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AWS says it’ll invest ‘at least’ $11B to expand data center infrastructure in Georgia

On Tuesday, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon’s cloud computing division, said that it plans to invest “at least” $11 billion in Georgia to expand its infrastructure to support various cloud computing and AI technologies. AWS estimates that its investment will create roughly 550 jobs in the state. “AWS is proud to expand our operations in […]

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FTC accuses gig work app Handy of misleading ads and opaque fees for workers

The FTC and New York’s attorney general have accused Handy, the gig app customers can use to book cleaners, handymen, and more, of making deceptive claims about how much workers could earn through its platform. In a complaint filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the FTC […]

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Sony Honda Mobility CES 2025 keynote: Learn more about the Afeela 1 EV live here

Afeela is coming back for a curtain call. After dominating the Sony press conference on the opening night of CES 2025, the debut EV from Sony Honda Mobility (a joint venture between the two Japanese concerns) is getting its own breakout event today. 

What to expect at Afeela's CES 2025 press conference

We know a lot more about the Afeela 1 than we did 24 hours ago, thanks to Sony's earlier presser. The Afeela 1 Origin and Afeela 1 Signature are priced at $89,900 and $109,900, respectively. Customers in California are now able to reserve a Signature trim for a refundable fee of $200 and the first deliveries are planned for mid-2026. The Origin variant is set to arrive the following year. Both variants factor in three years of access to services including Level 2+ driver assistance, the Afeela Personal Agent and a range of entertainment options.

At the Afeela keynote, we should learn much more about the Afeela 1. Expect a closer look at a near-final version of the EV, which is packed with tech.

Watch the Afeela CES 2025 livestream

You can watch the Afeela CES 2025 press conference live right here. The keynote starts Tuesday, January 7 at 7:30PM ET.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/sony-honda-mobility-ces-2025-keynote-learn-more-about-the-afeela-1-ev-live-here-212536780.html?src=rss

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Afeela 1

Big landlord settles with US, will cooperate in price-fixing investigation

The US Justice Department today announced it filed an antitrust lawsuit against "six of the nation's largest landlords for participating in algorithmic pricing schemes that harmed renters."

One of the landlords, Cortland Management, agreed to a settlement "that requires it to cooperate with the government, stop using its competitors' sensitive data to set rents and stop using the same algorithm as its competitors without a corporate monitor," the DOJ said. The pending settlement requires Cortland to "cooperate fully and truthfully... in any civil investigation or civil litigation the United States brings or has brought" on this subject matter.

The US previously sued RealPage, a software maker accused of helping landlords collectively set prices by giving them access to competitors' nonpublic pricing and occupancy information. The original version of the lawsuit described actions by landlords but did not name any as defendants.

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Blue Ghost Lunar Lander scheduled to launch on January 15th

Photo of Firefly Blue Ghost 1 aircraft on moon-like surface
Image: Firefly Aerospace

A lander hasn’t successfully reached the surface of the Moon’s cratered Mare Crisium region since the Soviet Luna 24 probe landed there to collect samples in August 1976. But SpaceX is prepping a launch that’ll send not one, but two landers there on Wednesday January 15th, Firefly Aerospace has announced.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch at approximately 1:11 AM EST, and will not only have Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lander on board, but also the Resilience lander from the Japanese robotic spacecraft firm iSpace. It will take 45 days for the craft to journey to the Moon before it spends another 14 days carrying out surface operations. There’s no word on whether we’ll be able to watch it take off.

The Firefly lander will carry 10 NASA payloads to the surface. They’re designed to measure various particulate compositions, thermal properties, and electromagnetic activity of both the Moon and the Earth. It’ll collect data for various applications, from improving landing and takeoff procedures to learning about the Moon’s resources and its history.

The so-called LEXI payload is particularly interesting — it’s an x-ray machine that can read the Earth’s magnetic field. NASA will use the data to see how our magnetosphere interacts with solar winds, which could ultimately help accurately detect and track solar weather patterns that cause power outages on Earth and interfere with satellite and GPS systems.

This would be NASA’s second attempt to deploy such technology. It first launched the device, then known as STORM, into space in 2012. That one didn’t land on the moon, however, and wasn’t able to get the full picture that LEXI’s wide-angle sensors will be able to capture.

TikTok’s US Agency Lead Departs as Ban Deadline Approaches

Jack Bamberger, TikTok U.S.' general manager of agency business, left the company on Jan. 3, according to a person with direct knowledge. A second source from an advertising agency told ADWEEK that a TikTok rep confirmed Bamberger's departure to them. The move coincides with TikTok's intensifying challenges, including a potential U.S. ban slated for January...

Bye-bye Windows gaming? SteamOS officially expands past the Steam Deck.

Almost exactly a year ago, we were publicly yearning for the day when more portable gaming PC makers could ditch Windows in favor of SteamOS (without having to resort to touchy unofficial workarounds). Now, that day has finally come, with Lenovo announcing the upcoming Legion Go S as the first non-Valve handheld to come with an officially licensed copy of SteamOS preinstalled. And Valve promises that it will soon ship a beta version of SteamOS for users to "download and test themselves."

As Lenovo's slightly downsized followup to 2023's massive Legion Go, the Legion Go S won't feature the detachable controllers of its predecessor. But the new PC gaming handheld will come in two distinct versions, one with the now-standard Windows 11 installation and another edition that's the first to sport the (recently leaked) "Powered by SteamOS" branding.

The lack of a Windows license seems to contribute to a lower starting cost for the "Powered by SteamOS" edition of the Legion Go S, which will start at $500 when it's made available in May. Lenovo says the Windows edition of the device—available starting this month—will start at $730, with "additional configurations" available in May starting as low as $600.

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LG made a slim 32-inch 6K monitor with Thunderbolt 5

An image showing LG’s UltraFine 6K monitor
Image: LG

LG has revealed a new UltraFine monitor at CES, and it features a thin display mounted on an equally slim base. It’s also the first 6K monitor to support Thunderbolt 5, as spotted earlier by MacRumors.

That means it should have a data throughput of up to 80Gbps (or up to 120Gbps if it supports Intel’s Bandwidth Boost mode). It also has a “Nano IPS Black” panel that LG says “delivers exceptional color accuracy and a high contrast,” with 99.5 percent Adobe RGB and 98 percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage.

Many details about the display are still missing, as there’s no word on its refresh rate or availability. The 32-inch 6K Dell UltraSharp monitor, which also uses an IPS Black display from LG, might give us an idea about price, as it costs $2,479.99. The Verge reached out to LG with a request for more information but didn’t immediately hear back.

More devices have added support for Thunderbolt 5 in recent months, with the first Thunderbolt 5 cables and docks arriving last year. Apple’s newest MacBook Pro models and the Mac Mini support Thunderbolt 5 as well.

RCA’s new camo TVs will blend in perfectly with forest decor

An RCA outdoor TV with a camo patterned bezel against a white background.
RCA has announced a new lineup of IP55-rated outdoor TVs with bezels finished with camo patterns. | Image: RCA

RCA has announced a new line of bright QLED TVs designed to be installed and blend into outdoor settings with bezels finished in a “spirit of wilderness” and Mossy Oak camouflage design. They’re dust- and water-resistant and will work in temperatures ranging from -22 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

The company hasn’t announced when its new outdoor TV lineup will be available. When they are, the TVs will be offered in four sizes: a $3,999 43-inch model; a $4,999 55-inch model; a $5,999 65-inch model; and the largest, a 75-inch model for $7,999.

Why does RCA’s 43-inch quantum-dot TV cost almost four grand when similarly sized alternatives can be found for less than $300? The TV in your living room almost certainly doesn’t come with an IP55 rating. The RCA TVs are built with a scratch-resistant aluminum case that can withstand dust and moisture ingress. You won’t want to leave them out in a downpour, but they can survive being sprayed with a hose or pummeled with wind-blown rain.

Other features include up to 2,000 nits of brightness, which helps keep the TVs viewable in bright sunlight, Dolby Atmos support, and Google TV to provide access to various streaming apps.

Chinese VCs are hounding failed founders to claw back their investments

In the U.S., it’s accepted that most startups fail — and when that happens, VCs (generally) accept their losses and move on. But that’s not the case in China, where VCs are trying to claw back their investments in failed startups by pursuing the personal assets of their founders in court, The Financial Times reports. […]

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Threads prototypes custom display names and cover images for profiles

Instagram Threads is developing new features that would bring its user experience more in line with that of X (formerly Twitter) and the social network Bluesky. The Meta-owned company is internally prototyping the ability to set a display name and add a cover image to profiles. A spokesperson for the company confirmed to TechCrunch on […]

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Inside Digital Agency Razorfish’s Big Bet on CES

ADWEEK is shadowing Razorfish at CES this week. Follow along for more behind-the-scenes reporting from the event. The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is a big moment for agencies looking to set the stage for the year. For Razorfish, the Publicis-owned digital agency on the cusp of its 30th anniversary, this year's CES marks...

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