Pelican Press

Families reunite with bodies of missing British soldiers Families reunite with bodies of missing British soldiers BBC Michael Northey’s father was one of three soldiers ******* in the Korean War who was successfully identified From his wheelchair, Michael Northey watches quietly over his father’s grave, and lays a flower for the very first time. “This is the closest I’ve been to him in 70 years, which is ridiculous,” he jokes poignantly. Born into a poor family in the backstreets of Portsmouth, Michael was still a baby when his father, the youngest of 13 children, left to ****** in the Korean War. He was ******* in action and his body was never identified. For decades, it lay in an unmarked grave in the UN ********* in Busan, on Korea’s south coast, adorned with the plaque ‘Member of the British Army, known unto ****’. Now it bears his name – Sergeant D. Northey, ***** 24 April 1951, age 23. Sergeant Northey, along with three others, are the first unknown British soldiers ******* in the Korean War to be successfully identified, and Michael is attending a ceremony, along with the other families, to rename their graves. Sergeant D. Northey, Corporal William Adair, and Major Patrick Angier were ******* fighting in the Korean War Michael had spent years doing his own research, hoping to find out where his father was, but had eventually given up. “I’m ill and don’t have a lot of time left myself, so I’d written it off, I thought I’d never find out,” he says. But a couple of months ago, Michael received a phone call. Unknown to him, researchers at the Ministry of Defence had been conducting their own investigation. When he heard the news he says he “wailed like a banshee for 20 minutes”. “I can’t describe the emotional release,” he says smiling. “This had haunted me for 70 years. The poor lady who phoned me, I felt sorry for her.” The woman on the other end of the phone was Nicola Nash, a forensic researcher from the ****** Casualty and Compassionate Centre in Gloucester, who ordinarily works to identify victims from the First and Second World Wars. Tasked for the first time with finding the Korean War *****, she had to start from scratch by first compiling a list of the 300 British soldiers still missing, of which 76 were ******* in the ********* in Busan. Nicola went through their burial reports, and found just one man had been ******* wearing sergeant stripes from the Gloucester Regiment, as well as one major. After trawling the national archives and cross referencing eye-witness accounts, family letters and war office reports, Ms Nash was able to identify these men as Sergeant Northey and Major Patrick Angier. The men had been in unmarked graves but now have had their graves renamed Both were ******* in the famous Battle of Imjin River in April 1951, as the ******** Army, which had joined the war on the North Korean side, tried push the allied forces down the peninsula to retake the capital Seoul. Despite being hugely outnumbered, the men held their position for three days, giving their comrades enough time to retreat and successfully defend the city. The issue at the time, Ms Nash explains, is that because the battle was so *******, most of the men were either ******* or captured, leaving no one to identify them. The ****** had removed and scattered their dog tags. It was not until the prisoners of war were released that they could share their accounts, and no one had thought to go back and piece the puzzles together – until now. For Ms Nash, this has been a six-year “labour of love”, made slightly easier, she admits, by having some of the men’s children still alive to draw on, something that has also made the process more special. “The children have spent their whole lives not knowing what happened to their fathers, and for me to be able to do this work and bring them here to their graves, to say their goodbyes and have that closure, means everything”, she says. Major Angier’s daughter Tabby had visited the ********* before without knowing her father was ******* there At the ceremony, the families sit on chairs amidst the long rows of small stone graves, marking the thousands of foreign soldiers who fought and ***** in the Korean War. They are accompanied by serving soldiers from their loved ones’ old regiments. Major Angier’s daughter Tabby, now 77, and his grandson Guy, stand to read excerpts of letters he wrote from the frontline. In one of his final addresses, he tells his wife: “Lots of love to our dear children. Do tell them how much Daddy misses them and will come back as soon as he has finished his work”. Tabby was three when her father left for the war, and her memories of him are fractured. “I can remember someone standing in a room and canvas bags pilling up, which must have been his equipment to go to Korea, but I can’t see his face,” she says. At the time of her father’s ******, people didn’t like to talk about wars, Tabby says. Instead, those in her small Gloucestershire village used to remark: “Oh, those poor children, they’ve lost their father.” “I used to think that if he’s lost, they’re going to find him,” Tabby says. But as the years passed and she learnt what had happened, Tabby was told her father’s body would never be found. The last recorded trace was that it had been left under an upturned boat on the battlefield. Tabby has visited this ********* twice before, in an attempt to get as close to her father as she thought possible, not knowing he was here all along. “I think it will take some time to sink in,” she says, from his newly adorned graveside. Cameron Adair’s great, great uncle Corporal William Adair is the third soldier to be indentified The shock has been even greater for 25-year-old Cameron Adair from Scunthorpe, whose great, great uncle, Corporal William Adair, is one of two soldiers from the Royal Ulster Rifles Ms Nash has also managed to identify. The other is Rifleman Mark Foster from County Durham. Both men were ******* in January 1951 as they were forced to retreat by a wave of ******** soldiers. Corporal Adair did not have children, and when his wife ***** so did his memory, leaving Cameron and his family unaware of his existence. Finding out his relative “helped bring freedom to so many people” has brought Cameron “a real sense of pride,” he says. “Coming here and witnessing this first hand has really brought it home”. Now a similar age to his uncle when he was *******, Cameron feels inspired and says he would like to serve if the need ever arose. Ms Nash is now gathering DNA samples from the relatives of the other 300 missing soldiers, in the hope she can give more families the same peace and joy she has brought Cameron, Tabby and Michael. “If there are still British personnel missing, we will keep trying to find them,” she says. Source link #Families #reunite #bodies #missing #British #soldiers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pokémon TCG Pocket: all secret missions and how to beat them Pokémon TCG Pocket: all secret missions and how to beat them Playing Pokémon TCG Pocket isn’t just about winning battles against your friends or building the best deck — there are a set of missions to beat in between all that. While Pokémon TCG Pocket has an array of normal missions for players to complete, there are a few secret missions that are hidden but discovered after completion. Upon beating these missions, a good chunk of rewards is in store for you. These missions aren’t as simple as logging in or winning a battle — they’ll take you some time to complete, and without this guide to help you, you won’t know the requirements for it. All requirements and rewards for secret missions in Pokémon TCG Pocket Completing all of these secret missions in Pokémon TCG Pocket requires you to collect certain types of cards from one group. Currently, players have only seven secret missions, but with future game updates and new Booster Packs, there are bound to be more secret missions to complete. Genetic Apex Museum 1 (Charizard) Nintendo There are three different Genetic Apex Museum secret missions, all of which are tied to getting the unique illustration cards. These eight cards have full artwork and are only available from the Charizard Booster Pack. As a reward, players will receive 12 Pack Hourglasses, 36 Wonder Hourglasses, and 10 Shop Tickets. Lapras Meowth Alakazam Rapidash Charmander Gloom Slowpoke Pinsir Genetic Apex Museum 2 (Mewtwo) Nintendo The second Genetic Apex Museum secret mission has you collect all eight full-artwork cards from the Mewtwo Booster Pack. Of course, this and all the other Genetic Apex Museum secret missions exclude their special ex Immersive Cards. Your rewards for completing this mission are 12 Pack Hourglasses, 36 Wonder Hourglasses, and 10 Shop Tickets. Bulbasaur Ditto Golbat Cubone Pidgeot Dragonite Weezing Porygon Genetic Apex Museum 3 (Pikachu) Nintendo As you probably guessed it, the final Genetic Apex Museum secret mission has you obtain all eight illustration cards from the Pikachu Booster Pack. Just like the previous two missions, your rewards for this mission are 12 Pack Hourglasses, 36 Wonder Hourglasses, and 10 Shop Tickets. Electrode Nidoking Nidoqueen Eevee Squirtle Diglett Gyarados Snorlax Complete the Kanto Pokédex! You’ll have to collect one card from every Pokémon in the Kanto region. This is the toughest secret mission yet, as you’ll need a whopping 150 cards. It’s not 151 since you get Mew as a reward for completing this secret mission, and it’s not available in any other pack. The easiest way to track this mission is by checking if you have all of the first 150 Pokémon from Gen 1. The Immersive 4 Nintendo You can complete The Immersive 4 secret mission by collecting all four of the three-star Immersive Cards, which have their own animations. The special Mew card is a reward you get for completing a separate secret mission. For completing this difficult secret mission, you’ll earn 12 Pack Hourglasses, 48 Wonder Hourglasses, and 20 Shop Tickets. Charizard ex (Charizard Genetic Apex pack) Pikachu ex (Pikachu Genetic Apex pack) Mewtwo ex (Mewtwo Genetic Apex pack) Mew (reward from Complete the Kanto Pokedex! secret mission) The Gym Leader of the Kanto Region 2 Nintendo Players must collect all eight of the full illustration cards for every gym leader Supporter card. While The Gym Leaders of the Kanto Region is a normal mission, this sequel is a secret mission. The rewards for completing this secret mission are 12 Pack Hourglasses, 48 Wonder Hourglasses, and 10 Shop Tickets. Sabrina (Charizard Genetic Apex pack) Erika (Charizard Genetic Apex pack) Blaine (Charizard Genetic Apex pack) Koga (Mewtwo Genetic Apex pack) Giovanni (Mewtwo Genetic Apex pack) Misty (Pikachu Genetic Apex pack) Brock (Pikachu Genetic Apex pack) Lt. Surge (Pikachu Genetic Apex pack) The Legendary Flight Continues Nintendo You can complete The Legendary Flight Continues secret mission by obtaining the illustration versions of the three Legendary Birds. While you obtain 12 Pack Hourglasses and 48 Wonder Hourglasses like normal, this secret mission also grants you the Legendary Bird Emblem, only available from this reward pool. Moltres ex (Charizard Genetic Apex pack) Zapdox ex (Pikachu Genetic Apex pack) Articuno ex (Mewtwo Genetic Apex pack) Source link #Pokémon #TCG #Pocket #secret #missions #beat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The 8 best video doorbells, tried and tested | Technology The 8 best video doorbells, tried and tested | Technology Doorbells have evolved. Today, they watch us as we approach, let the people inside the home know we’re coming sooner than our finger can hit the button, and give them a good look at our faces before they open the door. They’re essentially security cameras with a chime function. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. If you haven’t already installed one of these handy tools, there’s a huge array available. Choosing the best video doorbell can be a bewildering task, with various factors to consider, including how much of your doorstep you want to see or whether you’re prepared to pay for a subscription. To help make the decision a little bit easier, I’ve tested eight popular video doorbells to find the best. At a glance Why you should trust me I’ve been testing products, including everything from vacuum cleaners and ****** lawnmowers to computers and games, for various publications for more than three decades. I’ve also owned a video doorbell for a couple of years, so I am well aware of their strengths and weaknesses. It gives me a good understanding of what I’m likely to be looking for in the next one I buy. How I tested The only way to test a doorbell is to stick it next to your front door and see how well it works. To achieve this, I mounted all eight on a board at doorbell height and lived with this rigged-up contraption on my doorstep for a fortnight. Delivery drivers were rightly suspicious of the number of buttons and cameras, and struggled to work out whether it was them or the doorbells that were being tested. I’m not sure whether my neighbours noticed them all, or spotted the number of times I lapped my drive at various times of day and night to test the movement sensors. If they did, they were too polite to mention it. I compared the doorbells by measuring how close I could get to the door before the motion detection was triggered, how much video was recorded and how useful that footage was. I timed how long it took for notifications to reach the doorbells’ apps on a smartphone and how long it took for the doorbell to send an alert or ring a chime (if included) when its button was pressed. I also tested the apps, examined the prices and considered the additional cost of subscriptions. All doorbells that didn’t need to be returned to the brands are being donated to the British Heart Foundation. The best video doorbells in 2024 ‘I lived with this rigged-up contraption on my doorstep for a fortnight’. Photograph: Andy Shaw Best overall: Google Nest (battery) Doorbells can be inundated with features, and their apps can be amazing. But if they don’t do a good job of letting you know when someone approaches your door and captures a video of them, there really isn’t much point. The Nest Doorbell (battery) performed these tasks the best. Why we love it In my tests, the Nest was a solid all-rounder. I found the viewing angle of its lens to be about perfect, not going so wide that people appear too small but still capturing enough of the surrounding area to catch people skirting around its periphery. The video and audio were as consistently clear as those on any of the doorbells I tested, and they were decent both in daylight and at night. The Nest sometimes detected people right at the end of my drive but proved consistent at capturing movement from about 3m away. I found there was some delay between the button being pressed and notifications arriving on Nest devices and smartphones, but it averaged at a fairly reasonable five seconds. While not as fast as the doorbells that had dedicated local chimes, which tend to go off almost immediately, this was among the fastest for sending alerts to smartphones and smart speakers. It’s a shame that … it doesn’t come with a chime. Instead, you need to buy a separate Nest Mini smart speaker, which costs £49. You also really need the Nest Aware subscription at £60 a year – without it, motion events are stored for only three hours, which isn’t hugely useful. £139 at Currys £129.99 at Amazon Subscription: Nest Aware (30-day storage, records only when movement triggered), £6/month or £60/year; Nest Aware Plus (60-day storage, records 24/7), £12/month or £120/year Best budget: Blink + Sync Module 2 The Blink is the only model I reviewed that cost less than £100. Amazon’s bargain basement doorbell costs as little as £59 and, while you get what you pay for in terms of quality, it does the job. Why we love it Price is the key selling point here because it’s significantly more affordable than its nearest competitor. However, we reviewed the version that comes with Blink’s Sync Module 2, which costs only £10 more. This plugs into a wall socket and lets you connect USB storage (I used a USB flash memory drive). The device then locally backs up video that’s saved to the cloud, so you won’t lose any footage unless your local storage fills up. You still need a (relatively affordable) subscription for motion detection to work, though. For a cheaper camera, I was impressed with the video footage. It has a wide-angle lens, so there’s a bit of a fish-eye effect around the edges, but it’s not so wide that people approaching the doorbell look tiny. It’s a shame that … the two-way audio isn’t great. The quality of the microphone was the worst I tested, so it’s best suited to those not planning to have lengthy conversations with people on the doorstep. £69 at John Lewis £69.99 at Amazon Subscription: Basic Plan, £2.50/month or £24.99/year, single device; Plus Plan, £8/month or £80/year, multiple devices Best subscription-free: Eufy E340 Most video doorbells provide limited features without additional costs, hiding all their best bits (such as storing video for any length of time) behind a paywall. The Eufy E340 is unusual because it ditches the paid-for subscription concept entirely. Why we love it The Eufy uses local rather than cloud storage, with 8GB built in to the device. How long that lasts before overwriting itself will depend on how busy your doorstep is. This built-in storage makes it one of the more expensive models, although that’s not its only trick. It uses two cameras, with an extra one pointed to the floor, so you can also keep an eye on parcels and packages (and analyse your visitors’ footwear). It’s a shame that … while the stars have aligned over the Eufy’s video quality and lack of subscription costs, there were one or two occasions when movement didn’t trigger the camera early enough or at all. Ideally, I’d prefer something more reliable. £155.17 at Amazon £179 at John Lewis Subscription: None required The best of the rest Aqara G4 Best for: no charging time The big problem with rechargeable doorbell batteries is that there’s a ******* when they have to be removed from the door and charged up, at which point any visiting friends will have to knock and unwanted visitors won’t be recorded. This doorbell uses six AA batteries rather than a rechargeable, so its only downtime is while you’re replacing them. This model also comes with the option of recording video to a microSD card, which slots into the supplied chime, sitting safely inside the house. However, it only provides access to the past seven days of video recordings through the app. To view further back, you have to remove the memory card and watch the files through a PC. It didn’t make the final cut because … the app is nothing short of horrible. It has an AI chatbot. No, I don’t know why either. It was also one of the slowest to send notifications to a smartphone. £119.99 at Amazon £119.95 at Apple Store Subscription: not required if using a memory card. A free subscription option downgrades footage to 360p and keeps it available for only seven days, so isn’t particularly useful. The paid-for tier stores at full 2K resolution and keeps it for 30 days, for $4.99/month (about £3.88) or $49.99/year (about £38.86) skip past newsletter promotion Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. 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 Ring Pro Best for: Alexa users The big brother of the Blink doorbell, with a price to match. If you’ve already bought into Amazon’s Echo smart speakers, this integrates smoothly with them. It has the widest-angle lens of all the cameras here, but that makes the footage look like you’re viewing through a peephole. Faces standing any distance away are too small to capture much detail. It has one really clever feature, though: it records video constantly and uses it to extend recorded movement events further back in time, so you can see what happens in the seconds before someone arrives on camera. It didn’t make the final cut because … it had the longest delay in sending notifications during testing, which was disappointing. £199.99 at Amazon £199.99 at John Lewis Subscription: Basic, £4.99/month or £49.99/year; Standard, £7.99 per month or £79.99 per year Yale Best for: field of view The Yale doorbell proved reasonably responsive when it came to detecting movement, triggering when I was about 2.5m away. It has a medium field of view compared with its rivals. That means people are still reasonably sized in the captured videos, but it gets a fish-eye effect around the edges, making it tricky to catch people hiding or sneaking up. The app is simple to use. It has few frills, but that may suit someone who doesn’t want their doorbell to be too complicated. There’s also internal storage, but only enough for two to four days, so it’s worth the subscription if you often go away for the weekend. It didn’t make the final cut because … sound quality was the worst of the group, and the video had an unnatural colour tint. £79.99 at Argos (with chime) £129.98 at Yale Subscription: from £3.50/month Ezviz EP3x Pro Best for: not running out of battery If you don’t like the idea of charging or changing your doorbell’s batteries, the Ezviz eliminates these problems. It comes with its own solar panel, which attaches to the back of the device with a wire. As long as it can catch a bit of sunlight, it’ll keep your doorbell going indefinitely. The Ezviz is a two-camera system, with one pointing downwards for watching parcels. It comes with 32GB of internal storage, so you don’t have to opt for a subscription, though you can add one if you want video saved to the cloud, too. It didn’t make the final cut because … the movement detection and video recording didn’t kick in until people were 1m away from the doorbell, so it often started recording too late. £109.99 at Amazon Subscription: 7-day video history, £4.99/month or £49.99/year; 30-day video history, £9.99/month or £99.99/year Tapo D235 Best for: a good value camera with no subscription required If our budget choice doesn’t appeal, then the Tapo D235 may suffice instead. It’s more expensive but sits comfortably in the middle of the price range of doorbells reviewed, and it can record video locally on a microSD card. However, there’s still a £2.99 a month subscription available. That lets you save captured footage to the cloud as well as or instead of a memory card and sends camera snapshots with its text alert notifications. For the price, I was impressed with the quality of the footage captured, but it uses colour night vision as it gets dark, which was a bit too grainy. It has a wide 180-degree viewing angle and comes with a chime that sounds inside when someone pushes the doorbell button. It didn’t make the final cut because … motion detection started at about 1.5m in our tests, which meant some movement was missed. Also, its wide-angle lens makes distant visitors appear small. £114.99 from Tapo £119.99 from Amazon Subscription: Not required if using a memory card. Otherwise: Basic 7-day video history, £2.49/month or £24.99/year; Premium 30-day video history, £2.99/month or £29.49/year What you need to know As you may expect, buying a video doorbell isn’t (just) about whether the colour matches the paint job on your front door. Smart doorbells are crammed with features designed to make you think they sound good, luring you into choosing one over another. However, you should also take into account how good they are at alerting you when people arrive at your door, and whether you’ll be able to tell who it is when you watch a video or live feed on your smartphone, as I did in my tests. If you have an existing wired doorbell, you can use its wiring to connect most video doorbells. If you’re not a competent electrician, you may need someone to install it for you. The benefit is that a device connected in this way will ring your existing doorbell chime. Otherwise, you’re limited to a battery doorbell. These are much easier to install, but charging them can be a faff. You usually have to remove the doorbell and charge it overnight. During that time you have no doorbell or camera. Some doorbells come with regular batteries that can simply be swapped, while others can be kept topped up using a small solar panel, either out of the box or as an additional accessory. Talking of accessories, it’s worth checking these out before you buy. If you want a chime that rings inside, you need to choose a model that supports this and has them available to buy. If your house is already populated with Amazon Echo or Google Nest speakers, you can use these instead of chimes. That can help make your buying decision for you – there’s no point buying a Nest doorbell if you’ve already bought into Amazon’s devices – but some doorbells will happily work with either. Source link #video #doorbells #tested #Technology Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Met police faces service cuts without more cash, says chief Met police faces service cuts without more cash, says chief BBC The boss of the ***’s largest police force has warned it faces “eye-watering cuts” to services unless ministers increase its funding. Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told the BBC he was “deeply troubled” by talks so far on its annual settlement for next year. He added that the force was in a “precarious position” because previously used options to “prop up” its budget had run out. The government has said it plans to increase the overall policing budget next year – although allocations by force are still to be negotiated. The Met’s budget for this year is just over £3.5bn, a 3.5% increase from 2023/24, comprising £2.6bn from central government and £956m from local taxes. Sir Mark said conversations over its funding allocation from next April – which would normally be expected to be announced in December or January – were still “ongoing” with the government and City Hall. But, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, he said he was “deeply troubled by the situation we appear to be heading towards”. Policing a global capital such as London came with an “extra set of challenges”, he said, adding that per person was lower than in other cities such as New York and Sydney. He said that the “cumulative effect of decisions over the last decade or so” had put the force in a “more and more precarious position”, and some of its buildings would be “unusable” in a few years without further investment. “Some of the things that successive [police] commissioners and mayors have used to balance the books – like selling police stations and using reserves – all of those things have run out,” he added. “The chancellor has been very clear – it’s a difficult public sector context.” ‘Tough choices’ “You add all those things together, and you get a dramatic change in budgets of a scale that’s never going to be absorbed by efficiencies, and is going to require some pretty eye-watering cuts to sort of to the services we provide to London.” He added that he was not going to get into detail at this stage on the “tough choices” the force would face without an increase in resources. But he said he planned to specific “10 or 20 things we’re going to do differently” before Christmas. He added that the implications for policing in the capital would “become more public” in the coming weeks. The budget for the Home Office is set to shrink by 3.3% next year in real terms, with the bulk of this coming from assumed savings on asylum support. At last month’s Budget, the government said it planned to “increase the core government grant for police forces,” although it did not specify whether this would be in cash terms or taking account of inflation. Before the election, Labour also said it also planned to save £360m through more efficient purchasing of police equipment, which it promised to spend on extra community support officers. Source link #Met #police #faces #service #cuts #cash #chief Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

YouTube creators can now make AI song remixes for Shorts YouTube creators can now make AI song remixes for Shorts Select YouTube creators can now produce their own remixes of existing songs. YouTube has announced a new feature for its AI-powered Dream Track tool that allows individuals to “restyle” a song and create a 30-second tune to use in a Short. Creators in the experiment group for this feature can choose from eligible songs and then give an explanation to AI about how they want to remix it. These changes could focus on giving the song a different genre or mood — whatever twist they’re imagining. From there a new song gets produced “that reimagines the music while maintaining the essence of the original song’s vocals and lyrics,” YouTube’s announcement states. “These restyled soundtracks will have clear attribution to the original song through the Short itself and the Shorts audio pivot page, and will also clearly indicate that the track was restyled with AI.” YouTube rolled out Dream Track in November 2023, powered by Google DeepMind’s Lyria model. It allowed a select group of US creators to make songs using the AI-generated voices of participating artists. The feature included a deal with Universal Music Group and partnerships with a slew of musicians, including John Legend, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan. It has expanded its availability to all US creators in the year since. Source link #YouTube #creators #song #remixes #Shorts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pacific finance needs top $2b as storms hit, seas rise Pacific finance needs top $2b as storms hit, seas rise Pacific Island nations need climate finance to top $2 billion every year in addition to existing official aid, experts warn the international climate summit. Source link #Pacific #finance #top #storms #hit #seas #rise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Early ****** Friday Apple Deal – AirTag 4-Pack For $70 Restocked At Amazon Early ****** Friday Apple Deal – AirTag 4-Pack For $70 Restocked At Amazon Best Buy’s Early ****** Friday ***** features the best-ever deal on the 4-pack of Apple AirTags, dropping the price from $99 to only $70. Amazon is matching this deal but has already sold out once (and fast). The AirTag 4-Pack was restocked at Amazon today, November 13. We expect this offer to continue to be popular, so snag it while you can. If you don’t need a 4-pack, you can buy single AirTags for $19 each at Amazon. This deal also sold out once already, so don’t wait too long to grab it. AirTags may not be the most exciting products in the Apple catalog, but there’s no denying their utility. Whether you use them to track luggage, keys, or even your car, AirTags are a great way to ensure your valuables never go missing. They’re also perfect for students heading back to school–as plopping one in a backpack means you’ll never lose track of your schoolwork or books ever again. While AirTags are fairly standard location trackers, they have a few features that set them apart from the competition. For one, they’re incredibly easy to set up–a single tap can connect them to your iPhone and get them ready for use. They also support Ultra-Wideband technology, which offers precise coordinates and enhanced tracking skills. They even come with a built-in speaker so you can play a sound to help pinpoint their location. Toss in a bunch of impressive privacy features (all communication with the Find My network is anonymous and encrypted), and you’ve got a solid tracker–especially at this new low price. Amazon’s ****** Friday 2024 ***** doesn’t officially start until November 21, but the retailer is matching deals featured at competing retailers. Best Buy, Walmart, and Target have all launched early ****** Friday sales. Source link #Early #****** #Friday #Apple #Deal #AirTag #4Pack #Restocked #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 2 for Phone 2 and Phone 2a Rolling Out: What’s New Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 2 for Phone 2 and Phone 2a Rolling Out: What’s New Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 2 is now available for Phone 2 and Phone 2a users, the company has announced. Users can experience the new Android 15-based operating system (OS) before its public rollout in December and try out more features such as shared widgets, smart drawer enhancements, refined animations, and camera improvements. This release builds upon the rollout of the Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 1 update that was introduced earlier this month. Notably, the beta program was first launched in October with the Phone 2a and will be available for other devices, such as the CMF Phone 1, later this year. Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 2 Features In a community post, Nothing announced that the OS 3.0 Open Beta 2 update adds more features to the already expansive list of introductions with the first beta. This includes a Shared Widgets feature which lets users see another user’s widgets displayed on their home screen and interact with them through reactions. This feature is exclusive to interactions between Nothing smartphones. Animations for Quick Settings have been refined, including those for Bluetooth, tile resizing, swiping interactions, and tile transitions. The Carl Pei-led company introduced a Smart Drawer powered by artificial intelligence (AI) with the Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 1 which can automatically arrange apps in separate category folders based on usage. The Open Beta 2 is said to bring enhanced accuracy to this feature, while also adding an auto-sort feature. Nothing Phone 2 and Phone 2a users will also be able to take advantage of camera enhancements with the update. It is claimed to deliver improved stability when switching between camera modes, an upgraded HDR algorithm for better picture quality, an optimised portrait mode, and enhanced brightness when using the Ultra HDR Mode. Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta 2 brings other visual and performance updates. There is now an AI-powered selection and prioritisation of the frequently used apps, support for a refresh rate of up to 90 frames per second (fps) in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, an onboarding guide for first-time Pop-up view users, and other general bug fixes and performance improvements. Source link #Open #Beta #Phone #Phone #Rolling #Whats Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Mysterious Extinct Species Seeded Their Genes in Modern Humans A Mysterious Extinct Species Seeded Their Genes in Modern Humans The tree of life is often more like a vine that snakes back on itself, with tendrils briefly embracing before they reach for the sky or wither into nothing. While much has been said about the Neanderthal and human branches of humanity, it’s becoming increasingly clear our past has had frequent encounters with another close relative known as the Denisovans (pronounced duh-nee-suh-vns). A recently published review of the existing research on Denisovan DNA by Trinity College Dublin population geneticists Linda Ongaro and Emilia Huerta-Sanchez brings us up to date on how our own biology has been influenced by the history of a people we still know so very little about. According to their interpretation of the evidence, a number of Denisovan populations that were adapted to environments across the ****** continent and beyond passed their genes to our own recent ancestors on multiple occasions, bestowing us with a selection of their advantages just as Neanderthals have done. “It’s a common misconception that humans evolved suddenly and neatly from one common ancestor, but the more we learn the more we realize interbreeding with different hominins occurred and helped to shape the people we are today,” says Ongaro, first author of the recent study. Compared with the century or two that scientists have spent examining Neanderthal ********, graves, and artifacts, our academic acquaintance with the Denisovans is remarkably recent, and limited. A mere handful of teeth and bones belonging to these extinct relatives have been recovered over recent decades. Following a series of genetic analyses that began with a young female’s fingerbone in 2010, the ******** are now understood to belong to a previously undescribed hominin group that became genetically distinct from Neanderthals around 400,000 years ago – most likely a few hundred thousand years after Neanderthals became distinct from our own ancestors. Our understanding of the range, culture, and adaptations of the Denisovans has been building slowly over the years, hinting at a rich diversity of humans with a genetic legacy that stretches from Siberia to South East Asia and across Oceania to even the Americas. “By leveraging the surviving Denisovan segments in modern human genomes scientists have uncovered evidence of at least three past events whereby genes from distinct Denisovan populations made their way into the genetic signatures of modern humans,” says Ongaro. Branches of Denisovan populations have affected the genes of modern human populations across Oceania, South East Asia, and Siberia. (Ongaro et al., Nature Genetics, 2024) Among extant genes known to have originated among Denisovans are sequences common in Tibetan populations that help the body cope with relatively low amounts of oxygen, DNA that gives Papuan immunity a boost, and genes found among Inuit lineages that influence the burning of fats to cope better with the cold. These join the diverse genes swapped through frequent interactions with Neanderthals that have helped some of us weather pandemics, influenced our appearance, and even shaped our brains. Ongaro and Huerta-Sanchez’s review serves to highlight not just what we’ve learned, but just how little we know about the way distinct pockets of modern humans have been changed by encounters with these extinct relatives. “There are numerous future directions for research that will help us tell a more complete story of how the Denisovans impacted modern day humans, including more detailed genetic analyses in understudied populations, which could reveal currently hidden traces of Denisovan ancestry,” says Ongaro. This research was published in Nature Genetics. Related News Source link #Mysterious #Extinct #Species #Seeded #Genes #Modern #Humans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PS5 restock: Where you can buy a PS5 right now PS5 restock: Where you can buy a PS5 right now When the PlayStation 5 first launched back in November 2020, it was nearly impossible to get your hands on the highly anticipated console. Despite demand being through the roof, chip shortages heavily cut production — and due to sustained consumer interest, it was a problem that plagued the PS5 for years after launch. Thankfully, we’re happy to report that those issues have largely been resolved, making it pretty easy to grab a PS5 these days. The launch of the PS5 Pro has ignited another buying frenzy, and with ****** Friday coming up, Sony has even cut the price of the base PS5. While the PS5 is now readily available at any big box tech store or online retailer, we still have some helpful tips that can help you save time and money. Read on for info on the biggest retailers selling the PS5, what you need to know about Digital vs Disc editions, refurbished options, and more. Recommended reading: PlayStation Direct Sony Before its launch, Sony opened registration for PS5 pre-orders but used a seemingly arbitrary system for inviting consumers to put money toward the console. In essence, you could register to receive an invitation, and if Sony deemed you worthy enough, a link would be emailed to you, guaranteeing you could place money down (for a limited time). The time for that has come and gone, but you can still purchase the system through PlayStation Direct — when they’re in stock. Fortunately, PS Direct frequently has stock available. The PS5 Pro is even in stock. Sony now allows users to register to buy a PlayStation 5 system so long as they have a PlayStation Network ID, though, much like the pre-order process, potential buyers are selected at random. Walmart During the initial PS5 launch, Walmart had a system that staggered PS5 restocks, essentially creating a lottery system for people trying to add the console to their shopping carts. Those days are over now, and all editions of the PS5 are readily available. You can have the console shipped to you or order it online and pick it up at the closest Walmart to you. Walmart also offers the ability to buy consoles from third-party sellers, which opens up options — and risks — for cheaper, used systems. PS5 Standard Edition: PS5 Digital Edition: PS5 Pro: Best Buy Best Buy is a great choice if you want to add two-year protection through a Geek Squad warranty. This helps cover repairs for things like dust damage, spilled drinks, power surge damage, controller replacements, and other things. It’s a good choice for more boisterous households. Also, financing options are available if you have a Best Buy card. PS5 Standard Edition: PS5 Digital Edition: PS5 Pro: Target Target offers a two-year warranty via its Allstate protection plan for $63 but otherwise doesn’t offer any additional deals on PS5 systems. The online store is a good second option since it’s a bit more likely to stay in stock longer than places like Amazon. PS5 Standard Edition: PS5 Digital Edition: PS5 Pro: Newegg Image used with permission by copyright holder Newegg may not be a household name like Target or Best Buy, but the retailer ******** a powerhouse in the electronics space. The online store is known for offering steep discounts on everything from computer components to video doorbells. When the PlayStation 5 first launched, Newegg had a lottery system to get one. These days, you can buy them without the added hassle. PS5 Standard Edition: PS5 Digital Edition: PS5 Pro: GameStop At GameStop, you can typically find bundles that come with games, extra DualSense controllers, and accessories, but they sell out quickly. As for the base systems themselves, those are easy to grab right on the retailer’s homepage, or you can stop by your local store. GameStop also offers pre-owned systems, but we don’t advocate buying anything except new when it comes to hardware. PS5 Standard Edition: PS5 Digital Edition: PS5 Pro: Amazon Amazon is today’s go-to online retailer because of its endless stock and its quick shipping times. Amazon has the Standard Edition, the Pro Edition, and some refurbished options. PS5 Standard Edition: PS5 Pro: Renewed PS5: Source link #PS5 #restock #buy #PS5 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dogecoin soars after Trump taps Elon Musk for department of government efficiency: CNBC Crypto World Dogecoin soars after Trump taps Elon Musk for department of government efficiency: CNBC Crypto World ShareShare Article via FacebookShare Article via TwitterShare Article via LinkedInShare Article via Email CNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what’s ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today’s show, Fried Thiel of MARA discusses how the postelection rally impacts crypto miners. 11:05 Wed, Nov 13 20243:22 PM EST Source link #Dogecoin #soars #Trump #taps #Elon #Musk #department #government #efficiency #CNBC #Crypto #World Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Guardian is leaving X The Guardian is leaving X announced it will no longer be active on X (formerly Twitter) — all its editorial accounts will stop posting on the platform. Users can, of course, still share the outlet’s articles on X, and journalists working for The Guardian may link to or embed X posts in their articles or continue using the platform to gather news. According to the statement, X has become rife with “far-right *********** theories and racism” and is simply not worth sinking more resources into. The newspaper would rather spend its time and energy on less “toxic” platforms. Additionally, The Guardian cites Elon Musk as a major reason for moving away, since the results of the recent US presidential election have allegedly shown how Musk “has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.” Essentially, the concern appears to be that continuing to post would be adding fuel to a *********** machine. The Guardian isn’t the only news outlet to ditch X: and both left in 2023. Corporations like Apple, IBM, Disney and others still post, but no longer advertise on X. These companies have historically been the social media platform’s biggest source of ad income, as reported by . The Guardian claims it’s able to make this decision because it doesn’t rely on advertising as its main business model. But Twitter was always more about influence than , and the returns on investment for publishers have only with time. Source link #Guardian #leaving Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cisco and Pure Storage bet on CoreWeave in $650 million secondary ***** Cisco and Pure Storage bet on CoreWeave in $650 million secondary ***** CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator appears on CNBC on July 17, 2024. CNBC CoreWeave, a startup that rents out Nvidia’s artificial intelligence chips to other companies, said Wednesday that it closed a $650 million secondary share *****, with Cisco and Pure Storage investing alongside financial institutions. In the transaction, CoreWeave’s existing stakeholders are selling shares to outside investors. Bloomberg reported last month that CoreWeave was targeting a $23 billion valuation for the deal, up from $19 billion in a $1.1 billion investment round announced in May. CoreWeave is going head-to-head with large cloud infrastructure providers, such as Amazon and Google in providing Nvidia’s graphics processing units, or GPUs, to companies for AI workloads. The startup got a big boost last year, when Nvidia made an investment, and another stamp of approval after Microsoft enlisted the company as a third-party cloud provider. Investors have been eager to sink money into companies that are enabling generative AI, which can create text, images and videos in response to a few words of human input. The frenzy began after Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT went viral in late 2022 and led to soaring demand for compute power. “We are a company that is one of the few companies in the world that’s able to bring on this kind of infrastructure at the scale that’s required to actually make a difference,” CoreWeave co-founder and CEO Mike Intrator told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” in July. The following month Nvidia said its H200 GPUs had become available through CoreWeave, meaning the startup was the first cloud provider to reach general availability with the graphics cards. CoreWeave has raised $14 billion, a spokesperson said. In May, the company said it had raised $7.5 billion in fresh debt. In October, it announced a $650 million credit line. Last week, bitcoin mining company Core Scientific said CoreWeave had signed up for 500 megawatts worth of data center capacity in a deal that could be worth up to $8.7 billion over 12 years. In addition to Cisco and Pure, investment firms including BlackRock, Coatue and Fidelity participated in CoreWeave’s secondary *****. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Cisco #Pure #Storage #bet #CoreWeave #million #secondary #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Lego Spider-Man Figure Is Just $20 For ****** Friday This Lego Spider-Man Figure Is Just $20 For ****** Friday There are dozens of great Lego deals right now, as early ****** Friday sales have officially started. But if you’re shopping for a young Lego fan, it’s hard to beat the Spider-Man Articulated Action Figure. The tiny build is composed of just 258 pieces, and right now you can pick it up for $20 (was $25). That’s one of the best prices of the year, though we’re not sure how long it’ll stick around. $20 (was $25) This 9-inch figurine features multiple articulated joints, so while you’ll snap Spidey together like a traditional Lego set, he’s actually more of an action figure. This means you can move around his head, arms, and legs, making him a pretty cool addition to any ****’s treasure chest of toys. You’ll also find two cool web accessories that connect to the superhero’s hands. Both Amazon and Walmart are offering the deal, so if one retailer sells out, be sure to check the other. Spider-Man is one of the coolest Lego figures on *****, but he’s not the only one available at a discount ahead of ****** Friday. You’ll also find a Lego DC Batman Construction Figure for $26 (was $33), featuring the same sort of articulated joints. Standing over 10.5 inches tall, the Dark Knight makes a great toy or piece of décor for a ****’s room. A Wolverine Construction Figure is also on ***** for $26 (was $33), while the Captain America Construction Figure is $25 (was $33). A few others are seeing discounts, and the Marvel New Captain America Construction Figure is up for preorder–consider locking in your order today to guarantee you have it in time for the holidays. We’ve compiled a list of the best Lego Construction Figure deals below. Once you’re done skimming through the list, head over to our ****** Friday Hub for even more price cuts. Best Early ****** Friday Lego Construction Figure Deals Source link #Lego #SpiderMan #Figure #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Working birthday for King Charles at 76 Working birthday for King Charles at 76 PA Media King Charles is visiting a project saving food that would have been wasted King Charles III is to mark his 76th birthday by opening two hubs that will distribute large volumes of surplus food to food banks, schools and community centres. It is the latest stage of his Coronation Food Project, designed to make better use of food that would otherwise be thrown away. The King is treating his birthday as a working day, visiting a new food hub in south London and conducting a virtual opening ceremony for another, on Merseyside. Since being launched, on the King’s birthday last year, the food project has saved the equivalent of 2.2 million meals. Reuters The food project was launched a year ago, at an event in Didcot, Oxfordshire There was some glamour for the King ahead of his birthday, as he attended the premiere of Gladiator II, on Wednesday. Marking a TV and film industry reception, the band outside Buckingham Palace played movie themes, including from Star Wars and James Bond – which might have been for agent 00-76. Queen Camilla missed the Gladiator II screening, as she recovers from a chest infection. “I think I’m on the mend – but these things always take a bit of time,” the Queen said, at the Booker Prize awards, on Tuesday. Watch: King meets Denzel Washington at Gladiator II premiere The King’s birthday will see him launching a distribution centre in south London, where charities, including the Felix Project and FareShare, can collect food and take it to help individuals and community groups. The food comes from places such as supermarkets or the catering industry – and rather than wasting good quality unsold food, it is used to help those facing food ********. The King will visit a “surplus-food festival” and meet some of the people who have benefited, with the new hubs intended to increase the food saved. So far, the Coronation Food Project has rescued 940 tonnes of surplus food, estimated as enough to make 2,240,000 meals. The King is continuing to be treated for ******* but wants to keep focusing on his work, royal aides have said. Although he has been on the throne for only two years, he is now the sixth longest-living British monarch. Source link #Working #birthday #King #Charles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Early ****** Friday gaming monitor deals — LG, Alienware, more Early ****** Friday gaming monitor deals — LG, Alienware, more Update 11/12/24: We’re super happy with the selection so far, but the shiniest deal has to be on that massive 49-inch Odyssey, now just $1,200, down at the bottom. If you have a gaming PC, you know that you need a high-quality monitor to get the most out of it. If you’ve been waiting for ****** Friday all year to upgrade, we’ve got good news. While ****** Friday doesn’t officially start until November 29, you can go ahead and start purchasing early ****** Friday deals now, including early ****** Friday 4K monitor deals. The really good news is that we’re seeing great deals from the start, including with popular brands (check out these early Alienware ****** Friday deals, for instance) so there’s really no reason to wait. Manufacturers know that modern people are busy, and admittedly somewhat impatient, so they aren’t making you wait. In fact, in many cases, we notice that some of the best early deals are spotted as being “too good” by retailers, and get pushed down, never to be seen at the early deals rate again. So, if you like a deal now, you can go ahead and buy. We’ll be looking at the deals that come and go all season long, so be sure to bookmark this page, but here are the prominent deals from our earliest look at what is to come. LG UltraGear 27-inch QHD — $190 $300 37% off LG A very serviceable budget option with an extra $110 taken off of the price. Despite the price, its got a 1440p resolution (which is nice for a 27-inch monitor) and a 144Hz refresh rate. If you aren’t looking to pay extra for a gaming monitor, this is the one to buy now. Samsung 34-inch Odyssey G5 — $380 $550 31% Samsung This is one of Samsung’s infamous ultrawide Odyssey monitors with the hefty 1000R curve at a very nice price of just $380. If you’ve been envious of the style, but not the price tag, this just might be the time to strike. HP Omen 27k — $498 $654 24% off Jacob ****** / Digital Trends This monitor’s claim to fame is that it brings you a 4K resolution at 144Hz on a budget. Jacob ******, in his 2024 HP OMen 27k review, particularly praised the inclusion of USB-C hub connectivity with the monitor at the price it is being offered at. Lenovo 31.5-inch Y32p-30 — $600 $750 20% Jacob ****** / Digital Trends Back when it debuted in 2023, the Y32p-30 reviewed as having “The right balance of features for slightly too high of a price” — a problem not found with a deal price of just $600. Decent built-in speakers, a KVM switch, and fantastic ****** accuracy are the proud marks of a fine gaming monitor that this display shows. Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED — $800, $1,100 27% off Digital Trends Prized for its combination of surprising affordability, excellent ****** gamut, and delightful QD-OLED tech, this is the overall best gaming monitor. Check out our Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED review for more details, though the short story is that it pushes the envelope by prioritizing image quality in a way that few other monitors do. Note that there is currently a for $700, and while similarly built that isn’t the exact same model as this one, our favorite. Samsung 32-inch Odyssey Neo G8 — $800 $1,300 38% off Jacob ****** / Digital Trends A model that can give Alienware’s top monitor a run for its money. Our Odyssey Neo G8 review praises the monitor’s 240Hz at 4K capabilities (if you use the DisplayPort 1.4 connection). It was called a monitor for gamers that want “bleeding-edge performance no matter what the cost” but at $500 off, this monitor is now much more accessible. LG UltraGear 32-inch OLED Dual Mode — $1,000 $1,400 29% off Jacob ****** / Digital Trends This one is a bit unique — it has two different resolutions and refresh rates. Switched on way its 4K at 240Hz, switched another its 1080p at 480Hz. Our reviewer, in our LG OLED Dual Mode review, initially didn’t see the case for the 1080p mode but was drawn to it for those high-intensity FPS games where every frame split counts. Be sure to check out the full review for more on how you can customize the switch. 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC) — $1,200 $1,800 33% off Jacob ****** / Digital Trends One of the most massive, beautiful Samsung Odyssey monitors you can get today. Jacob ****** in his Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 review, called it a “game-changing gaming monitor” and it is easy to see why — in addition to being absolutely massive, its got an impressive 240Hz refresh rate and a full Tizen OS built inside. Grabbing it while it is $600 off is a great deal. How to choose a gaming monitor on ****** Friday If you have very particular tastes, choosing a gaming monitor can be a difficult art, and there are many gaming monitor buying mistakes to avoid. (One key one is getting a monitor that is too big for the resolution it has.) However, there are a few things just about any gamer will want to consider before making a purchase: Resolution: Most gamers will typically want a resolution of 4K to see their games in the best detail levels possible. That being said, a 1440p monitor isn’t out the question if it’s on the smaller side and you want something budget. Refresh rate and response time: If you’re into high-action gameplay, a refresh rate of 120Hz or higher will be the preference for sure, and is when we start to hear descriptions like “buttery smooth” from reviewers. The response time, or time it takes for a pixel to change colors, is also pretty important for the same reason — quick image changes — but you should know that it is usually reported as GtG (or gray-to-gray) and not about widely differing colors. Still a 1ms GtG response time is a sort of gold standard for gaming monitors these days. To curve or not to curve: You may very well want a curved gaming monitor for its ease on your eyes, increased immersion, and ability to take a much easier glimpse at those corner UI elements that can get tucked away on larger screens. Note that curved gaming monitors can take up more space on your gaming desk. How we chose these ****** Friday gaming monitor deals Of course, the first thing is to make sure that we are getting a gaming monitor of quality for you. But this is all about getting a monitor for your needs, and that means there needs to be a variety. We’ll also be sure to link any in-depth, hands-on reviews from staff members if such reviews exist. As a result, we’re choosing monitors across the spectrum of possible price ranges, as well as from a variety of brands and even form factors (naturally, we’re looking at curved gaming monitors as well). Finally, we’re making sure that we can deliver actually good deals to you. Our experience as deals writers give us a scope of what is going on and where to hunt for deals from reliable dealers. Naturally, though, the price landscape will be constantly changing as the deals season progresses, so be sure to bookmark this page if you don’t like what you see right now. Source link #Early #****** #Friday #gaming #monitor #deals #Alienware Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Indigenous population in NSW prisons reaches record high Indigenous population in NSW prisons reaches record high Australia’s largest state now has a record high number of Indigenous Australians in prison, according to a new report. Source link #Indigenous #population #NSW #prisons #reaches #record #high Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meta will have to defend itself from antitrust claims after all Meta will have to defend itself from antitrust claims after all The Federal Trade Commission will get a chance to argue its case for Meta’s breakup in court. On Wednesday, US District Judge James Boasberg allowed the FTC’s lawsuit against the social media giant to move forward (PDF link). The FTC first sued Meta in 2020 in an attempt to force the company, then known as Facebook, to divest itself of Instagram and WhatsApp. Alongside dozens of attorneys general, the agency alleged Meta acquired the platforms in 2012 and 2014 to stifle growing competition in the social media market. This past April, Meta asked Judge Boasberg to dismiss the case. In addition to noting that the FTC had previously approved both acquisitions, Meta argued that the agency had ******* to show that the company held monopoly power in the social networking services market, and that, in buying Instagram and WhatsApp, it had harmed consumers. Additionally, the company claimed that it had invested billions of dollars in both platforms and made them better as a result, to the benefit of social media users everywhere. While he did not entirely dismiss the lawsuit, Boasberg did force the FTC to narrow its case, dismissing an allegation that Facebook had provided preferential access to developers who agreed not to compete with it. “We are confident that the evidence at trial will show that the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp have been good for competition and consumers. More than 10 years after the FTC reviewed and cleared these deals, and despite the overwhelming evidence that our services compete with YouTube, TikTok, X, Apple’s iMessage, and many others, the Commission is wrongly continuing to assert that no deal is ever truly final, and businesses can be punished for innovating,” a Meta spokesperson told Engadget. “We will review the opinion when it’s filed.” Judge Boasberg will meet with the two sides on November 25 to schedule the trial. The FTC lawsuit, it should be noted, was filed under the previous Trump administration, though whether it moves forward and in what form will depend on who President-elect Trump appoints to lead the agency. Source link #Meta #defend #antitrust #claims Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tech consultant testifies that ‘bad joke’ led to deadly clash with Cash App founder Bob Lee Tech consultant testifies that ‘bad joke’ led to deadly clash with Cash App founder Bob Lee SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The tech consultant charged in Cash App founder Bob Lee ‘s stabbing ****** testified in his own defense Wednesday that he made a “bad joke” to try to put an end to a late night of drinking and doing drugs, and the famous entrepreneur suddenly attacked him. In his first public statements about the events leading to Lee’s ******, Nima Momeni said that he joked to Lee that he might want to spend his final night in San Francisco with family rather than trying to find a strip club. Momeni said Lee pulled out a ****** and attacked him, forcing him to defend himself. He said Lee later walked away, showing no signs he was injured. Momeni said he called an attorney when he learned of Lee’s ****** the following day. “He’s a big famous guy,” he said. “I’m just an average joe, an immigrant.” Lee, 43, was found staggering on a deserted downtown San Francisco street, dripping a trail of blood and calling for help. He later ***** at a hospital. Prosecutors say Momeni, 40, planned the April 4, 2023, ******* after a dispute over his younger sister, Khazar Momeni, with whom Lee was friends. They say Momeni took a ****** from a unique set in his sister’s condo, drove Lee to a secluded area and stabbed him three times, then fled. The defense says Lee was being erratic and aggressive, having slept only six hours over a four-day ******* of doing ******** and ketamine and drinking. Momeni has pleaded not guilty. He faces 26 years to life in prison if convicted. But Momeni, who took the witness stand Wednesday, said the two men were on friendly terms when his sister kicked them both out of her condo at 2 a.m., saying she wanted to sleep after hours of partying and ingesting drugs. Momeni said they got into his BMW and he started driving while Lee checked his phone for places to go next. He pulled the car over after they went over a pothole, causing Lee to spill his *****. Lee got out of the car and Momeni followed, thinking Lee was about to *****. That was when he said he made the “bad joke” about seeing family. “He just went from zero to 100,” Momeni said. “You could see the anger.” Omid Talai, assistant district attorney, scoffed at the story on cross-examination Wednesday. “He wanted to ***** you over a bad joke?” said Talai, incredulous. “I’m not sure why he pulled it out,” Momeni said. “I was in ***** for my life.” Momeni pushed back Wednesday afternoon as Talai questioned him about text messages and testimony from others. The cross-examination continues Thursday. Surveillance video of Lee’s final night shows him entering the posh Millennium Tower downtown, where Momeni’s sister lives with her husband, a prominent San Francisco plastic surgeon. Video also shows Lee and Momeni leaving the building after 2 a.m. and driving off together in Momeni’s car. Grainy video also shows the two men getting out of the car in a isolated spot by the Bay Bridge. Prosecutors say that is where Momeni stabbed Lee, while the defense says that is where Lee attacked Momeni. Police recovered a ****** with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) blade in the secluded area where Lee was stabbed. Prosecutors said tests showed Momeni’s DNA on the *******’s handle and Lee’s DNA on the ******* blade, but the defense presented an expert witness who said the police should have tested the handle for fingerprints, namely Lee’s. Lee’s ****** stunned the tech community as fellow executives and engineers penned tributes to the charismatic entrepreneur’s generosity and brilliance. Lee was chief product officer of cryptocurrency platform MobileCoin when he *****. He was a father to two children. Source link #Tech #consultant #testifies #bad #joke #led #deadly #clash #Cash #App #founder #Bob #Lee Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Snag This 75-Inch 4K Roku TV For $378 During Walmart’s Early ****** Friday ***** Snag This 75-Inch 4K Roku TV For $378 During Walmart’s Early ****** Friday ***** If you’re on the market for an affordable 4K smart TV, you should check out Walmart’s early ****** Friday *****, as the retailer has a great deal on a very large TCL 4K TV. The TCL 75-Inch Class S4 4K Roku TV is discounted to only $378 (was $498) until November 17. The TV runs on the Roku TV OS, which supports all the popular streaming apps like Netflix, SlingTV, YouTube, and more, and there’s a built-in OTA TV tuner you can use to access over 250 free channels. Oh, and you can use the Roku smartphone app as a second remote. While this makes it a great pick for streaming video or watching Blu-rays, it also features an Auto Game Mode that dynamically changes the picture settings for the lowest possible input latency when using a console, making it a solid choice for gaming, too. TCL 75-Inch Class S4 4K Roku TV As for the TV’s design, the 75-inch Class S4 4K TV uses a bezel-less LED screen with HDR support and built-in 4K upscaling for lower-resolution video. It has four HDMI ports, including one port with eARC support for higher-fidelity audio quality. The rest of the TV’s I/O includes an Ethernet port, a USB port, and support for Wifi and Bluetooth. Overall, this is a pretty great deal on a 4K Smart TV, especially at a sub-$400 price point. That said, if you’re looking for a TV with gaming on PS5 or Xbox Series X in mind, you may want a higher-end display with HDMI 2.1, which helps take full advantage of the current console generation’s graphical capabilities. Walmart has a pair of fantastic deals on LG 4K OLED TVs. You can get a 55-inch model for $798 or a 65-inch model for $998. Both TVs have four HDMI ports, two of which are HDMI 2.1. It’s also worth checking out the rest of Walmart’s ****** Friday *****, which includes deals on games, PC hardware, collectible figures, and more. Head over to our Walmart ****** Friday deals roundup to see more of our favorite discounts, or visit Walmart’s site to browse the full event. Source link #Snag #75Inch #Roku #Walmarts #Early #****** #Friday #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******** AI startup Shengshu launches image-to-video tool, rivaling Sora ******** AI startup Shengshu launches image-to-video tool, rivaling Sora Pictured here is an AI-generated clip from Vidu’s website. The tool can create videos from text or image prompts. Evelyn Cheng | CNBC BEIJING — Beijing-based Shengshu Technology on Wednesday said that its artificial intelligence-powered text-to-video tool Vidu will now be able to generate videos by combining images. Vidu already allows users worldwide to create 8-second clips based on written prompts. While OpenAI — the maker of ChatGPT — in February revealed that its AI model Sora could generate one-minute videos from text, it has yet to release that publicly. Vidu’s new AI feature can combine three pictures — such as a shirt, person and moped — into a video of the person wearing the shirt and driving the moped through a scene, Shengshu said. Other platforms claim they can turn text or images into videos using AI, but the quality of output varies. The breakthrough that Shengshu claims is the ability to take three unique images and integrate them with visual consistency into an AI-generated video. “Very early on we pinpointed [visual consistency] as the problem, and wanted to solve it well,” Fan Bao, chief technology officer at Shengshu, said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC. Vidu launched in April and its ability to turn two profile photos into lifelike videos of people hugging went viral on TikTok. The AI video generator is already making money from advertisers, animators and other businesses, Shengshu co-founder and CEO Jiayu ***** said in Mandarin, according to a CNBC translation. He said monthly usage rates per customer can range from 100,000 yuan to 1 million yuan ($13,871 to $138,711). To address copyright issues, ***** said a company might sign a deal with an artist that allows the AI to mimic the artist’s style of painting for an advertisement. He said he hadn’t seen significant legal cases around consumers’ use of images. ***** added that Vidu doesn’t allow the public to generate content using images of celebrities or “sensitive” individuals. He said the AI tool also bans nudes and violent images. As for personal photos, ***** said Vidu destroys the data in accordance with general data protection regulation — a global benchmark. Shengshu was founded last year with backers including Baidu Ventures, Alibaba-affiliate Ant Group, ******** startup Zhipu AI, Qiming Venture Partners and Beijing city, according to PitchBook. ***** said Vidu’s AI runs off rented cloud servers in China and abroad. Source link #******** #startup #Shengshu #launches #imagetovideo #tool #rivaling #Sora Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Outlanders is the series’ most ambitious mobile game Monster Hunter Outlanders is the series’ most ambitious mobile game Capcom and TiMi Studio Group announced Monster Hunter Outlanders for iOS and Android today. Unlike previous Monster Hunter games for mobile, Outlanders will more closely emulate console games with a large 3D open world to explore, real-time gameplay and combat, and cooperative hunting. Previous Monster Hunter mobile games include Monster Hunter Now, which applied the Pokémon Go formula to Capcom’s long-running series, and the matching game Monster Hunter Puzzle: Felyne Isles. In 2022, the Tencent-owned TiMi Studio Group announced its partnership with Capcom and intention to create a new mobile game that would “reproduce the hunting actions that define the Monster Hunter series.” TiMi developers have created mobile adaptations of franchises like Age of Empires and Call of Duty. Monster Hunter Outlanders might be TiMi’s most ambitious game yet. It will sport a large open world full of different regions, as well as the combat, cooperative play, and crafting gameplay loops found in mainline Monster Hunter titles. A press release also teases features like world events and social-focused systems. Unlike most mobile game reveals, the announcement trailer for Monster Hunters Outlanders does contain gameplay, so you can watch that for a better idea of what to expect from the final release. It’ll certainly be interesting to compare Outlanders‘ feature set to that of Monster Hunter Wilds, which is the next console game in the series and will launch across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on February 28, 2025. TiMi and Capcom haven’t committed to a release date for Monster Hunter Outlanders yet. All we know is that several public playtests for the game will be held ahead of its eventual launch on iOS and Android. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Outlanders #series #ambitious #mobile #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google Chrome for iOS Receives Shopping Insights, Other New Features Google Chrome for iOS Receives Shopping Insights, Other New Features Google Chrome for iOS has received several new features that aim to make finding information and completing tasks easier. The web browser now lets iPhone users add text queries to visual searches via Google Lens for more helpful and relevant results. It also introduces new ways to save space on iPhone, find better deals while shopping online, and view maps of addresses quickly. These changes are arriving with the Google Chrome for iOS update for November 2024. New Features in Google Chrome for iOS In a blog post, Google announced that Chrome for iOS users can now add text queries to visual searches in Google Lens simultaneously. This is said to help in more complex searches with the option of adding a colour or visual attribute as a text query alongside the image search. Chrome for iOS also brings a new feature that might help users get rid of the “Storage Almost Full” notification. Following the latest update, it allows saving photos and other content from the web directly from the web to Google Drive and Photos apps on iPhone. When saving the file, users simply need to tap on the Drive option that appears and content will be saved in the new Saved from Chrome folder in Files. To save images, they can press and hold onto an image and select the Save in Google Photos option from the context menu. In the US, Google’s latest update for Chrome introduces a shopping insights feature for finding good deals when shopping online. While browsing for a product, users will get a Good Deal Now notification from the browser which provides information such as its price history, price tracking, and more buying options. This feature works when the Make Searches and Browsing Better setting is enabled on Chrome. It will initially only be available in the US but will be rolled out to more regions over the coming months, confirmed Google. Another new addition to Chrome for iOS is the ability to see maps of addresses with a single tap without switching between the browser and Google Maps. Once rolled out, users will be able to see a mini-map of the location in Chrome with one tap on the underlined address. The feature is currently said to be in the experimental phase and will be introduced globally soon. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Red Magic 10 Pro+, Red Magic 10 Pro With Snapdragon 8 Elite ‘Extreme Edition’ Chip Launched: Price, Specifications Source link #Google #Chrome #iOS #Receives #Shopping #Insights #Features Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Media CFO, director sell DJT stock Trump Media CFO, director sell DJT stock Pavlo Gonchar | Lightrocket | Getty Images The chief financial officer of Trump Media and two other corporate insiders sold more than $16 million worth of company stock in the week following the presidential election, according to new disclosures. Most of the stock was sold by CFO Phillip Juhan, who in August adopted a trading plan that revealed his intention to sell 400,000 DJT shares by December 2025. Trump Media director Eric Swider and Scott Glabe, the company’s general counsel, each sold fewer shares of the company, whose majority owner Donald Trump was elected president on Nov. 5. Trump Media, which operates the Truth Social app, has a market capitalization of $6.3 billion despite reporting revenue of slightly more than just $1 million in the third quarter of this year. The company, whose share price has dramatically fluctuated since the stock became publicly traded in late March, reported losses of $19.2 million for the quarter. Truth Social’s daily active user rate is minuscule compared to other social media apps. Similarweb, a digital intelligence platform, reported that Truth Social had about 200,000 daily active users on Nov. 6, the day after Election Day. By contrast, the social media site X had 36.7 million users that day, Threads had 4.7 million users and Bluesky had about one million users. Juhan, who is also Trump Media’s treasurer, sold 320,000 shares on Friday at a price of $30.65 per share, or a total of $9.8 million worth of stock according to a Form 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. On Monday, Juhan sold another 64,000 shares at $32.97 per share, another $2.11 million worth, the same filing said. Read more CNBC politics coverage After the second *****, Juhan still had 265,798 shares of DJT, according to the filing. All but about 20,000 of those shares are restricted stock units, which were awarded to him on Nov. 5, Election Day, and which cannot be immediately sold. One-quarter of that awarded stock will vest, and become eligible for *****, on Dec. 25, a filing showed. The remaining shares will vest in quarterly installments through March 2027. Swider sold 136,183 shares of DJT on Friday at $28.23 per share, for a total of $3.84 million worth, according to his new Form 4 filing. The ***** disposed of all of Swider’s Trump Media shares, the filing indicated. Swider controls a company, Renatus Advisors, that still owns 18,043 shares of Trump Media. Glabe, the general counsel, on Friday sold 15,917 shares for $32.19 per share, or a total of $512,368, a filing shows. Glabe, who is also the company’s secretary, still owns 336,576 restricted stock units in Trump Media after that *****. That stock was awarded to him on Nov. 5, and will vest according to the same schedule as Juhan’s RSUs. On the same day that Juhan and Scott received the RSUs, Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes received 1.3 million RSUs, which as of Wednesday were worth nearly $38 million on paper. Nunes’ RSUs are subject to the same vesting schedules as those owned by Juhan and Scott. A Trump Media spokeswoman did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the stock sales. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Trump #Media #CFO #director #sell #DJT #stock Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon Haul wants to be the new Temu Amazon Haul wants to be the new Temu will be the ecommerce titan’s new discount storefront designed to compete against Temu and Shein, reports. This new corner of Bezos’s empire is mobile-only and promises items at “crazy low prices.” Unlike Amazon Prime’s fast speeds, Amazon promises its Haul orders orders will arrive in less than two weeks. Previously, CNBC mentioned in a that Amazon was exploring a storefront where goods would be sold to US customers directly from China, though now it seems the company itself is doing the importing and acting as an intermediary. Speed isn’t the only alteration to the typical Amazon arrangement customers will have to get used to. It seems, regardless of if they subscribe to Prime or not, buyers will have to purchase $25 of goods per order with Haul to get free shipping. For lesser orders, the shipping fee will be $3.99. Amazon also won’t accept Haul returns if the value of the items is $3 or under. If customers take to Haul, the new storefront could put Amazon in a favorable position in a seemingly crowded market. Both the and EU have set their regulatory . If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Source link #Amazon #Haul #Temu Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]