An Italian investigative journalist said he was the target of a spyware attack disclosed by WhatsApp.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has shaken up the industry. Its open-source model, DeepSeek-V3, is outperforming leading U.S. models—all while using less advanced chips and consuming less energy. This success is forcing OpenAI to reconsider its stance on open-source AI. OpenAI’s […]
The post Sam Altman: OpenAI has been on the ‘wrong side of history’ post-DeepSeek and ‘needs to figure out a different open source strategy’ first appeared on Tech Startups.
Audi is launching a new global nomenclature system for its vehicles to more clearly represent a vehicle’s type, size, shape, and powertrain.
The updated system will still begin with letters like A for “low-floor” vehicles or Q for “high-floor” ones. That will be followed by numbers 1 through 8 that help represent the size or classification of the vehicle. However, Audi says it will no longer use odd or even numbers to represent what powertrain technologies it uses.
Then comes the body style, which includes Avant, Sedan, or Sportback, where applicable. Finally, Audi will add to the end a powertrain code, including the TFSI (Turbo Fuel Stratified Injection) combustion engine, TFSI e (plug-in hybrid), and E-tron (all electric). The system also replaces Audi’s two-digit power output representation which really made things confusing.
This new naming system will debut with the new combustion engine version Audi A6, which will be revealed on March 4th. You can expect Audi A6 models to have names like A6 Avant TFSI or A6 Sedan E-tron. (Current models will not be renamed.)
E-tron vehicles were especially confusing in the past. The original US line was a Q8-style SUV but was just called the “Audi E-tron.” A Sportback version was made afterward, and both were renamed to Q8 E-tron (which are now being phased out). Today, there’s a Q6 E-tron that is similar in size but built on Volkswagen’s modular Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform shared with the A6 E-tron and Porsche Macan EV.
EA is ready to take the wraps off the next Battlefield early. The publisher shared a brief glimpse of footage from an alpha version of the game as part of an announcement video for Battlefield Labs, a new early access program that will give fans a taste of in-development Battlefield before it launches.
Battlefield Labs is designed to let Battlefield's developers "test concepts and experiences" before the next Battlefield game is released, according to a press release announcing the program. Developers hope to collect feedback on what the release describes as a critical part of the game's development. Anyone participating in Battlefield Labs will be under NDA and will "test (almost) everything" in the game. That includes "core combat and destruction," things like "weapons, vehicles and gadgets" and "maps, modes, and squad play."
EA is running a similar playtesting program for the next Skate game — appropriately dubbed "Skate Insiders" — ahead of that game's early access release in 2025.
Battlefield is currently being developed by a collection of EA studios under the umbrella of "Battlefield Studios," including DICE, the creators of the franchise, Criterion, a former Need for Speed developer that was shifted to Battlefield in 2023, Ripple Effect and Motive, the developer of Star Wars Squadrons and the recent Dead Space remake.
There's not a ton to go off of in the footage EA shared, but the game's developers did confirm that the next Battlefield will include a single player campaign, a notable omission from multiplayer-only Battlefield 2042.
You can sign-up to participate in Battlefield Labs right now on EA's website if you're in Europe or North America. The test will be limited to "a few thousand participants" to start, but the company plans on expanding the program to other regions and players in the future. Even if you're not playing the early access version of the game, EA says you'll also be able to track Battlefield's development through "work-in-progress public updates" and the game's Discord.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-is-giving-fans-a-chance-to-test-the-next-battlefield-early-192527209.html?src=rss
©
© Battlefield Studios
Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario and a former staunch supporter of President Trump, has announced that the Canadian territory will be “ripping up” a $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink. The contract was signed in November of last year and tasked Starlink with providing internet service to remote parts of the province.
This comes after Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on nearly all Canadian imported goods. This spurred Canada to announce its own 25 percent tariff on American imported goods. It looks like we are heading into a trade war for, uh, reasons? Trump says it’s about fentanyl, even though less than one percent of the drug arrives in this country via Canadian routes. This is data that has been confirmed by both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
Starting today and until U.S. tariffs are removed, Ontario is banning American companies from provincial contracts.
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) February 3, 2025
Every year, the Ontario government and its agencies spend $30 billion on procurement, alongside our $200 billion plan to build Ontario. U.S.-based businesses will…
So where do Musk and Starlink come in? The richest man in the world is a close confidant of Trump and now has control over the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a group within the administration tasked with cost-cutting and deregulation. Musk, who was not elected and is essentially just some guy, has access to the federal payment system and some of the levers of the US Treasury.
In the eyes of Ford, this is enough to link Musk to Trump’s tariffs. He said that Ontario “won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy" and that Musk wants to “take food off the table” of hard-working Canadians. The premier indicated that the contract will remain null and void until “US tariffs are removed.” Additionally, Ontario is banning all American companies from provincial contracts, which will cause domestic businesses to “lose out on tens of billions of dollars in new revenues.”
Ford also commanded the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to remove American-made spirits from store shelves. He joins several other premiers across the country in this effort.
“Every year, LCBO sells nearly $1 billion worth of American wine, beer, spirits and seltzers. Not anymore," he said in a statement. Ontario has a population of over 16 million people and includes cities like Toronto and Niagara Falls. Musk responded to Ford’s decision by posting “oh well” on X.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ontario-cancels-100-million-starlink-contract-as-a-response-to-those-tariffs-192310546.html?src=rss
©
© ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund and suggested that it could be used to purchase TikTok. The fund is expected to be created in the next 12 months by the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments, though it’s not immediately clear how. Trump has said previously […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
In the first two weeks of Donald Trumpâs presidency, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have reportedly gained access to core parts of the American governmentâs payment systems, including systems that affect Social Security and Medicare benefits â as federal workers and government officials struggle to respond.
DOGE, an unofficial âdepartmentâ which Trump declared part of the US Digital Service, is purportedly tasked with cutting government waste. Musk has turned that mission into a broad gutting of federal agencies, including offering federal workers months of paid leave billed as âdeferred resignation.â But things ramped up even more over the weekend, as Musk and his associates forced out civil servants who refused access to sensitive data and computer systems.
The news started on Friday with the departure of a Treasury Department top career official. David Lebryk announced his retirement after clashing with Musk surrogates about accessing a payment system that disburses trillions of dollars for federal worker salaries, Social Security, and Medicare, according to The Washington Post. On Saturday, The New York Times reported that Musk now …
If you missed out on the steep AirPods discounts we saw during Black Friday, now is your chance. Right now, the second-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C are on sale at Walmart, Best Buy, and Target starting at $169 ($81 off), which is just $16 shy of their all-time low. Meanwhile, the AirPods 4 have dropped to a record low of $99.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy, with the noise-canceling variant going for around $148.99 ($31 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.
If you want the best sound and active noise cancellation you can get in a pair of Apple earbuds, you’ll likely want to pick up the second-gen AirPods Pro. The in-ears offer a few features you won’t find in their cheaper siblings, including intuitive swipe-based controls, more robust water resistance, and multiple silicone ear tips for a customizable fit. Thanks to a recent iOS 18 update, they also now double as FDA-approved hearing aids.
That being said, both the entry-level AirPods 4 and the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are excellent earbuds in their own right. They both deliver exceptionally clear voice call quality and produce the same high-quality sound, which benefits from a thicker layer of bass than Apple’s previous models despite their open design. The main difference is that the step-up AirPods 4 offer several Pro-like features, including ANC and a wireless charging case that features a built-in speaker and support for tracking via Apple’s Find My app.
Samsung is reportedly calling its upcoming tri-fold smartphone the “Galaxy G Fold,” a confusing decision considering its existing branding.
more…
Apple released a single version of its MagSafe battery a few years ago but was never upgraded or replaced. It eventually was removed for sale. It was a great product, and I wish it had stayed around. It was never designed to be the biggest battery, but it was great for getting through a heavy-use day. That’s exactly what the offers. It’s what I envision a modern Apple MagSafe battery would look like.
more…Have an iPhone 11? Apple just released a new build of last week’s iOS 18.3 software update just for you.
iOS 18.3 build 22D64 is now available for iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The five-year-old model received the same update to iOS 18.3 last week as other iPhone models. The new build suggests something specific to the iPhone 11 line needed resolved with a new build.
more…
