Month: September 2023
US agency sues Tesla as Black workers report “swastikas, threats, and nooses”
“I saw KKK epithets, a swastika, and the N-word,” Black worker says.
Enlarge / Cars parked at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, on February 10, 2022. (credit: Getty Images | Josh Edelson)
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Tesla yesterday, alleging that the electric carmaker violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by subjecting Black employees at its manufacturing facilities in Fremont, California, “to severe or pervasive racial harassment and created and maintained a hostile work environment because of their race.”
The US agency also alleged that Tesla “unlawfully retaliated against Black employees who opposed actions they perceived to constitute unlawful employment discrimination.” The lawsuit was filed in US District Court for the Northern District of California and alleges that the discrimination has been ongoing since May 2015.
“Throughout the Relevant Period, racial slurs, chief among them, [different variations of the N-word] as well as racist epithets and race-based stereotyping permeated Tesla’s Fremont Factory subjecting Black employees to racial hostility and offenses,” the lawsuit said. “Non-Black perpetrators of the racial misconduct have worked in a variety of positions at Tesla, including as managers, supervisors, line leads, production leads, production associates, and temporary workers.”
iPhone 15 and 15 Pro review: The final form
Years of iteration have led to a great phone, but where do we go from here?
It has been six years since the iPhone X hit store shelves, but at a glance, 2023’s iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro aren’t all that different. Thanks to a few steps of iteration, though, these smartphones still feel like a big step up—maybe not compared to last year’s iPhone, but certainly compared to 2017’s, or even 2020’s.
Although I don’t have any insight into what’s coming next year, the iPhone 15 seems like the final form of a product that has gone through a multi-year cycle. It sees Apple cementing a likely long-term strategy of treating the cheaper model as a rerun of the previous year’s pro model, it addresses one of the longest-standing complaints about iPhones (even if Apple’s hand was forced by regulation), and it refines a tried-and-true design.
The iPhone 15, its pricier siblings, and its strong competitors on the Android side make the case that, for better or worse (mostly better), we’ve reached peak smartphone.
This Pixel Watch 2 leak shows features adopted from Fitbit
Screenshot by Wes Davis / The Verge
Google’s Pixel launch event is next week, but the company can’t stop the bleeding when it comes to leaks on product reveals. This latest leak gives us a peek at new Fitbit features included on the upcoming Pixel Watch 2, which leaker Evan Blass shared on X, the social platform previously known as Twitter (via 9to5Google).
One of the leaked Pixel Watch 2 images shows support for Fitbit Sense 2’s “Body responses” feature, which is supposed to tell when you’re feeling stressed. While the current Pixel Watch doesn’t have the electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor that’s required to enable this feature, it looks like the Pixel Watch 2 will come with it. EDA sensors measure minuscule amounts of sweat on your skin to detect when you’re stressed while also factoring in heart rate variability, skin temperature, and other metrics.
pic.twitter.com/SvxmBjtkIv— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 29, 2023
Notably, the Body responses screen on the new Pixel Watch 2 has a different interface than the version on the Fitbit Sense 2 watch. The new look on the Pixel 2 includes emoji face icons showing what times of day you seem happy or stressed. Workout screens also look like they’re getting a redesign on the Pixel Watch 2 — the leaked image gives the wearer a clear indication if they are on target with their heart rate during the workout. 9to5Google got ahold of more details on Fitbit workouts on the new watch as well.
Google had purposefully released a teaser video on the new Pixel Watch 2 earlier this month but also accidentally let its existence be known prematurely, along with the Pixel 8 Pro last month. The company might even offer up the new watch for free if you buy the phone.
We don’t have to wait long to see all the new features coming to the Pixel Watch 2, as the Made by Google event kicks off on Wednesday, October 4th, at 10AM ET in New York City. The Verge will be there to catch everything Google is expected to announce.
Screenshot by Wes Davis / The Verge
Google’s Pixel launch event is next week, but the company can’t stop the bleeding when it comes to leaks on product reveals. This latest leak gives us a peek at new Fitbit features included on the upcoming Pixel Watch 2, which leaker Evan Blass shared on X, the social platform previously known as Twitter (via 9to5Google).
One of the leaked Pixel Watch 2 images shows support for Fitbit Sense 2’s “Body responses” feature, which is supposed to tell when you’re feeling stressed. While the current Pixel Watch doesn’t have the electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor that’s required to enable this feature, it looks like the Pixel Watch 2 will come with it. EDA sensors measure minuscule amounts of sweat on your skin to detect when you’re stressed while also factoring in heart rate variability, skin temperature, and other metrics.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 29, 2023
Notably, the Body responses screen on the new Pixel Watch 2 has a different interface than the version on the Fitbit Sense 2 watch. The new look on the Pixel 2 includes emoji face icons showing what times of day you seem happy or stressed. Workout screens also look like they’re getting a redesign on the Pixel Watch 2 — the leaked image gives the wearer a clear indication if they are on target with their heart rate during the workout. 9to5Google got ahold of more details on Fitbit workouts on the new watch as well.
Google had purposefully released a teaser video on the new Pixel Watch 2 earlier this month but also accidentally let its existence be known prematurely, along with the Pixel 8 Pro last month. The company might even offer up the new watch for free if you buy the phone.
We don’t have to wait long to see all the new features coming to the Pixel Watch 2, as the Made by Google event kicks off on Wednesday, October 4th, at 10AM ET in New York City. The Verge will be there to catch everything Google is expected to announce.
James Bond Infiltrates Apple Arcade in Cypher 007 – CNET
You can play this game and many others with an Apple Arcade subscription.
You can play this game and many others with an Apple Arcade subscription.
Supreme Court to hear landmark social media moderation cases
Photo by Celal Gunes / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The Supreme Court announced Friday that it would be taking up two major First Amendment cases, challenging a pair of Florida and Texas laws allowing states to control how large social media companies moderate content.
The GOP-backed laws, both passed in 2021, make it illegal for social platforms like Facebook and Instagram to suspend or punish users in many cases, particularly in instances Republican lawmakers characterize as being biased against conservatives.
Two tech industry trade groups, NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), challenged the laws in short order, accusing the states of violating the First Amendment by unlawfully instructing how private platforms moderate speech on their platforms.
“It is high time that the Supreme Court resolves whether governments can force websites to publish dangerous content.”
“This order is encouraging. It is high time that the Supreme Court resolves whether governments can force websites to publish dangerous content,” CCIA president Matt Schruers said in a statement Friday. “Telling private websites they must give equal treatment to extremist hate isn’t just unwise, it is unconstitutional, and we look forward to demonstrating that to the Court.”
In August, the Biden administration recommended that the court weigh in on whether the laws violate the First Amendment rights of platform operators and provisions requiring the platforms to publicly explain their decisions to edit or remove content. Former President Donald Trump filed a brief urging the court to uphold the Florida law.
The Supreme Court isn’t expected to make a decision on either of these cases until sometime next year. Still, that decision is likely to come in the middle of the 2024 presidential election season. Content moderation has been a divisive issue between the US’s two political parties, with Democrats demanding more moderation, especially in cases of mis- and disinformation, and Republicans arguing for less.
Photo by Celal Gunes / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The Supreme Court announced Friday that it would be taking up two major First Amendment cases, challenging a pair of Florida and Texas laws allowing states to control how large social media companies moderate content.
The GOP-backed laws, both passed in 2021, make it illegal for social platforms like Facebook and Instagram to suspend or punish users in many cases, particularly in instances Republican lawmakers characterize as being biased against conservatives.
Two tech industry trade groups, NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), challenged the laws in short order, accusing the states of violating the First Amendment by unlawfully instructing how private platforms moderate speech on their platforms.
“This order is encouraging. It is high time that the Supreme Court resolves whether governments can force websites to publish dangerous content,” CCIA president Matt Schruers said in a statement Friday. “Telling private websites they must give equal treatment to extremist hate isn’t just unwise, it is unconstitutional, and we look forward to demonstrating that to the Court.”
In August, the Biden administration recommended that the court weigh in on whether the laws violate the First Amendment rights of platform operators and provisions requiring the platforms to publicly explain their decisions to edit or remove content. Former President Donald Trump filed a brief urging the court to uphold the Florida law.
The Supreme Court isn’t expected to make a decision on either of these cases until sometime next year. Still, that decision is likely to come in the middle of the 2024 presidential election season. Content moderation has been a divisive issue between the US’s two political parties, with Democrats demanding more moderation, especially in cases of mis- and disinformation, and Republicans arguing for less.
Intel Hails ‘Landmark’ as High-Volume EUV Production Begins at Irish Plant
Chipmaker Intel said on Friday it had begun high-volume production using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines at its $18.5 billion plant in Ireland, calling it a “landmark” moment as it seeks to regain ground on its rivals. From a report: The EUV tools, which are theoretically precise enough to hit a person’s thumb with a laser pointer from the moon, will play a key role in meeting Intel’s goal of delivering five generations of technology in four years, the U.S. company said. The effort in Ireland is Intel’s first attempt at high-volume manufacturing using EUV technology. Once the world’s leading chip manufacturer, Intel has lost the lead but says it is on track to regain it with manufacturing technology it says will rival the best from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
“This is a landmark for Intel and the semiconductor industry as a whole,” Ann Kelleher, Intel’s general manager of technology development, said in a statement. “The transfer of Intel 4 process technology into high-volume production in Ireland is a giant step toward enabling leading-edge manufacturing in Europe.” The plant, located in the town of Leixlip outside Dublin, is the first high-volume location for its manufacturing process called Intel 4 that uses EUV. The advanced manufacturing technique will produce its forthcoming “Meteor Lake” chip for laptops, which will pave the way for AI PCs.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Chipmaker Intel said on Friday it had begun high-volume production using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines at its $18.5 billion plant in Ireland, calling it a “landmark” moment as it seeks to regain ground on its rivals. From a report: The EUV tools, which are theoretically precise enough to hit a person’s thumb with a laser pointer from the moon, will play a key role in meeting Intel’s goal of delivering five generations of technology in four years, the U.S. company said. The effort in Ireland is Intel’s first attempt at high-volume manufacturing using EUV technology. Once the world’s leading chip manufacturer, Intel has lost the lead but says it is on track to regain it with manufacturing technology it says will rival the best from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
“This is a landmark for Intel and the semiconductor industry as a whole,” Ann Kelleher, Intel’s general manager of technology development, said in a statement. “The transfer of Intel 4 process technology into high-volume production in Ireland is a giant step toward enabling leading-edge manufacturing in Europe.” The plant, located in the town of Leixlip outside Dublin, is the first high-volume location for its manufacturing process called Intel 4 that uses EUV. The advanced manufacturing technique will produce its forthcoming “Meteor Lake” chip for laptops, which will pave the way for AI PCs.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
AMC Plus is getting an ad-supported subscription tier
The ad-supported tier will cost $4.99 monthly. | Screenshot by Wes Davis / The Verge
AMC Networks says it’s introducing an ad-supported version of its AMC Plus streaming service. The plan will cost $4.99 per month and provide users access to the same content library as the $8.99 ad-free version.
According to the press release, the service’s “light” ad load will be limited to “less than five minutes per hour.” Series and films included on AMC Plus include The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Dark Winds, and Interview with a Vampire, as well as classics like Mad Men. The ad-supported version will also enable access to Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited.
“This ad-supported version of AMC+ gives consumers more flexibility while bringing ads to the only piece of our distribution ecosystem that wasn’t already ad-supported,” Kim Kelleher, chief commercial officer of AMC Networks, said in a statement.
It’s unsurprising to see AMC Plus join the ad-supported bandwagon as streaming services look for new ways to grow their subscriber bases. Streaming services like Max, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix have all announced similar ad-supported plans. Meanwhile, FAST — free ad-supported television — services are also on the rise.
The move also follows AMC’s recent decision to offer a handful of shows, like Fear of the Walking Dead and Killing Eve, without ads on Max. The deal, which runs through October 31st, is meant to help boost AMC Plus’ profile while boosting Max’s content library.
The ad-supported tier will cost $4.99 monthly. | Screenshot by Wes Davis / The Verge
AMC Networks says it’s introducing an ad-supported version of its AMC Plus streaming service. The plan will cost $4.99 per month and provide users access to the same content library as the $8.99 ad-free version.
According to the press release, the service’s “light” ad load will be limited to “less than five minutes per hour.” Series and films included on AMC Plus include The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Dark Winds, and Interview with a Vampire, as well as classics like Mad Men. The ad-supported version will also enable access to Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited.
“This ad-supported version of AMC+ gives consumers more flexibility while bringing ads to the only piece of our distribution ecosystem that wasn’t already ad-supported,” Kim Kelleher, chief commercial officer of AMC Networks, said in a statement.
It’s unsurprising to see AMC Plus join the ad-supported bandwagon as streaming services look for new ways to grow their subscriber bases. Streaming services like Max, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix have all announced similar ad-supported plans. Meanwhile, FAST — free ad-supported television — services are also on the rise.
The move also follows AMC’s recent decision to offer a handful of shows, like Fear of the Walking Dead and Killing Eve, without ads on Max. The deal, which runs through October 31st, is meant to help boost AMC Plus’ profile while boosting Max’s content library.
Microsoft will stop old Windows product keys from activating new Windows installs
Windows 7 and 8 keys still seem to work for now, but that may be ending.
Enlarge (credit: Microsoft)
RIP to one of my favorite loopholes: Microsoft quietly announced earlier this month (via Neowin) that users will no longer be able to install and activate Windows 10 or Windows 11 with old Windows 7 and Windows 8 product keys.
At least for now, though, it seems like this change will only apply to future Windows versions. We were able to activate a fresh Windows 11 Pro 22H2 install with a Windows 8 Pro product key as of this morning, as was Neowin. But Neowin was unable to activate a newer Insider Preview build of Windows, suggesting that the change will mostly affect newer Windows versions. We’ve asked Microsoft for clarification and will update this story if we receive any.
When Windows 10 originally launched in 2015, it did so as a free upgrade to all users of Windows 7 and Windows 8—the vast majority of the Windows user base at the time. Microsoft wanted to encourage developers to use its new technologies by giving them the largest possible install base of people on the newest version of Windows. Not only would people running Windows 7 and Windows 8 be offered the option to upgrade-in-place to Windows 10, but product keys from those versions of Windows would activate the analogous editions of Windows 10.