Smart speakers are a must for anyone wanting to create a voice-activated home – from listening to music and podcasts to controlling your latest connected gadgets, the devices have become a household staple. So much so that, in the first three months of 2022, more than 30 million were shipped globally, with Amazon at the forefront of the race accounting for around one-third of them with its Alexa-enabled devices. However VPNOverview has uncovered some troubling research indicating that your smart speaker is collecting more data about you than you may have initially realized. Smart speakers always listening Smart speakers are always listening to you (unless you turn off that functionality,… Read More
Continue ReadingContractors who work on YouTube Music are striking
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Over 40 contractors for YouTube Music are going on strike — a first at Google, according to the Alphabet Workers Union (or AWU). The action is in response to an order to return to in-person work next week, something that many of the workers say they can’t do. They’re demanding a return-to-work policy that’s “fair, flexible, and does not threaten the safety and livelihoods of workers,” according to an AWU press release. The workers are part of the YouTube Music Content Operations team via Cognizant, a subcontractor for Alphabet, Google and YouTube’s parent company. Their jobs are to “ensure music content is available… Read More
Continue ReadingScientists solve long-standing mystery about mRNAs
Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) contain chemical marks that are critical for antiviral defense in cells, according to a new study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine. The finding solves a 50-year mystery concerning the purpose of these chemical modifications, and suggests that faulty mRNA modification may underlie some autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. The researchers, whose findings […] The post Scientists solve long-standing mystery about mRNAs appeared first on Knowridge Science Report. …read more Source:: Knowridge Science Report
Continue ReadingDietary fiber linked to higher risk of migraine headache
A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine headaches are sometimes preceded by warning symptoms. Triggers include hormonal changes, certain food and drink, stress and exercise. Migraine headaches […] The post Dietary fiber linked to higher risk of migraine headache appeared first on Knowridge Science Report. …read more Source:: Knowridge Science Report
Continue ReadingMacular diseases cause blindness and treatment costs millions. Here is how to look after yours
The single most expensive drug for the Australian government today, costing more than A$400 million per year, is one called aflibercept. It stops the growth and “leakiness” of blood vessels, and is given to treat a range of different eye diseases. These diseases have one thing in common: they all affect a piece of tissue […] The post Macular diseases cause blindness and treatment costs millions. Here is how to look after yours appeared first on Knowridge Science Report. …read more Source:: Knowridge Science Report
Continue ReadingNvidia says there’s a fix for Discord slowing down your GPU
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Nvidia says there’s a fix for a recently discovered issue where Discord being open in the background limited the performance of some graphics cards. According to a tweet from the company, the patch will download automatically when you log into Windows, so you won’t have to go through the trouble of manually downloading a graphics driver or other software update. The issue, which affected systems with cards like the RTX 3080 and RTX 3060 Ti, was seemingly caused by a recent Discord update. It kept GPUs from reaching their maximum memory clocks, missing by around 200Mhz. That came with a slight performance penalty… Read More
Continue ReadingThe best deals on 4K TVs
We’ve got deals on all sorts of TVs, ranging from affordable (yet feature-packed) models to high-end OLED and Mini LEDs that can really wow you. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge The future looks bright for those who are looking to nab a great TV in 2023 at a substantial discount. Although a fresh slate of new models was announced at CES 2023, it might be a while until many of them arrive — and even longer before they receive a discount. However, you don’t have to wait until later this year to land a great deal on a mid- or high-end TV from Sony, LG, TCL, or… Read More
Continue ReadingFreak infection with an eradicated form of polio shows virus’ craftiness
Enlarge / Transmission electron micrograph of poliovirus type 1. (credit: Getty | BSIP) An eradicated form of wild polio surfaced in routine wastewater monitoring in the Netherlands last year, offering a cautionary tale on the importance of monitoring for the tenacious virus, researchers report this week in the journal Eurosurveilance. The sewage sample came up positive for infectious poliovirus in mid-November and genome sequencing revealed a strain of wild poliovirus type 3, which was declared globally eradicated in 2019. Its potential revival would be a devastating setback in the decades-long effort to stamp out highly infectious and potentially paralytic germ for good. For brief background, there are three types of… Read More
Continue ReadingElectrify America is increasing prices at its DC fast charging stations
Photo by Umar Shakir / The Verge Remember how rising gas prices weren’t a concern to electric car owners? Electrify America is giving users of its DC fast charging network a reminder about one of the biggest frustrations of owning internal combustion engine cars again — by increasing electricity rates at its stations (via Ars Technica). Starting on March 6th, Electrify America will be charging US customers a standard rate of $0.48 per kilowatt hour. The company, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Auto Group, was charging $0.43 per kWh, but now, it is emailing customers to share the price increase details. Tara Geiger of Electrify America’s corporate communications emailed the company’s… Read More
Continue ReadingEA and Meta weren’t the only companies to ax games this week
Apex Legends Mobile is one of the games shutting down. | Image: EA Over the course of this week, the developers of several major live service titles announced that their games would be shutting down. That means that players who actively enjoyed those games — and possibly spent money on them — might have to move on to something else. The shutdowns are a reminder of the challenges facing these ambitious online titles. If they don’t quickly become massive hits, they might be closed down before they really have time to find their footing. Any new entrants have to fight an uphill battle to compete against juggernauts like Destiny 2,… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Chinese Balloon Is the Quintessential UFO
Residents of Billings, Montana, encountered a rather strange sight this week: A giant white ball hovering in the sky in broad daylight. The ball drifted between clouds and shimmered in the sun. It looked almost like a second moon. American military officials suspect that the floating mystery object is a Chinese spy balloon. The high-altitude object, they say, traveled from China to Alaska and then Canada before crossing into the continental United States. The U.S. government considered shooting down the balloon before determining that the resulting debris could endanger those on the ground. China has insisted that the aerial interloper isn’t a surveillance system, but a weather balloon that was… Read More
Continue ReadingFriday’s top tech news: Google and Microsoft prepare to do battle over AI
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Plus fresh details on Meta’s next AI headset, and another smart home company begins its Matter transition. Continue reading… …read more Source:: Theverge – Tech
Continue ReadingI’ve reviewed laptops for decades; and this $499 Core i7 2-in1 laptop is perfect for freelancers
When I first started writing about tech in the late 1990’s, Gateway 2000 was one of the computer companies that tried to do things differently, with its bovine-themed design filling the pages of computer magazines (aka dead tree with ink on it). “No matter how close you look, the quality shines through” reads one of the slogans. Fast forward to 2023, and Gateway 2000 is now an Acer brand that’s exclusive to Walmart, the world’s largest supermarket chain. Gateway is probably one of the most underrated computer brands around, and the GWCC71416-BK, a svelte 2-in-1 convertible laptop that sells for $499 (down from $699), is perhaps the best example of… Read More
Continue ReadingEU’s green tech funding plans divides bloc over global subsidy race
The EU’s new green tech funding plan has sparked concerns about an escalating global subsidy race. The initiative was launched in response to the US’ Inflation Reduction Act. The act provides $369 billion of subsidies for green technologies, largely through tax credits for products “made in America.” The incentives have triggered fears that EU companies will be enticed to redirect investment and production to the US. Critics claim the measures amount to protectionism that violates existing trade agreements. In response to the act, the EU this week unveiled the Green Deal Industrial Plan — a roadmap to make the bloc’s… This story continues at The Next Web …read more Source::… Read More
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