would not be able to legally operate in some countries, as some countries forbid sports betting or advertising of sports betting. This puts fan accounts in the firing line of legal action and enforcement.” When The Athletic first approached Stake with many of the issues raised within this article last week, we did not receive answers, and the posts flagged, particularly using the images of Ronaldo’s family and Messi’s son, remained online. However, after The Athletic approached Everton, UFC, Sauber and the Premier League on Friday, Stake then replied on Saturday morning via a spokesperson to say they take “appropriate steps which may include requesting removal of the content, when made aware of the unauthorized or inappropriate use of its logo.” Several of the posts then appeared to have been deleted overnight — which is why they are included as screenshots rather than embedded tweets in this report — but long after amassing millions of views and awareness for days, weeks or months for Stake. Even this weekend, after Stake was alerted to numerous concerns, accounts that claim to be partnered with the gambling company continued to use images from Premier League broadcasts, or images they do not own, and slapped the Stake watermark across their posts. The Premier League say their match footage is only made available to official broadcast licensees and partners and that any unauthorized use outside these relationships would be an infringement of the Premier League’s rights. For Everton, it is particularly awkward if their front-of-shirt sponsor is deemed to be connected to the misuse of Premier League footage. Everton, who The Athletic understands intend to retain a partnership with Stake that ends in the summer of 2026, held discussions with the company this week amid the blaze of negative publicity. They declined to comment for this report, as did the UFC and Sauber. Stake.com advertising on the Everton shirt during the Premier League match in 2023 (Marc Atkins/Getty Images) Dylan Penketh co-runs UtdDistrict, a Manchester United fan-led media outlet that has 947,000 followers on X, and he explained how some accounts that claim to have Stake partnerships conspire to translate the deal into money. He said: “We got the message from them (Elevate). I have no idea about the legitimacy of that one or if they were acting on behalf of Stake. I’ve always said to the guys I work with, ‘We’re never going nowhere near anything like this’. But so many people have. The Messi-Ronaldo stuff is part of it. But it’s everywhere. “There are big fan accounts with millions of followers constantly throwing all this stuff out. I have also been told there are WhatsApp group chats between big accounts that all have Stake deals where they interact with each other to inflate each other’s numbers. Someone will purposefully say something really outrageous on their one big account, send it to another person and go, ‘Can you quote disagreeing with me?’ This then boosts engagement and engagement inflates the numbers, then they get more money. The news can be completely fake. It can be completely real. The whole point is you need to drive as many engagements as possible.” Jones, the legal expert, calls it “a high-risk marketing strategy.” “Gambling is a heavily regulated industry, including its marketing,” he said. “Appropriate checks, balances and approvals should be undertaken when promoting/advertising gambling to ensure compliance. Many content creators may not be aware of or fully appreciate the laws of promoting gambling. Falling foul could amount to public relations disasters, but also legal escalation from regulatory bodies and the rights holders themselves.” (Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; photos: Carlos Sipán, Abdullah Ahmed, Pierre Suu, Emma Garcia / Getty Images) Source link #Cristiano #Ronaldo #Lionel #Messis #sons #pawns #viral #betting #ploy #awry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

An Anker 10K magnetic power bank is cheaper than ever An Anker 10K magnetic power bank is cheaper than ever It’s never a bad idea to have a portable power bank on hand, just in case your devices run a little low on juice while you’re out and about. Anker makes some of our favorite power banks, and one has dropped to its lowest price to date. The Anker 633 Magnetic Battery is currently 27 percent off at $40. As the name suggests, you can attach a compatible phone (it’s designed primarily for iPhones with MagSafe support) to the power bank magnetically for wireless charging. The 633 folds out at the back, so it doubles as a stand. You can use the device to hold your phone during the work day, or to position it horizontally to watch videos in landscape mode while you’re perhaps on a train or plane. It’s possible to plug in the Anker 633 Magnetic Battery while you’re charging your device wirelessly as well. Anker A handy magnetic charger from Anker that works with MagSafe-compatible iPhones has dropped to a record low of $40. $40 at Amazon Anker notes that the USB-C port (which allows you to charge all kinds of other devices) has a maximum input and output of 20W. As such, you can charge your device up to three times faster than with a regular 5W charger, the company says. It’ll be faster than charging your device wirelessly too, as that function has an output of 7.5W. The power bank has a capacity of 10,000mAh. That’s enough to fully charge an iPhone 16 between two and three times. Meanwhile, Anker has some safety measures in place to help protect the charger and your devices. The MultiProtect system’s features include temperature control, foreign object detection and radiation shielding. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #Anker #10K #magnetic #power #bank #cheaper Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Get 69 Capcom Retro Games For Only $20 For A Limited Time Get 69 Capcom Retro Games For Only $20 For A Limited Time Humble has launched an awesome new video game bundle geared toward retro enthusiasts. The Capcom Arcade Classics and Fighters Pack for PC is a treasure trove of some the best games from an era of coin-operated gaming. All told, this bundle includes 69 games for only $20, which breaks down to 29 cents per game. See at Humble Unlike many Humble Bundles, the Capcom retro bundle doesn’t have tiers; it’s an all-or-nothing collection of Steam games that’s available to purchase until March 11. The bundle supports Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. As usual, you can donate more than the minimum $20 and adjust the ratio of your donation between the charity, the publisher, and Humble. Continue Reading at GameSpot Source link #Capcom #Retro #Games #Limited #Time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump endorses House budget plan amid competing proposals in Congress – CBS News Trump endorses House budget plan amid competing proposals in Congress – CBS News Trump endorses House budget plan amid competing proposals in Congress CBS NewsTrump backs House GOP reconciliation bill over Senate version The Hill Source link #Trump #endorses #House #budget #plan #competing #proposals #Congress #CBS #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Musk and the Right Co-Opt the Left’s Critique of U.S. Power Musk and the Right Co-Opt the Left’s Critique of U.S. Power In his podcast studio, Joe Rogan sat for three hours, cigar smoldering and brow furrowed, as his guest held forth about the dark history of America’s influence abroad. The highlights were familiar to any left-wing critic of American power: The U.S. Agency for International Development’s involvement in the Southeast Asian heroin trade in the 1970s. The Central Intelligence Agency’s infiltration of the American left. “Rogue U.S.A.I.D. operations in Cuba.” And the windfalls American oil companies have reaped from “U.S. regime change efforts.” But Mr. Rogan’s guest on the Feb. 12 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” was not a Marxist professor or a muckraking Intercept writer. He was a former speechwriter in President Trump’s first administration named Mike Benz, whose work has been cited regularly by Elon Musk as justification for shutting down U.S.A.I.D., the 64-year-old foreign aid agency. “The MAGA movement is fighting the ghost of Ronald Reagan,” Mr. Benz said, referring to the former president’s support for international development. Amid all the radical moves early in the second Trump presidency, this might be the most literally radical: the borrowing of historically left-wing critiques of American power to justify the right-wing ambition of dismantling longstanding government agencies. For decades, influential thinkers on the left have criticized American soft-power programs, covert operations and military presence abroad as parts of a particularly American form of imperialism: one that subverts the popular will of other countries’ citizens to serve the interests of the U.S. government and multinational corporations while also producing dangerous consequences — unfettered presidential power, diminished civil liberties — at home. Mr. Trump’s allies have borrowed liberally from this argument while turning it on its head. They have been using it to justify new frontiers of executive power and the extraordinary empowerment of Mr. Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual. “These left-wing critiques appear to now be being adopted, appropriated and weaponized by MAGA and Trump loyalists,” said Hugh Wilford, a professor of history at California State University, Long Beach and the author of “The CIA: An Imperial History.” As the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Mr. Musk has accused U.S.A.I.D. of “money laundering” and has reposted claims that the agency’s government-backed, democracy-promotion programs are “a C.I.A. front.” During her confirmation hearings, Tulsi Gabbard, the new director of national intelligence, criticized covert operations to arm proxies in Syria and “regime change wars” across the Middle East. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services secretary, has blamed the war in Ukraine on the foreign policy establishment’s “strategic grand plan to destroy any country such as Russia that resists American imperial expansion.” The Center for Renewing America, a think tank that was until recently led by Russ Vought, Mr. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director, has joined in, too. A paper the group published this month accused the National Endowment for Democracy, a government-funded organization created during the Reagan presidency to support democracy and civil society abroad, of being a “tool for neoconservative nation-building.” None of this is without precedent in the politics of Mr. Trump, who has revived a long dormant strain of Republican skepticism of foreign interventions. Mr. Trump criticized the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as a candidate in 2016, and he considered rolling U.S.A.I.D. into the State Department early in his first presidency. He also inveighed against the country’s intelligence agencies and the F.B.I. after he came under investigation late in that election for his campaign’s contacts with Russian officials. But Mr. Trump’s second administration has gone further, embracing specific narratives about nefarious motives behind humanitarian aid and covert operations that were long the province of the left, even as his advisers denounce the same programs as hotbeds of “far left activists.” Mr. Trump has put the left in the awkward position of defending institutions and policies it once criticized. “It’s this weird fun-house mirror moment,” said Daniel Immerwahr, a historian of U.S. foreign policy at Northwestern University. Mr. Benz, who will speak this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, is perhaps the clearest example of the phenomenon. A former corporate lawyer and anonymous far-right social media personality, he has become a clear influence on Mr. Musk. Mr. Musk has replied to Mr. Benz’s posts close to 300 times on X and has cited him in nearly half of his posts mentioning U.S.A.I.D., which he has blamed for censorship in Europe and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s political career, among other things. Mr. Benz did not respond to a request for comment for this article. In podcast interviews and posts on X that have earned him nearly one million followers on the platform, Mr. Benz claims that contemporary efforts to combat online misinformation can trace their lineages back to a Cold War-era history of intelligence agencies using benign-appearing development programs as pawns in the war against Soviet influence across the globe. The most egregious such activities were curtailed after a series of revelations about intelligence-agency abuses beginning in the late 1960s, which led to overhauls of the Central Intelligence Agency and other institutions in the 1970s. The 1980s saw more transparent soft-power initiatives under the auspices of agencies like U.S.A.I.D. and government-funded organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy. Broadly supported by anti-********** Republicans and Democrats, these efforts were often met with skepticism on the left — and now, by Mr. Benz and Mr. Musk. They argue that U.S. government influence campaigns that once undermined the populist left in other countries were co-opted by liberals after the end of the Cold War, and are now being used against the populist right at home and abroad. As evidence, they point to grants to independent media and civil-society programs in Europe that have been critical of right-wing governments and support for misinformation-countering campaigns that have often targeted right-wing social media activity. “USAID is/was a radical-left political psy op,” Mr. Musk wrote in a Feb. 3 post on X citing Mr. Benz. To make this case, Mr. Benz has marshaled the decades-old work of left-wing journalists and scholars, such as the historian Alfred McCoy, whose research on the C.I.A. and U.S.A.I.D.’s role in heroin trafficking in Southeast Asia earned the ire of the C.I.A. in the early 1970s. Other arguments made by Trump allies echo those of President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Russian-funded media outlets. Following popular protests against Kremlin-friendly governments in Ukraine in 2004 and 2014, which were supported by the Bush and Obama administrations and American nongovernmental organizations, the Kremlin cast that support as a “coup” and a continuation of the United States’ Cold War machinations. Mr. Benz and the Center for Renewing America have each echoed that argument. Mr. Vought’s think tank has accused the National Endowment for Democracy of serving as “the tip of the proverbial spear for heightened C.I.A. and State Department efforts to foster political revolution in Ukraine.” In a December interview with Mr. Rogan, Mr. Benz claimed that “the U.S. did effectively Jan. 6 the Yanukovich government out of power” in Ukraine in 2014, pointing to its direct and indirect funding of independent media organizations in the country. Mr. McCoy, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was not familiar with Mr. Benz’s work, but said he had noticed a modest uptick in sales of his book “In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power,” since Mr. Benz cited him this month. Mr. McCoy, who was shot at by U.S.-backed guerrillas while investigating U.S.A.I.D. in Laos in 1971, said that applying his work from that era to the agency now was a mistake. In the post-Cold War *******, “I would venture that U.S.A.I.D. is as good if not better than any of the others that are out there,” he said, and cutting it would be “a tragedy for the people affected.” “I think it’s sort of appalling, actually,” he said. Source link #Musk #CoOpt #Lefts #Critique #U.S #Power Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Average NI house price reaches 17-year high during 2024 Average NI house price reaches 17-year high during 2024 The average house price in Northern Ireland rose by 9% during 2024, according to official data. The average price in the final quarter of 2023 was just over £168,000, rising to just over £183,000 by the final quarter of 2024. The figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) cover almost all sales, including cash deals. That is the highest average price since early 2008, just after the bursting of a property price bubble. The average price at the end of 2024 ranged from £161,000 in Mid and East Antrim to £218,000 in Lisburn and Castlereagh. The number of houses sold increased slightly to just over 23,000. One factor which may be contributing to house price inflation in NI is the lack of new housing supply coming onto the market. That is partially due to restrictions on new connections to an underfunded water system. Plans for an estimated 19,000 homes are being held up due to the restrictions – affecting construction in 23 towns. New official figures on housing supply are due to be published on Thursday. Source link #Average #house #price #reaches #17year #high Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Looking Back At The $386,000 Dying Light ‘My Apocalypse Edition’, 10 Years Later Looking Back At The $386,000 Dying Light ‘My Apocalypse Edition’, 10 Years Later In 2015, Dying Light emerged to an overwhelmingly popular reception, wowing the world and offering up a stellar zombie-slaying experience fused with intense parkour mechanics. Fast forward ten years and Dying Light remains one of the most popular open-world zombie games ever made – and in 2022, Techland bolstered the series with Dying Light 2: Stay Human. Ahead of the launch of Dying Light in 2015, Techland promoted one of the most expensive collector’s editions ever seen – the ‘My Apocalypse Edition’. This monumental, one-of-a-kind version of Dying Light came with a $386,000 price tag, and now that the game’s tenth anniversary has come around, I reached out to Techland to see what came of it. Never Seen Again I’ve seen some pretty extravagant collector’s editions in my time. They typically boast statues, art books, prints, and themed items pulled straight from whatever game you’re purchasing. The ‘My Apocalypse Edition’ for 2015’s Dying Light went about ten steps further than that. For one lucky person willing to spend $386,000, the My Apocalypse Edition of Dying Light promised a staggering collection. It included the buyer’s face in the game, a human-sized ‘Volatile’ statue, and parkour lessons with a freerunning team. It also came with night vision goggles, an all-expenses paid round trip to Techland’s offices, and four signed copies of the game. Oh, and it also came with a custom-built, ‘zombie-proof’ survival shelter. What happened to the ‘My Apocalypse Edition’ of Dying Light? The game’s release came and went, and eventually, everyone forgot about the My Apocalypse Edition of Dying Light – except for me. I recently reached out to Techland to see what came of that lavish collector’s edition. In a matter of minutes, I had a response from Paulina Dziedziak, PR Manager at Techland: ‘It was a PR stunt and got a lot of media attention for its wild and over-the-top nature, it was designed to generate buzz around the game’s release. It did a great job of getting the game noticed, though! But nobody purchased it – thankfully, I guess!’ If it wasn’t for the inclusion of the zombie survival shelter, the My Apocalypse Edition would have been believable. I mean, if a couple of zeroes were shaved off the $386,000 prize tag, that would also have been more realistic. What’s the most remarkable collector’s edition you’ve ever seen? Let us know in the comments or on the Insider Gaming forum. For more Dying Light content, check out my interview with Roger Craig Smith and learn about the future of the franchise from Techland. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Dying #Light #Apocalypse #Edition #Years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Baby *****’ under way with six endangered additions ‘Baby *****’ under way with six endangered additions London Zoo Two golden lion tamarin twins, pictured, and a critically endangered gentle lemur are among the latest newborns that have been keeping zookeepers busy London Zoo is in the middle of a baby ***** with the addition of six endangered small mammals. Two golden lion tamarin twins and a critically endangered gentle lemur are among the latest newborns at the central London attraction. Daniel Simmonds, zoological operations manager, said: “Each of these births is a big moment for their species – many of which are under real threat in the wild. “These new arrivals help safeguard the future of their species as important advancements in the European breeding programmes for these animals.” A 10-month-old white-faced saki monkey called Fia and two eight-month-old golden lion tamarin primates, male Pomelo and female Clementine, have all been named by zookeepers recently. The twins were born last spring at the zoo and join their older brother ******** – with each sibling named after orange citrus because of their striking orange fur. Their father Fabio took on much of the carrying duties for the little ones – which is typical parenting behaviour for the species – periodically passing Clementine and Pomelo one at a time to their mum for feeding. London Zoo Alaotran gentle lemurs Hazo, left, and Rocky recently welcomed their baby into the world Meanwhile a two-month-old Alaotran gentle lemur has taken its first tentative jumps beyond the safety of its mother Hazo and father Rocky, making its first trips across an outdoor paddock to nibble on leafy greens. London Zoo New parents Midge and Siyam have been trying to catch up on sleep since their pups arrived In the zoo’s otter holt two vulnerable Asian short-clawed otter pups were born last month to mother Midge and father Siyam. First-time mum Midge, who arrived at London Zoo last year from Newquay Zoo, has been busy nursing the newborns inside the warmth of their nesting box, while Siyam plays a protective role for the young family. The pups, who are yet to be named or ******, will begin emerging from the den at around three months old before taking their first exploratory swims. Source link #Baby #***** #endangered #additions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Helldivers 2 Players Will Encounter a Horrific New Bug in the Gloom Helldivers 2 Players Will Encounter a Horrific New Bug in the Gloom One previously unseen bug might be lurking in the Gloom, and Helldivers 2 players are simultaneously overjoyed and terrified. Source link #Helldivers #Players #Encounter #Horrific #Bug #Gloom Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Xbox Technology Could Help Game Preservation New Xbox Technology Could Help Game Preservation · · February 19, 2025 Microsoft and Xbox have announced a new generative AI technology known as Muse that could help with game preservation. In a lengthy blog post going over the new tech, Microsoft says that there is a belief that Muse can change how games are preserved and how players experience classic titles. “Today, countless classic games tied to aging hardware are no longer playable by most people,” Fatima Kardar, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of gaming AI said. “Thanks to this breakthrough, we are exploring the potential for Muse to take older back catalog games from our studios and optimize them for any device.” Due to it still being early in hits lifecycle, no examples of how exactly the Muse technology can work with game preservation on Xbox were shared, but it seems like Microsoft is gung ho about the possibilities. “We believe this could radically change how we preserve and experience classic games in the future and make them accessible to more players,” Kardar said. “To imagine that beloved games lost to time and hardware advancement could one day be played on any screen with Xbox is an exciting possibility for us.” If you want to read more about the Muse technology, Microsoft has a full research blog on what went into its development. What do you think about generative AI helping keep classic video games alive? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming, read the latest on the layoffs at Marvel Rivals developer NetEase and check out the latest on the potential return of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Xbox #Technology #Game #Preservation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft reveals its first quantum computing chip, the Majorana 1 Microsoft reveals its first quantum computing chip, the Majorana 1 Microsoft on Wednesday announced Majorana 1, its first quantum computing chip. The achievement comes after the company has spent nearly two decades of research in the field. Technologists believe quantum computers could one day efficiently solve problems that would be taxing if not impossible for classical computers. Today’s computers use bits that can be either on or off while quantum computers employ quantum bits, or qubits, that can operate in both states simultaneously. Google and IBM have also developed quantum processors, as have smaller companies IonQ and Rigetti Computing. Microsoft’s quantum chip employs eight topological qubits using indium arsenide, which is a semiconductor, and aluminum, which is a superconductor. A new paper in the journal Nature describes the chip in detail. Microsoft won’t be allowing clients to use its Majorana 1 chip through the company’s Azure public cloud, as it plans to do with its custom artificial intelligence chip, Maia 100. Instead, Majorana 1 is a step toward a goal of a million qubits on a chip, following extensive physics research. Rather than rely on Taiwan Semiconductor or another company for fabrication, Microsoft is manufacturing the components of Majorana 1 itself in the U.S. That’s possible because the work is unfolding at a small scale. “We want to get to a few hundred qubits before we start talking about commercial reliability,” Jason Zander, a Microsoft executive vice president, told CNBC. In the meantime, the company will engage with national laboratories and universities on research using Majorana 1. Despite the focus on research, investors are fascinated by quantum. IonQ shares went up 237% in 2024, and Rigetti gained nearly 1,500%. The two generated a combined $14.8 million in third-quarter revenue. Further gains came in January, after Microsoft issued a blog post declaring that 2025 is “the year to become quantum-ready.” Microsoft’s Azure Quantum cloud service, which lets developers experiment with programs and algorithms, offers access to chips from IonQ and Rigetti. It’s possible that a Microsoft quantum chip might become available through Azure before 2030, Zander said. “There’s a lot of speculation that we’re decades off from this,” he said. “We believe it’s more like years.” Rather than exist as a stand-alone category, quantum computing might end up boosting other parts of Microsoft. For example, there’s Microsoft’s AI business, which has an annualized revenue run rate that exceeds $13 billion. Quantum computers could be used to build data used to train AI models, Zander said. “Now you can ask it to invent some new molecule, invent some new drug, something that really would have been impossible to do before,” Zander said. Source link #Microsoft #reveals #quantum #computing #chip #Majorana Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple unveils cheaper iPhone 16e powerful enough to run AI Apple unveils cheaper iPhone 16e powerful enough to run AI Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., during the first day of in-store sales of Apple’s latest products at Apple’s Fifth Avenue store in New York, US, on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Victor J. Blue | Bloomberg | Getty Images Apple announced a new iPhone model on Wednesday that is priced lower than its main iPhone models, which usually come out in September. The new iPhone is called iPhone 16e, and it will retail for $599 when it goes on ***** later this month. The new iPhone 16e doesn’t have a home button and fingerprint sensor, instead, it uses Apple’s FaceID scanner and modern design including a sensor notch at the top of the screen. It uses Apple’s A18 chip, which is also used in the main iPhone 16 models. The updated processor means that the iPhone 16e can run all the same apps and games that more expensive iPhones can run. It comes in ****** and white. The phone also includes Apple’s first cellular modem, which it calls C1. iPhones have used Qualcomm modems for the past few years. It also has a single camera lens, versus as many as three on the most advanced iPhones. Apple is releasing a new low-cost iPhone as sales have been mixed in recent quarters and Apple seeks growth for its most important product category. For the December quarter, Apple’s overall iPhone sales were down 1% on an annual basis. Apple still sold over $69 billion of phones in the *******. Low-end iPhones are important to Apple as it gets new customers into their ecosystem, and the new device supports Apple Intelligence, making it Apple’s least expensive new phone that can access features like image generation and notification summaries. Apple’s current models are the iPhone 16, which starts at $799, and the iPhone 16 Pro, which starts at $999. Before Tuesday’s launch, only the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models were the only phones with access to Apple Intelligence. Apple has released a less-expensive iPhone model to round out the bottom of its lineup since 2016. The iPhone SE, as it was called then, got further updates in 2020 and 2022. Generally, the iPhone SE reuses an older design than the newest iPhones, but Apple updates its components such as its processor so it can receive ongoing software updates. After the old iPhone SE sells out, there won’t be any new iPhones with a fingerprint scanner. It was also less expensive than the iPhone 16e at $429. The launch also marks a new approach to Apple’s famous product launches, which garner media attention around the world. Previously, Apple would reveal new products live and on-stage, at a presentation on its campus in California. In 2020, Apple stopped inviting people to live launches and started screening marketing videos on its website and YouTube instead. In recent years, Apple has started to quietly release new products through press releases, such as the new Macs it announced last September. It may be testing how much buzz it can get for one of these quieter launches. Last week, ahead of Wednesday’s launch, Apple CEO Tim Cook posted a message on social media: “Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.” Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwardsDon’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Apple #unveils #cheaper #iPhone #16e #powerful #run Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nigeria sues crypto giant Binance for $81.5bn in economic losses and back tax | Cryptocurrencies Nigeria sues crypto giant Binance for $81.5bn in economic losses and back tax | Cryptocurrencies Nigeria has filed a lawsuit seeking to compel Binance to pay $79.5bn for economic losses the country’s government says were caused by the cryptocurrency exchange’s operations there and $2bn in back taxes, court documents showed on Wednesday. Authorities blame Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, for Nigeria’s currency woes and detained two of its executives in 2024 after crypto websites emerged as platforms of choice for trading the local naira currency. Binance, which is not registered in Nigeria, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It has previously said it is working with Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to resolve potential historic tax liabilities. The inland revenue service alleges that Binance has a “significant economic presence” in Nigeria and is therefore liable for corporate income tax. It is seeking a court declaration that Binance pay income taxes for 2022 and 2023, plus a 10% annual penalty on unpaid amounts. FIRS is also requesting a 26.75% interest rate on the unpaid taxes, based on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s lending rate. Binance was already facing four counts of tax evasion in Nigeria after a government crackdown on the industry last year. The charges include non-payment of value-added tax, company income tax, failure to file tax returns and complicity in helping customers to evade taxes through its platform. skip past newsletter promotion A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Binance, which is contesting the charges, announced last March that it was stopping all transactions and trading in the naira. The company is also facing separate anti-graft agency money laundering charges, which it has denied. Source link #Nigeria #sues #crypto #giant #Binance #81.5bn #economic #losses #tax #Cryptocurrencies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marvel Rivals Community Manager Clears Air About Layoffs, Reassuring Fans Director Still There Marvel Rivals Community Manager Clears Air About Layoffs, Reassuring Fans Director Still There Knushwood Butt9h ago ‘Lets not reach an conclusion on workplace harassment when you dont even know what the structure is like within the rivals dev team. ‘. Workplace harassment? ‘I’m simply saying this because it is phrased wrongly by the media initially, totally funny.’. By the media? So the director of so and so, and his team, just got laid off, but the game’s director is still employed? That’s OK? Who’s next? Source link #Marvel #Rivals #Community #Manager #Clears #Air #Layoffs #Reassuring #Fans #Director Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family – Apple Newsroom Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family – Apple Newsroom Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family Apple NewsroomApple unveils cheaper iPhone 16e powerful enough to run AI CNBCiPhone SE 4: Apple Confirms The New Phone Is iPhone 16e After All ForbesApple to unveil newest product today: Here’s what we know about the launch USA TODAY Source link #Apple #debuts #iPhone #16e #powerful #member #iPhone #family #Apple #Newsroom Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple officially bids farewell to the Lightning port after 13 years Apple officially bids farewell to the Lightning port after 13 years It’s truly a USB-C world and we’re just living in it. Apple has not only announced the new iPhone 16e with a USB-C port and also discontinued the iPhone 14, the final Lightning port relic. That’s right, Apple is no longer selling any devices with a Lightning port, the true end of an era. Once upon a time, the Lightning port was the new guy in town. Apple first introduced it in 2012 as a replacement to the bulky 30-pin dock connector. The Lightning port didn’t go down without a fight, though. While most other companies have been on the USB-C train for some time, Apple only swapped out the Lightning port when the EU forced its hand. In 2022, the EU announced that all new mobile devices — so phones, tablets and earbuds — had to come with a USB-C charging port. The bloc set the end of 2024 as a deadline, but Apple started the shift with its iPhone 15, released in September 2023. Laptops have until Spring 2026 to comply, but Apple has already shifted its MacBooks to USB-C chargers. Another Apple technology relic, the venerable Home Button, has also been discontinued as of today. The old iPhone SE was the last device in Apple’s lineup to feature it — truly a day where some classic Apple interfaces are going away forever. Source link #Apple #officially #bids #farewell #Lightning #port #years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

iPhone 16e With 6.1-Inch OLED Screen, A18 Chip and Action Button Launched: Price, Specifications iPhone 16e With 6.1-Inch OLED Screen, A18 Chip and Action Button Launched: Price, Specifications iPhone 16e was launched on Wednesday as the latest entry-level model from the Cupertino company. The newest model in the iPhone 16 series of smartphones sports a 6.1-inch OLED screen, and the same A18 chip. The new iPhone 16e also offers support for Apple Intelligence features, like the iPhone 15 Pro (launched in 2023) and the iPhone 16 series that was introduced last year. The iPhone 16e is is equipped with a single 48-megapixel rear camera and has a programmable Action Button. iPhone 16e Price, Availability iPhone 16e price in India starts at Rs. 59,999 for the base model with 128GB of storage, and the handset is also available in 256GB and 512GB storage configurations that are priced at Rs. 69,999 and Rs. 89,900, respectively. Apple says the iPhone 16e will be available to pre-order starting February 21 and will go on ***** on February 28. It will be sold in ****** and White colourways. iPhone 16e Specifications, Features The newly unveiled iPhone 16e is a dual SIM (Nano+eSIM) handset that runs on iOS 18. It sports a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR (1,170×2,532 pixels) OLED screen with a 60Hz refresh rate and 800nits peak brightness. The display also uses Apple’s Ceramic Shield material for improved durability. Apple has equipped the iPhone 16e with a 3nm A18 chip, which first arrived on the iPhone 16 in September 2024, paired with up to 512GB of storage. The company doesn’t typically reveal the amount of RAM on its smartphones, but we can assume that it has 8GB of RAM, as it offers support for Apple Intelligence features. There’s a single 48-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) on the iPhone 16e, and the handset also features a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front for selfies and video calls. It also includes the necessary sensors for Face ID, instead of the home button with Touch ID on the third generation iPhone SE. You get stereo speakers on the iPhone 16e and the handset offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS connectivity. Unlike its predecessor, it has a USB Type-C port, that supports 18W wired charging and 7.5W wireless charging. Apple doesn’t reveal the battery specifications of its smartphones, but these details are likely to emerge in the coming days, as part of device teardowns. The handset has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It measures 146.7mmx71.5mmx7.8mm and weighs 167g. Source link #iPhone #16e #6.1Inch #OLED #Screen #A18 #Chip #Action #Button #Launched #Price #Specifications Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buy Wendy’s on the coming Frosty innovation, says Wolfe Research Buy Wendy’s on the coming Frosty innovation, says Wolfe Research Some major updates to the signature desserts at Wendy’s could make the stock much more enticing, according to Wolfe Research. In a Wednesday note, the investment firm reiterated shares of the fast food giant at an outperform rating, citing expected additions to the Frosty line-up this spring that could draw in new customers. Analyst Greg Badishkanian’s price target of $17 is about 13% above where shares closed on Tuesday. Wendy’s stock has slipped 19% in the past 12 months. WEN 1Y mountain WEN 1Y chart In mid-April, Wendy’s will unveil Frosty Swirl, a version of the frozen dessert with mixed-in flavors such as strawberry, caramel or brownie batter, the analyst said, citing social media checks. Then, Frosty Fusions will arrive in mid-May, allowing customers to add sauces or other toppings to their dessert, he said, explaining that these developments could open the window for Wendy’s to partner with consumer brands such as Oreos. Badishkanian added Wendy’s previously introduced Twisty Frosty flavors in the 2000s, which included toppings such as cookie dough, Oreos and M & Ms. This could conjure up “nostalgia related excitement” from Wendy’s customer base, he said. “We positively view both of these innovations given the potential to elevate the Frosty platform, which we think could generate consumer excitement and/or help with attachment rates,” the analyst said. “We would note, however, that the customization could result in some increased operational complexity.” Wendy’s said last week that its growth rate is expected to improve this year. “The improved growth rate does seem to contemplate some help from menu innovations/collaborations (including the recently announced Girl Scout collaboration Frosty),” he said. Wendy’s investor day in March should shed further light on product rollouts. Source link #Buy #Wendys #coming #Frosty #innovation #Wolfe #Research Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Perfect storm’ could see end of salon apprenticeships ‘Perfect storm’ could see end of salon apprenticeships Millie Trenholm & Riyah Collins BBC Newsbeat BBC Apprentice Alex Ritchie says losing staff like her will have a massive impact on the industry Salon owners are warning they might not be able to take on any new apprentices within two years due to financial pressures. The British Hair Consortium, which represents 50,000 hairdressing professionals, is calling on the government to make changes to how they are taxed, saying the current system poses an “existential crisis”. Apprentices have told BBC Newsbeat the schemes are an important opportunity for people who don’t want to pursue further education. The government has been approached for comment but did not respond. Salons pay VAT at 20% like most businesses but the British Hair Consortium say because the work they do is so labour intensive as opposed to selling products, they have less of a chance to make back those costs. So to keep costs low, it says an increasing number of salons are opting to rent chairs instead of employing stylists to avoid paying the tax. A report by CBI Economics found that is likely to have a knock-on effect on opportunities for apprentices. It estimates that by 2027 there “may be no new apprenticeships offered and direct employment could plummet by 93% by 2030”. ‘Crippling a lot of salons’ For 22-year-old apprentice Alex Ritchie, “it’s quite scary knowing that people won’t get that opportunity that we get”. She’s training in Darlington, County Durham, and dreams of having her own salon one day but worries that without apprentices, the industry will really struggle. “You can’t run a salon without having apprentices,” she says. “They are your main support when you’re doing clients. It will have a massive impact on the amount of salons and how many clients they can take.” Jezz Ellis is head of operations for Saks, a chain of salons in the north east of England, and says that unless things change, hairdressing apprenticeships will become less attractive. Salons are facing a “perfect storm” he says, which will impact how many apprentices they can afford to train. “You’ve got the VAT issue which has always been difficult.” But there is also the growing issue of insecure or “disguised” employment resulting from fewer staff jobs being offered. Adam Hussain says hairdressing will always be his “fall back” once he completes his apprenticeship This means while they might work to a salon’s rules and be treated like an employee, they’re actually self-employed so miss out on benefits like sick pay, maternity pay and pensions. “And with National Insurance going up and a national minimum wage increase, it’s making it very difficult for those salons to increase their prices to meet the extra costs. “All of those things added together is just crippling a lot of salons,” Jezz says. For Adam Hussain, who’s working towards his level two apprenticeship in hairdressing, the benefits are big for people like him. “Without this apprenticeship, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he says. “I’d probably be doing God knows what. “Apprenticeships are really good – you get paid to learn, you’re learning on the job, it’s a very hands-on career.” The British Hair Consortium wants the government to act quickly ahead of the spring forecast on 26 March, where the Chancellor Rachel Reeves will lay out economic plans for the future. Although the government did not respond to Newsbeat’s request for comment, the Department for Education has previously said it was time apprenticeships were taken seriously. Last week it announced changes which will allow employers to decide whether or not a Maths and English qualification is needed to apply for some apprenticeships. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here. Source link #Perfect #storm #salon #apprenticeships Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pope ‘alert and joking’ says Italy’s PM after visit Pope ‘alert and joking’ says Italy’s PM after visit Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni has visited the Pope in hospital, where he has been diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. The 88-year-old was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Friday with a respiratory infection. Meloni said in a statement that she was “very happy to have found him alert and responsive. We joked as always. He hasn’t lost his proverbial sense of humour.” She offered him best wishes for a speedy recovery, on behalf of the Italian government and the whole country. Earlier in the week, the ******** said medical tests and a chest X-ray showed “a complex picture”. Pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflame and scar the lungs, causing chest pain and making breathing more difficult. The ******** said in its latest update on the pontiff’s fragile health that he was alert and ate breakfast. A ******** official said he was still able to get out of bed and sit in an armchair in his hospital room, and was continuing to do some work. He has cancelled a papal audience scheduled for Saturday and is not well enough to attend a mass on Sunday. Outside the hospital, well-wishers and pilgrims have continued to gather to pray, light candles and write notes of encouragement. Source link #Pope #alert #joking #Italys #visit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sony Didn’t Pass On Dark Souls–From Software Just Passed On Sony Sony Didn’t Pass On Dark Souls–From Software Just Passed On Sony Choices have consequences. Unfortunately for Sony, one particular decision has led the company to missing out on a couple of the biggest franchises in gaming. The PlayStation team decided not to publish ******’s Souls globally in 2009, which led to a sour taste for the now-well-known studio From Software. That meant the developer looked elsewhere for a publisher with Dark Souls, according to former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida. VGC reports that Yoshida explained why Sony didn’t publish Dark Souls while appearing on the Secret Symbols podcast. It wasn’t because the PlayStation team wasn’t interested, per Yoshida. “From Software was already working on the sequel [to ******’s Souls], but they were so disappointed with how PlayStation treated them, we wanted to work with them again but they passed on it,” said Yoshida. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Elden Ring Nightreign Explores Exciting And Unexpected New Ground For From Software Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter For those unfamiliar, Atlus ended up publishing ******’s Souls in North America for PS3, while Bandai Namco handled similar duties in Europe. Sony reportedly passed on bringing the action-RPG to other worldwide markets because the PlayStation team didn’t think it would appeal to the mass market. Ultimately, ******’s Souls ended up being GameSpot’s game of the year in 2009. Afterward, From Software partnered with Bandai Namco for the Dark Souls franchise, which spawned three games. From there, Bandai Namco has also worked with the developer on the critically acclaimed Elden Ring series, with Elden Ring Nightreign launching on May 30. So, in retrospect, Sony missed out on handling these two massive properties over the past 15 years. However, Sony did team up with From Software again for the PS4 exclusive Bloodbourne. “We have huge respect for [From Software president Hidetaka] Miyazaki, and we were able to work with them again,” Yoshida said. “Bloodborne is one of his best games.” Last month, Yoshida retired from Sony after 31 years with the company. Yoshida started his career as an accountant and rose up to be the Sony Interactive Entertainment worldwide president for over a decade before taking an indies job within the company. Source link #Sony #Didnt #Pass #Dark #SoulsFrom #Software #Passed #Sony Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]